IL 12p40 Antibody

Interleukin-12 (IL-12) is a cytokine that plays a crucial role in the immune response by promoting the differentiation of naive T cells into Th1 cells. It is composed of two subunits: p35 and p40. The p40 subunit can form homodimers (p80) or heterodimers with p35 (p70), which is the biologically active form of IL-12. The rat anti-mouse IL-12 p40 antibody is a monoclonal antibody that specifically binds to the p40 subunit of mouse IL-12, both in its free form and when complexed as p80 or p70 .

The rat anti-mouse IL-12 p40 antibody is typically produced using hybridoma technology. This involves immunizing rats with recombinant mouse IL-12 p70 protein, followed by the fusion of the rat spleen cells with myeloma cells to create hybridomas. These hybridomas are then screened for the production of antibodies that specifically bind to the p40 subunit of IL-12. The monoclonal antibody is purified from the tissue culture supernatant or ascites fluid using affinity chromatography .

The rat anti-mouse IL-12 p40 antibody is widely used in various immunological assays, including:

1. Flow Cytometry: This antibody is commonly used for intracellular staining to identify and enumerate IL-12 producing cells within mixed cell populations. It is conjugated with fluorophores such as PE (phycoerythrin) or APC (allophycocyanin) to facilitate detection by flow cytometry .
2. ELISA: The antibody can be used as a capture antibody in sandwich ELISA assays to quantify IL-12 levels in biological samples. It is often paired with a biotinylated detection antibody .
3. Immunohistochemistry: The antibody is also used in immunohistochemical staining to visualize IL-12 expression in tissue sections .

The C15.6 monoclonal antibody specifically binds to both free and complexed forms of the p40 subunit of mouse IL-12. It does not cross-react with other cytokines, ensuring high specificity in immunological assays .

The rat anti-mouse IL-12 p40 antibody should be stored undiluted at 4°C and protected from prolonged exposure to light. It should not be frozen, as this can affect the antibody’s stability and binding affinity .