ABCG2 antibodies are immunological reagents designed to bind specifically to the ABCG2 protein, a transmembrane efflux transporter involved in drug resistance and cellular protection . These antibodies are used to study ABCG2's expression patterns, localization (e.g., plasma membrane, blood-brain barrier), and role in diseases such as cancer . Key clones include MAB995 (R&D Systems) and 5D3, which are widely cited in flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry (IHC), and immunocytochemistry (ICC) .
ABCG2 antibodies are utilized for:
Flow Cytometry: Identifying ABCG2-expressing cells, such as hematopoietic stem cells and cancer stem cells .
Immunohistochemistry: Assessing ABCG2 expression in tumor tissues to predict chemotherapy resistance .
Drug Resistance Studies: Evaluating ABCG2-mediated efflux of chemotherapeutics like mitoxantrone and topotecan .
Validation of ABCG2 antibodies is critical due to variability in performance across clones. A 2016 study tested six commercial antibodies, selecting one with high specificity for colorectal cancer (CRC) studies . Key validation steps include:
Western Blotting: Confirming protein size (~72 kDa monomer, 144 kDa dimer) .
Functional Assays: Measuring substrate transport inhibition (e.g., pheophorbide a efflux) .
Epitope Mapping: Ensuring binding to extracellular domains (e.g., 5D3 binds a conformational epitope) .
ABCG2 overexpression in cancers reduces intracellular drug accumulation, leading to treatment failure. Antibodies help correlate ABCG2 levels with clinical outcomes:
Breast Cancer: High ABCG2 expression correlates with poor pathological complete response (pCR) rates post-neoadjuvant chemotherapy .
Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC): Elevated ABCG2 predicts reduced survival in elderly patients .
Esophageal Cancer: ABCG2 knockdown via inhibitors (e.g., artesunate) reverses drug resistance .
Specificity Issues: Non-specific binding observed with some clones (e.g., cytoplasmic vs. membrane staining) .
Intra-Tumor Heterogeneity: Variability in ABCG2 expression complicates biopsy interpretation .
Storage and Handling: Antibodies like MAB995 require optimized protocols for reproducible results .
ABCG2 antibodies are critical tools in cancer research, particularly for studying multidrug resistance mechanisms. Below is a structured FAQ collection addressing key methodological and analytical challenges in academic research:
ATPase Activity Assay:
Measure ABCG2 ATP hydrolysis using crude membrane proteins (10 µg/100 µL) with beryllium fluoride inhibition .
Radiolabeled Substrate Competition:
Use -IAAP photolabeling with test compounds (5 µM) to assess binding site competition .
Methodological Pitfall: Cytoplasmic staining ≠ functional activity. Prioritize membrane-localized ABCG2 in flow cytometry .
Factor Analysis:
Case Study: Discrepancies in Panc02.13 gemcitabine efflux data linked to Hippo-YAP pathway modulation of ABCG2 expression .
Conformational Dynamics:
scFv Antibody Engineering:
Live-Cell Requirements:
Fixed-Cell Validation:
Xenograft Testing:
Dosage Protocol: