ASSAYS FOR INTERFERONS AND INTERLEUKINS IN BIOLOGICAL MATRICES

Recent advances in interferon and interleukin research entailed great interest upon specific and sensitive assays in biological media. Concu rrently with the availability of (monoclonal) antibodies, a developmen t in immunological assays originated, providing increased specificity over the conventional biological assays. However, most immunological a ssays, notwithstanding their sensitivity, cannot distinguish between b iologically active and inactive interferons or interleukins. This draw back resulted in new assays, based on the use of receptors, which comb ine the advantages of both biological and immunological assays. In add ition, quantitative chemical analysis of interferons and interleukins employing chromatographic, electrophoretic, mass spectrometric and sur face plasmon resonance-based techniques, has emerged recently and appe ars to possess potentials for rapidity and specificity. So far, chemic al assays lack the sensitivity for the determination of interferons an d interleukins in biological matrices.