Development and characterization of monoclonal antibodies specific for chicken interleukin-13 and their neutralizing effects in chicken primary monocytes

Compared with mammals, the functionality of chicken cytokines is not well understood because of the unavailability of immune reagents. Mammalian interleukin (IL)-13 is an important Th2 type cytokine with well-known biological functions through its 2 receptors, IL-13 receptor (IL-13R)-α1 and IL-13Rα2. In the present study, we developed mouse monoclonal antibodies (mAb) against chIL-13 and further investigated their specificity in detecting endogenously produced chIL-13. Upon characterization of mAb using indirect ELISA and Western blot, the capture ELISA was developed for detecting chIL-13. Neutralizing effects were tested by measuring nitric oxide (NO) production and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression in primary chicken monocytes stimulated with chIL-13, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), chIL-13+LPS, or chIL-13+LPS+mAb. In addition, gene expression of chIL-13Rα1, chIL-13Rα2, and TGF-β1 was tested in chicken monocytes treated with chIL-13 or chIL-13+mAb. Based on indirect ELISA, 5 mAb that detected recombinant chIL-13 were identified, and all of them specifically detected recombinant chIL-13 protein by Western blotting. An optimal signal was obtained with 2 mAb (#9B11 and #10A2) in a pairing assay, and these 2 mAb were used in a capture assay. A neutralization assay further revealed that chIL-13 reduced LPS-stimulated NO production and iNOS expression in monocytes and macrophage cells, and the 2 mAb (#9B11 and #10A2) abrogated these effects. In addition, chIL-13–induced expressions of chIL-13Rα2 and TGF-β1 were neutralized by the 2 mAb. In summary, the present study showed that chIL-13 may be involved in the alternative activation of primary monocytes in chickens and that chIL-13 signaling may be regulated through chIL-13Rα2 binding and TGF-β1 secretion. Importantly, the newly developed anti–chIL-13 mAb will serve as valuable immune reagents for future studies on the biological activity of chIL-13 and its receptors.