Antibodies to beclin 1 may help elucidate the significance of this protein and its role in autophagy.
Autophagy is the lysosomal degradation of cell constituents. It occurs in malnutrition, enabling the body to recycle cell components to provide metabolic precursors. Autophagy is also involved in the response to pathogens and in other processes. Some aspects are summarised here.
Western Blot: Beclin 1 Antibody
Homozygous beclin 1-/- embryos from chimeric beclin 1+/- mice all died in early embryogenesis. This was considered to be due to defective visceral endoderm, in which beclin 1 is normally strongly expressed. Furthermore, the beclin 1+/- mice had a higher incidence of tumours (Yue et al, PNAS 2003, 100(25) pp. 15077-15082).
A review by Sun and Peng (Laboratory Medicine 2008, 39(5):287-290) emphasises the deletion of beclin 1 in 75% of human ovarian cancers, 50% of breast cancers and 40% of prostate cancers and its decreased expression in some other human cancers. The authors’ own studies lead them to conclude that beclin 1 could be a critical switch regulating the balance between autophagy and apoptosis. Thus beclin 1 might be a target for gene therapy of cancer.
Spencer et al. (J. Neurosci. 2009 29(43) pp. 13578-13588) injected a lentivirus expressing beclin 1 into the brains of alpha-synuclein transgenic mice, thereby improving cerebral pathology. They argue beclin 1 may be a novel therapeutic target for Parkinsonism and Lewy body disease.
Researchers interested in beclin 1 will find 57 different polyclonal and monoclonal anti-beclin antibodies in the Novus Biologicals antibody catalog, in addition to Beclin 2 antibodies. This impressive antibody catalog is a resource which has the potential to benefit the work of researchers involved in many spheres of ‘cutting edge’ health-related activity.
Novus Biologicals offers many Beclin 1 reagents for your research needs including:
