Overexpression, purification, and use of a soluble human interleukin-4 receptor alpha-chain/Ig gamma 1 fusion protein for ligand binding studies. Characterization of ligand binding to soluble IL-4 receptor alpha-chain by surface plasmon resonance measurements and by microtiter-plate-based ELISA with biotinylated IL-4

The effect of covalently immobilized rhIL-1ra-ELP fusion protein on the inflammatory profile of LPS-stimulated human monocytes

The objective of this research was to investigate whether immobilized anti-inflammatory cytokines will signal changes in the inflammatory profile of cultured monocytes. A fusion protein of recombinant human IL-1 receptor antagonist and elastin-like peptide (IL-1ra-ELP) was expressed in Escherichia coli. THP-1 human monocytes were cultured on either carboxyl-terminated self-assembled monolayers (SAMs), or SAMs with either covalently immobilized or soluble IL-1ra-ELP. LPS-stimulated monocytes exposed to either soluble or immobilized IL-1ra-ELP were prevented from cell differentiation, showed attenuated expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and had increased production of anti-inflammatory and pro-wound healing cytokines. These results suggest that immobilized anti-inflammatory cytokines have the potential to be immunomodulatory biomaterials.