Reactive oxygen species, ROS, are beneficially involved in many signaling pathways that control development and maintain cellular homeostasis. In physiological conditions, a tightly regulated redox balance protects cells from injurious ROS activity, altered balance leads to various pathological conditions including cancer. MAP17 is a small 17-kDa non-glycosylated membrane protein that is overexpressed in many tumors of different origins, including carcinomas. Antibody studies have revealed that tumor cells overexpressing MAP17 show an increased tumoral phenotype associated with an increase in ROS. Increased MAP17 expression also results in enhanced proliferative capabilities both in presence or absence of contact inhibition, decreased apoptotic sensitivity and increased migration in cells.
Malignant cell behavior induced by MAP17 is associated with an increased ROS production, and the treatment of MAP17-expressing cells with antioxidants results in a reduction of the tumorigenic properties. MAP17-dependent ROS increase and tumor malignancy are interdependent on its PDZ-binding domain, since disruption of its sequence by point mutations abolishes its ability to enhance ROS production and tumorigenesis (1). PDZ may represent the link between the cell membrane-where it interacts with MAP17-and other cytoplasmic proteins involved in biologic functions such as cell proliferation, differentiation, and ion transport (2). Interestingly, in non-tumor cells MAP17 increases ROS, resulting in senescence or apoptosis. Therefore, in tumor cells, MAP17 could be a marker for increased oxidative stress and could define new therapeutic approaches (3,4). We at Novus Biologicals offer a large number of MAP17 antibodies and support reagents to investigate the potential role in oxidative stress mediated tumorigenesis.
Novus Biologicals offers MAP17 reagents for your research needs including:
