Apelin-36 is an endogenous ligand for the apelin receptor (APLNR). It induces APLNR internalization and exhibits stronger binding affinity to APLNR compared to pyroglutamyl apelin-13. This hormone plays a crucial role in regulating cardiac precursor cell migration during gastrulation and heart morphogenesis. Apelin-36 inhibits cytokine production in response to T-cell receptor/CD3 cross-linking, suggesting a potential modulatory effect on neonatal immune responses via colostrum and milk intake. It is involved in early coronary blood vessel development and mediates myocardial contractility through an ERK1/2-dependent mechanism. Additionally, apelin-36 may influence central body fluid homeostasis by affecting vasopressin release and drinking behavior. In the context of microbial infection, apelin-36 acts as an endogenous ligand for APLNR, serving as an alternative coreceptor with CD4 for HIV-1 infection. It significantly inhibits HIV-1 entry into cells co-expressing CD4 and APLNR, exhibiting greater inhibitory activity than other apelin derivatives.
The following studies highlight the diverse roles and clinical implications of apelin:
Validation requires a multi-step approach grounded in the "five pillars" framework :
Genetic strategies: Use APLN knockout (KO) cell lines or tissues as negative controls. Reduced/no signal in KO samples confirms specificity .
Orthogonal validation: Compare antibody-derived data with mass spectrometry or RNA-seq results .
Independent antibody comparison: Use ≥2 antibodies targeting different APLN epitopes (e.g., N-terminal vs C-terminal) .
Recombinant protein controls: Spike purified APLN into lysates to confirm expected band patterns in Western blots .
Context-specific testing: Validate in your specific model (e.g., human diabetic testes vs murine cardiac tissue ).
Use antibodies validated for linear epitopes (e.g., ab230536 targeting C-terminal residues ).
Optimize lysis buffers to preserve APLN's small size (8.6 kDa ); avoid over-boiling to prevent aggregation .
Prioritize antibodies with formalin-resistant epitopes (e.g., ab59469 ).
Pre-treat sections with enzymatic retrieval for mature APLN isoforms (e.g., Apelin-36 ).
Fixation artifacts: Overfixation masks APLN epitopes; limit formalin exposure to <24 hrs .
Blocking: Use 5% BSA + 0.1% Tween-20 to reduce non-specific binding in fatty tissues .
Sequence alignment: Compare target epitope against species homologs (e.g., zebrafish APLN shares 64% identity with human ).
Functional testing: Perform peptide blocking assays with species-specific APLN fragments .
Negative controls: Include tissues from APLN-deficient models (e.g., Apln KO mice ).
PA1501 antibody showed unexpected reactivity in goat tissues despite lacking prior validation, necessitating epitope mapping .
Electrophoresis: Use Tris-Tricine gels for improved resolution of small isoforms (3-12 kDa ).
Antibody pairing: Combine N-terminal (ab59469 ) and C-terminal (ab230536 ) antibodies.
LC-MS/MS: Confirm isoform identity after immunoprecipitation .
Apelin-13 has higher receptor affinity but lower stability than Apelin-36 .
Commercial antibodies often recognize shared epitopes; isoform-specific reagents require custom development .
Post-translational modifications: APLN cleavage varies by tissue (e.g., hypothalamic vs testicular isoforms ).
Antibody lot variation: Recombinant antibodies (e.g., YCharOS products ) reduce batch effects.
Perform parallel staining with RNAscope® probes to correlate protein/transcript localization .
Use pathway perturbation: Treat cells with APJ antagonists (ML221) to validate functional relevance of staining patterns .
Use organotypic co-cultures (e.g., myotubes + endothelia ) to bridge the gap.
Employ tracer perfusion assays in vivo (e.g., biotin diffusion in testes ).
Immunoprecipitation: Isolate APLN complexes using crosslinkers (DSS).
Metabolite correlation: Map APLN levels against NAD⁺/glutathione (perturbed in diabetic models ).
| Metabolite | Change (APLN-treated vs control) | Pathway implication |
|---|---|---|
| NAD⁺ | ↓ 62% | Redox imbalance |
| Palmitelaidic acid | ↑ 4.1-fold | Membrane dysfunction |
Disease-specific controls:
Antibody controls:
Functional endpoints: