Identification, cloning, and sequencing of different cytokine genes in four species of owl monkey

Immunogenetics. 2002 Dec;54(9):645-53. doi: 10.1007/s00251-002-0512-2. Epub 2002 Nov 14.

Abstract

Non-human primates could prove to be suitable models for the study of infectious diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, and hepatitis; the molecules of their immune systems are in the process of being fully characterized. Due to the relevance of cytokines in the modulation of the immune response, a molecular analysis of these proteins in non-human primates from the Aotus genus was carried out. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from four species of Aotusmonkey were obtained and their mRNAs for interleukin-2 (IL-2), IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, interferon-gamma (IFN), and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha were characterized. This study shows a high degree of conservation between nucleotide and amino acid sequences of cytokines from different Aotus species and those from humans. The TNF-alpha molecules were identical in amino acid sequences for both.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Aotidae / genetics*
  • Base Sequence
  • Cloning, Molecular
  • Cytokines / chemistry
  • Cytokines / genetics*
  • Humans
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Phylogeny
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
  • Species Specificity

Substances

  • Cytokines
  • RNA, Messenger