Assessment of the Performance of Three Multiplex Array Panels for the Detection of Circulating Cytokines and Chemokines in Naive, LPS, and SEB-treated Cynomolgus Macaques

To assess relative sensitivity for detection of cytokines and chemokines in cynomolgus serum samples, we tested three commercially available multiplex array kits using the Luminex (R) platform with sera from animals exposed by intravenous injection to 150 mu g/kg staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) or 20 mu g/kg lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Each of these kits detected similar patterns of changes in circulating cytokines/chemokines in response to SEB or LPS stimulation, especially the induction of high amounts of interleukin (IL)-2 and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) in response to SEB but not LPS. However, there were clear differences in sensitivity for particular analytes, especially for IL-10. Additional experiments that focused on one multiplex array kit demonstrated very low or undetectable levels of cytokines in naive cynomolgus macaques, except for highly variable background levels of IL-8, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, and macrophage inflammatory protein-1 beta. Therefore, multiplex array analysis of circulating cytokine/chemokine patterns was capable of detection of systemic activation of diverse immune cell subsets.