Production and characterization of polyclonal antibody against Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) immunoglobulin G

Abstract

The immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody is important for detecting and evaluating immune responses. Despite increasing opportunities for tigers to be exposed to emerging diseases due to global changes coupled with increasing interaction with humans, there is no available antibody specific to tigers. Aims of this study were to produce a rabbit anti-Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) IgG polyclonal antibody and to determine its specificity. The molecular weight of the purified Bengal tiger IgG was approximately 170 kDa. The cross-reactivity of rabbit anti-Bengal tiger IgG to IgG of other wild felid species and other domestic animals was analyzed by indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The cross reactivity to other related wild animals ranged from 53.69% to 75.63%. There was high cross-reactivity with domestic cats (63.58%) and pigs (38.45%) and low cross-reactivity with domestic cows (10.46%), goats (8.60%), sheep (7.25%), and chickens (6.91%). To confirm cross-reactivity with domestic animals’ IgG, western blotting was performed. These results indicated that the purified rabbit anti-Bengal tiger IgG polyclonal antibody strongly reacted with species in the family Felidae. The polyclonal antibody generated in this study has the potential to aid in the development of useful tools for further novel immunological investigations on tigers and related felid species.