IL-7 (Interleukin 7)

Biology and Diseases

Interleukin-7 (IL-7) is an endogenous cytokine responsible for the proliferation of B- and T-lymphocytes. The active human form of IL-7 has 152aa and is expressed by fibroblasts, stromal, dendritic and endothelial cells. IL-7 often acts in synergy with other cytokines. For example, IL-7 is found to have an additive effect on T-cell activation in combination with IL-12. However, IL-7 is not redundant, as abnormal function of IL-7 has been implicated in immune disorders such as common variable immunodeficiency, HIV and rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Therapies

IL-7 is an excellent candidate for therapeutic development because of its crucial role in the modulation of innate immunity. IL-7 is capable of rescuing lymphocyte depletion resulting from either autoimmunodeficiency disorder or chemotherapy. The efficacy and safety of recombinant IL-7 as a vaccine adjuvant has been investigated for treatments targeting HIV, melanoma and prostate cancer. Reports reveal that in addition to boosting primary immune responses, IL-7 is also capable of enhancing the effectiveness of other adjuvant therapies. Conversely, IL-7 can also be considered a disease target, as in the case of RA, where IL-7 is said to be responsible for chronic inflammation in the joints. Thus, both amplification and impediment of IL-7 activity may be of value in future therapeutic interventions.

Unmet Need

The plasma concentration of IL-7 has been a source of debate in several rheumatology studies. Reported values range from 1.5 to 300 pg/mL in individuals with RA, making it problematic to establish diagnostic criteria. Furthermore, consensus has not been reached with respect to IL-7 concentrations in healthy subjects. Thus, a standardized IL-7 assay with exceptional accuracy and precision is critical to establish IL-7 concentrations in healthy subjects, and measure discreet changes in IL-7 during disease progression.

Singulex Answer

Singulex’s IL-7 assay, optimized for use on the Erenna System, improves the therapeutic potential of IL-7 by enabling researchers to measure baseline concentrations in healthy subjects. The Singulex assay has an LLoQ of 0.08 pg/mL and a reading range of 0.01-500 pg/mL, providing superior assay linearity and precision to researchers investigating variations in IL-7 concentration. This assay will allow investigators to:

1. Measure the efficacy and dosing of therapeutics designed to interfere with IL-7 induced inflammatory responses.

2. Quantify IL-7 concentrations in RA patients with values nonquantifiable with other less sensitive technologies.

3. Design robust clinical and preclinical studies when IL-7 concentration is used as a therapeutic endpoint.

4. Understand how IL-7 concentrations change in patients as they transition from a healthy to diseased state.

Application Note

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