Development and evaluation of an interferon-γ release assay in Asian elephants (Elephas maximus)

• Published in: Journal of Veterinary Medical Science Vol. 78; no. 7; pp. 1117 - 1121
• Main Authors: PAUDEL, Sarad, VILLANUEVA, Marvin A., MIKOTA, Susan K., NAKAJIMA, Chie, GAIRHE, Kamal P., SUBEDI, Suraj, RAYAMAJHI, Nabin, SASHIKA, Mariko, SHIMOZURU, Michito, MATSUBA, Takashi, SUZUKI, Yasuhiko, TSUBOTA, Toshio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan JAPANESE SOCIETY OF VETERINARY SCIENCE 2016; The Japanese Society of Veterinary Science
• Subjects: Animals; Asian elephant; Elephants - immunology; Female; Interferon-gamma Release Tests - methods; Interferon-gamma Release Tests - veterinary; interferon-γ; Male; mitogen; sandwich ELISA; Wildlife Science
• ISSN: 0916-7250; 1347-7439
• DOI: 10.1292/jvms.15-0701

We developed an interferon-γ release assay (IGRA) specific for Asian elephants (Elephas maximus). Whole blood collected from forty captive Asian elephants was stimulated with three different mitogens i.e., phytohemagglutinin (PHA), pokweed mitogen (PWM) and phorbol myristate aceteate/ionomycin (PMA/I). A sandwich ELISA that was able to recognize the recombinant elephant interferon-γ (rEIFN-γ) as well as native interferon-γ from the Asian elephants was performed using anti-elephant IFN-γ rabbit polyclonal antibodies as capture antibodies and biotinylated anti-elephant IFN-γ rabbit polyclonal antibodies as detection antibodies. PMA/I was the best mitogen to use as a positive control for an Asian elephant IGRA. The development of an Asian elephant-specific IGRA that detects native IFN-γ in elephant whole blood provides promising results for its application as a potential diagnostic tool for diseases, such as tuberculosis (TB) in Asian elephants.