Cytokine measurement in biological samples after physicochemical treatment for inactivation of biosafety level 4 viral agents

Abstract

Physicochemical techniques such as γ-irradiation, membrane disruption by detergents like sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), and fixation with formaldehyde or paraformaldehyde are routinely used to inactivate biological specimens from patients and animals infected with Filoviruses and Arena viruses that must be studied in BSL 4 facilities. The effects of these inactivation techniques on the levels of immunologically active proteins like cytokines and chemokines are not known. Therefore, we investigated the effect of several decontamination techniques on the immunoreactivity and bioactivity of the inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, IL-12, and IFN-γ, the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10, and..