Immunology

Southern Research immunology services assist clients in the drug development process by analyzing potential immune system involvement for a diverse range of compounds. For the past three decades, Southern Research has used in vitro and in vivo assays to evaluate the immunomodulatory effects of biologics, vaccines, adjuvants, and anti-cancer/anti-HIV compounds. We are committed to working closely with our clients in designing customized studies and assays that meet their specific research needs.

The Southern Research immunology laboratories support both government and commercial clients in the preclinical development of vaccines and therapeutics. We offer the capability to perform in vitro and in vivo immunological assays to investigate the immunomodulatory effects of biological agents or anti-viral compounds on the immune system. A key strength is our ability to perform immunogenicity studies with vaccines, adjuvants, and cytokines in various animal model systems, including nonhuman primates and mice. Southern Research also offers the ability to provide detailed analyses of vaccine-induced humoral and cell-mediated immune responses.

Southern Research immunology capabilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Custom assay development and GLP validation of assays
• T and B cell lymphoproliferation assays
• Mixed lymphocyte responses (MLR)
• NK and CTL assays (⁵¹Cr-release)
• B and T cell function assays (immunoglobulin secretion (B) and cytokine secretion (T))
• Macrophage function assays (phagocytosis, LPS stimulation, and TNF-α secretion
• Immunoassays using cells from human, rodent, and nonhuman primate sources (ELISA, RIA, and ELISpot analyses)
• Fluorescent immunoassays
• Multicolor flow cytometry including:
• Immunophenotyping
• Receptor binding
• Cell cycle analysis
• Apoptosis
• Immunohistochemistry (IHC) and detailed image analysis
• Bone marrow progenitor cell assays in mice, rats, dogs, nonhuman primates, and humans from normal and treated sources (CFU-GM, CFU-E, BFU-E, CFU-GEMM) in addition to an alternative proliferation assay that is faster and less labor intensive
• In vivo autoimmune and inflammatory disease models for drug evaluation (including associated mediators and cytokines):
• Collagen-induced arthritis model in mice
• Adjuvant-induced arthritis model in rats
• Spontaneous systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) model in MRL 1pr mice
• LPS-induced air pouch model in rats
• Dendritic cell (DC) studies related to in vivo anticancer efficacy models
• Immunotoxicology (GLP)

Southern Research immunology capabilities in vaccine research include:

• Immunophenotyping by flow cytometry
• In vivo immunology models for vaccine development and vaccine adjuvants
• Assessment of immune activation markers
• T lymphocyte proliferation assays
• Mitogen stimulation
• Antibody detection by ELISA and Western blots
• Quantitation of infected cells
• Immunogenicity studies and detailed monitoring of vaccine-induced immune responses
• Fine analysis of antibody responses using synthetic peptides to identify linear immunogenic B cell epitopes
• CD4⁺ T helper responses and mapping of T cell epitopes
• Detecting Th1 and Th2 cytokine profiles in T lymphocytes subsets by intracellular flow cytometry, ELISpot, and multiplexing techniques
• State-of-the-art tetramer technology using MHC/peptide tetrameric complexes to directly measure CD8⁺ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL)
• Studies on apoptosis
• Assays to detect early signal events during T cell activation, (e.g. calcium mobilization assays)
• Antigen presentation assays using dendritic cells