Recombinant Mouse Interleukin-18 (Il18) is produced in a yeast expression system, covering the full length of the protein from amino acids 1 to 192. This product features a C-terminal 6xHis-tag, which makes purification and detection more straightforward. The protein appears to be highly pure, with a purity level exceeding 90% as determined by SDS-PAGE. This product is intended for research use only and may provide reliable performance in experimental applications.
Interleukin-18 (IL-18) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine that's involved in regulating immune responses. It plays a key role in stimulating the production of interferon-gamma in T cells and natural killer cells. IL-18 seems significant in various immune pathways, contributing to the body's defense mechanisms against infections and helping regulate immune-mediated inflammatory processes. Studying this protein is likely crucial for understanding immune function and inflammatory diseases.
Potential Applications
Note: The applications listed below are based on what we know about this protein's biological functions, published research, and experience from experts in the field. However, we haven't fully tested all of these applications ourselves yet. We'd recommend running some preliminary tests first to make sure they work for your specific research goals.
1. In Vitro Immunological Assays and Cytokine Response Studies
This recombinant mouse IL-18 can be used to stimulate mouse immune cells in culture to study cytokine production patterns and immune cell activation pathways. The protein may serve as a positive control in assays measuring IL-18-induced interferon-gamma production from T cells and NK cells. Researchers can apply this protein to investigate dose-response relationships and kinetics of IL-18-mediated immune responses in primary mouse splenocytes or established cell lines. The C-terminal His-tag allows for easy purification and quantification while maintaining the full-length structure necessary for biological activity.
2. Antibody Development and Validation
The recombinant protein serves as what appears to be an ideal antigen for generating and validating antibodies specific to mouse IL-18. The His-tag enables straightforward purification for immunization protocols and subsequent antibody screening via ELISA or Western blot applications. This protein can be used to characterize antibody specificity, determine binding affinities, and establish standard curves for quantitative immunoassays. The high purity level should minimize background interference during antibody development and validation processes.
3. Protein-Protein Interaction Studies
This recombinant IL-18 can be applied in pull-down assays to identify and characterize IL-18 binding partners and receptor interactions. The His-tag makes immobilization on nickel-based matrices more manageable for affinity purification experiments with mouse cell lysates or purified receptor proteins. Researchers can use this protein to study the molecular mechanisms of IL-18 signaling complex formation and to screen for novel interacting proteins. The full-length expression region likely preserves native protein folding and potential binding sites.
4. Biochemical Characterization and Structural Studies
The purified recombinant protein can be used for detailed biochemical analysis including protein stability studies, thermal denaturation experiments, and structural characterization techniques. Researchers may investigate the protein's biophysical properties such as aggregation behavior, pH stability, and storage conditions optimization. The His-tag provides a convenient handle for protein immobilization in surface plasmon resonance studies or other biophysical techniques requiring oriented protein attachment. This application supports fundamental research into IL-18 protein chemistry and structure-function relationships.
