Development of a lion-specific interferon-gamma assay.

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Immunology
• Wildlife Disease Diagnostics
• Monoclonal Antibody Development

Background:

• Bovine tuberculosis (BTB) poses a significant threat to free-ranging African lion populations.
• Accurate diagnostic tools are crucial for managing BTB in lions within wildlife reserves and zoological collections.
• Current diagnostic methods for BTB in lions are limited, necessitating the development of species-specific assays.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and characterize a lion-specific interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) assay for bovine tuberculosis (BTB) diagnosis.
• To produce monoclonal antibodies specific to lion IFN-γ for assay development.
• To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of the developed assay for detecting BTB in lions.

Main Methods:

• Production and characterization of monoclonal antibodies against recombinant lion IFN-γ (rLIFN-γ).
• Development of a sensitive, lion IFN-γ-specific capture ELISA using the generated monoclonal antibodies.
• Testing the assay's ability to detect rLIFN-γ and native lion IFN-γ from stimulated whole blood cultures of BTB-negative lions.

Main Results:

• A sensitive lion IFN-γ-specific capture ELISA was successfully developed, detecting rLIFN-γ down to 160 pg/ml.
• The assay demonstrated recognition of native lion IFN-γ in stimulated blood cultures from known BTB-negative lions.
• Preliminary findings suggest potential applicability to other feline species.

Conclusions:

• The developed capture ELISA is a promising diagnostic tool for bovine tuberculosis in lions.
• This assay can aid in monitoring BTB status in both wild and captive lion populations.
• Further validation may extend its utility to other feline species, enhancing broader conservation efforts.