Development and characterization of an FGF21 antibody in livestock and validation of radioimmunoassay methodology

• Grant number: 15/08021-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Start date: June 01, 2015
• End date: September 30, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Reproduction
• Principal Investigator: Guilherme de Paula Nogueira
• Grantee: Marcos Antonio Maioli
• Supervisor: Duane H. Keisler
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária (FMVA). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Araçatuba. Araçatuba , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: University of Missouri, Columbia (UM), United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 14/09135-9 - Standardization of measurement of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) by radioimmunoassay and monitoring of changes in concentration of hormone during the development of Nellore heifers under different food systems, BP.DR

Abstract

The aim of this project is to develop an assay to measure FGF21 in cattle and search for a relationship between body condition scores (1= thin vs. 5= fat) and blood FGF21 levels in cattle. For this, the bovine FGF21 protein will be used to induce the antibodies production in guinea pigs. After a sequence of immunizations, blood samples will be draw and the amount (titers) and specificity of the FGF21 antibodies will evaluated in order to proceed to the development of a radioimmunoassay using iodine 125 (125I) as tracer. After the establishment of a functional assay blood samples are going to be collected from cattle to evaluate the assay. We will also perform tests with blood samples from different species to determine possibility to use the assay in other species and quantify FGF21 from animals with different body condition scores. (AU)