EliKine™ Rat IL-6 ELISA Kit (KTE9004) — Application Scenarios for Rat Inflammation and Immunopathology Research
IL-6: The Cytokine That Refuses to Stay in One Pathway
Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a multifunctional cytokine produced by lymphoid and non-lymphoid cells, and by normal and transformed cells — including T cells, monocytes/macrophages, fibroblasts, hepatocytes, vascular endothelial cells, and astrogliomas[reference:0]. In rat models, IL-6 is the readout that spans acute inflammation, metabolic dysfunction, neuroinflammation, and tissue repair — a breadth that makes it indispensable and, simultaneously, easy to measure badly.
Abbkine's EliKine™ Rat IL-6 ELISA Kit (KTE9004) delivers a calibration range of 250–16,000 pg/mL and a limit of detection of 100 pg/mL[reference:1] — a dynamic window built for the supraphysiological IL-6 surges of rat LPS challenge, adjuvant arthritis, and cerebral ischemia models, where circulating IL-6 routinely climbs into the thousands of pg/mL. Here's how researchers across different fields are putting it to work.
Rat Inflammation and Sepsis Research
IL-6 is the acute-phase driver in rat models of endotoxemia and sepsis. Inflammation researchers use this kit to:
- Quantify IL-6 in serum and plasma from LPS-challenged or CLP (cecal ligation and puncture) rats
- Monitor cytokine kinetics across the 0–24 h post-insult window
- Evaluate anti-inflammatory compounds (steroids, NSAIDs, biologics) for IL-6 suppression
- Correlate IL-6 levels with organ injury markers (ALT, creatinine, lactate)
Adjuvant Arthritis and Autoimmune Models
IL-6 is a pivotal mediator in collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) and adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA) in rats. Rheumatology researchers use this kit to:
- Quantify IL-6 in serum and synovial fluid from arthritic rats
- Monitor disease progression (paw swelling, histological score) against IL-6 levels
- Assess anti-IL-6 therapy efficacy in preclinical arthritis models
- Investigate the IL-6/STAT3 axis in synovial fibroblast activation
Neuroinflammation and Brain Injury
IL-6 is elevated in cerebral ischemia-reperfusion, traumatic brain injury, and neurodegeneration rat models. Neuroscientists use this kit to:
- Quantify IL-6 in brain tissue homogenates and CSF
- Study microglial activation and the neuroinflammatory cascade
- Evaluate neuroprotective interventions for IL-6 attenuation
- Correlate IL-6 with blood-brain barrier permeability and infarct volume
Metabolic and Hepatic Research
IL-6 links adipose tissue inflammation to insulin resistance and hepatic steatosis. Metabolic researchers use this kit to:
- Quantify IL-6 in serum and adipose tissue lysates from HFD-fed rats
- Study hepatic IL-6 signaling in NAFLD and NASH models
- Investigate exercise-induced IL-6 (the "myokine" response) in skeletal muscle
- Monitor IL-6 in bariatric surgery or weight-loss intervention models
Why Choose This Kit for Your Rat IL-6 Research?
| Feature | Benefit |
|---|---|
| Two-site sandwich ELISA | Quantitative, specific detection of rat IL-6 |
| Calibration range | 250–16,000 pg/mL — built for the high-IL-6 range of rat inflammatory models |
| Limit of detection | 100 pg/mL |
| Multiple sample types | Cell culture supernatants, plasma, serum, other biological fluids[reference:2] |
| EliKine™ Streptavidin-HRP | Proprietary amplification for robust signal |
| Published validation | 6 publications citing this kit[reference:3] |
| Complete kit | Microplate, standard, detection antibody, SA-HRP, all buffers included[reference:4] |
🔬 Which research field does your work belong to?
Rat Inflammation & Sepsis | Adjuvant Arthritis | Neuroinflammation | Metabolic & Hepatic Research | Other
Share your application with us — we'd love to hear how you're using this kit in your studies!
📌 Reference Link: EliKine™ Rat IL-6 ELISA Kit — KTE9004
