Characterization and specificity of a high titre polyclonal goat anti-murine IL-1 antibody.

The immunization of goats with an HPLC-purified IL-1 preparation derived from the supernatants of LPS-induced P388D1 cultures has resulted in the derivation of a high titre antiserum specific for murine IL-1. This antiserum exhibits a 50% inhibition of an IL-1-dependent thymocyte costimulation assay at a reciprocal dilution of 30,000 and antibody activity is still detected at 100,000-fold dilution. The goat anti-murine IL-1 serum is specific for murine IL-1 synthesized by several murine macrophage cell lines and does not neutralize human, rabbit or porcine (catabolin) IL-1. The antiserum also inhibits antigen-induced proliferation of the D10.G4 helper T-cell line. In addition to the reaction against IL-1, the antiserum also detects three additional peptides with molecular weights between 20,000 and 30,000.