The BAG proteins are a large family of chaperone regulators governing a wide range of cell processes such as proliferation, survival, stress response, tumorigenesis, neuronal differentiation, growth arrest and apoptosis as reviewed in Takayama et al1. BAG proteins are co-chaperones that interact with several forms of the chaperone heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) – the association allows them to both positively and negatively regulate Hsp70. Family members include BAG-1 and its various isoforms, BAG-1L, BAG2, BAG3, BAG4 (SODD), BAG5, and BAG6 (Scythe, BAT3). BAG3 is involved in chaperone-mediated selective autophagy. BAG3 antibody was used by Liao et al in their expression studies in human pancreatic cancer tissues and cell lines2. With the BAG3 antibody they were able to determine that pancreatic cancer, unlike other gastrointestinal cancers, was able to increase BAG3, thus blocking apoptosis and allowing more aggressive proliferation and poor response to treatments.
Immunohistochemistry-Paraffin: BAG3 Antibody
Some interesting non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) studies using the BAG3 antibody suggest that BAG3 also has a protective role in these cells by upregulating expression of Bcl-XL and Bcl-23. Aust’s group employed the BAG3 antibody in their arrayed expression profiling of BAG family members that associate with Bcl-2 in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) patient samples4. Unfortunately, no significant value of Bcl-2 as a prognostic marker for patient outcome was found. The BAG3 antibody enabled researchers from the University of Arizona to characterize cell markers and physiological conditions within squamous esophageal cells repeatedly exposed to bile acid 5. Their data showed that under acidic conditions, the cells survived, proliferated, underwent columnar differentiation, and activated inflammation and survival pathways that contribute to establishing Barrett’s esophagus (BE) pathogenesis. Novus Biologicals offers BAG3 reagents for your research needs including:
PMID
