The MAGOH antibody is a laboratory reagent designed to detect the Mago-nashi homolog (MAGOH) protein, a core component of the exon junction complex (EJC) involved in mRNA splicing, export, and translation regulation. Its applications span molecular biology research, cancer diagnostics, and therapeutic development. This article synthesizes data from peer-reviewed studies and product specifications to provide an authoritative analysis of the MAGOH antibody, its characteristics, and its role in advancing biomedical research.
2.1 Product Specifications
Two distinct MAGOH antibody variants are widely used in research:
| Antibody Product | Host/Isotype | Reactivity | Applications | Validated Species |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12347-1-AP | Rabbit/IgG | Human, Mouse | WB, IHC, IF, IP, ELISA | Human, Mouse |
| 68293-1-Ig | Mouse/IgG1 | Human, Mouse, Rat, Rabbit | WB, ELISA | Human, Mouse, Rat, Rabbit |
12347-1-AP: Polyclonal antibody with broad reactivity and suitability for diverse assays .
68293-1-Ig: Monoclonal antibody optimized for Western blot and ELISA, with cross-reactivity across multiple species .
2.2 Immunogen and Target
Both antibodies target the MAGOH protein (UniProt ID: P61326), a 17 kDa component of the EJC. MAGOH interacts with Y14 and TAP proteins to regulate mRNA metabolism, including splicing and nonsense-mediated decay .
Gastric Cancer: MAGOH antibodies were used to validate protein expression in studies linking MAGOH to PI3K/AKT and RAF/MEK/ERK signaling pathways, which promote tumor progression .
Low-Grade Glioma (LGG): Immunohistochemistry (IHC) with MAGOH antibodies revealed correlations between high protein levels and immune microenvironment modulation .
RNA Splicing: The antibody aids in identifying MAGOH’s role in alternative splicing of oncogenic transcripts, such as RONΔ160 in gastric cancer .
Therapeutic Sensitivity: High MAGOH expression correlated with enhanced sensitivity to PI3K/AKT inhibitors (e.g., AS605240) .
MAGOH belongs to the mago nashi family and serves as a core component of the splicing-dependent multiprotein exon junction complex (EJC). The EJC is a dynamic structure consisting of core proteins and peripheral nuclear and cytoplasmic factors that associate transiently during assembly or subsequent mRNA metabolism .
MAGOH functions include:
Pre-mRNA splicing as a component of the spliceosome
Marking exon-exon junctions in mature mRNA
Regulating nuclear mRNA export
Influencing subcellular mRNA localization
Affecting translation efficiency
The MAGOH-RBM8A heterodimer inhibits EIF4A3's ATPase activity, trapping ATP-bound EJC core onto spliced mRNA. This heterodimer also interacts with PYM1, leading to EJC disassembly in the cytoplasm and enhancing translation of EJC-bearing spliced mRNAs .
MAGOH and MAGOHB are paralogues with highly similar protein sequences. Their functional relationship includes:
Both proteins play redundant roles as core components of the EJC and in the NMD pathway
Targeting both genes via siRNAs is required for complete knockdown of MAGOH proteins
They compete with each other for cellular interaction partners, as demonstrated by co-immunoprecipitation experiments where expression of FLAG-MAGOH decreased with increasing amounts of transfected V5-MAGOHB and vice versa
Despite redundancy, individual knockdown experiments reveal distinct phenotypic consequences, suggesting some functional specialization
Expression patterns vary across tissues, with differential expression observed in healthy versus cancerous tissues .
Based on validated applications from multiple sources, MAGOH antibodies show utility in:
For optimal results, each reagent should be titrated in your specific testing system .
To validate MAGOH antibody specificity, implement a multi-step approach:
Cross-reactivity assessment: Determine whether the antibody recognizes MAGOH, MAGOHB, or both. For example, ab180505 was shown to cross-react with both human MAGOH and MAGOHB in dot blot analysis .
Molecular weight verification: Confirm band detection at the expected molecular weight of 17 kDa (both calculated and observed) .
Positive control selection: Use cells/tissues with known MAGOH expression. Validated positive controls include:
Knockdown validation: Perform siRNA-mediated knockdown of MAGOH/MAGOHB and confirm reduction in antibody signal. Note that targeting both MAGOH genes is required for complete protein knockdown .
Antigen competition: Perform pre-absorption with the specific immunogen (e.g., MAGOH fusion protein Ag3004) .
For optimal MAGOH detection in Western blotting:
Buffer selection: Use PBS with protease inhibitors for initial cell lysis.
Sample preparation:
Blocking conditions:
Antibody dilution:
Detection method:
Distinguishing between these highly similar paralogues requires specialized approaches:
Selective antibodies: While many antibodies recognize both proteins due to high sequence similarity, some are more selective. Verify specificity through dot blot analysis against recombinant MAGOH and MAGOHB proteins .
RT-qPCR for transcript analysis: Design primers specific to unique regions of MAGOH and MAGOHB mRNAs. Note that at the protein level, MAGOH and MAGOHB cannot be individually assessed by size alone, appearing as a single band in immunoblots that is referred to as MAGOH/MAGOHB .
Tagged protein expression: Utilize differently tagged versions (e.g., FLAG-MAGOH and V5-MAGOHB) in co-expression studies to examine their competition for binding partners .
Selective knockdown: Design siRNAs specifically targeting MAGOH or MAGOHB. Studies have used three different siRNAs for each (referred to as 1–3 for MAGOH and 4–6 for MAGOHB) . A non-targeting siRNA pool should be used as control .
Individual vs. combined knockdown: Compare phenotypes between individual knockdowns and combined MAGOH/MAGOHB depletion to identify unique or redundant functions .
To investigate MAGOH's role in cancer:
Expression analysis in clinical samples:
Survival correlation:
Functional studies in cancer cell lines:
Perform MAGOH/MAGOHB knockdown in relevant cell lines (e.g., SW-1088, SW-1783, BT142 for LGG; melanoma cell lines)
Assess effects on:
Mechanistic investigations:
Genomic correlation studies:
MAGOH has significant associations with immune features in tumors:
Immune cell infiltration assessment:
Observed immune correlations in LGG:
Checkpoint molecule analysis:
Experimental approaches:
Perform co-culture experiments with cancer cells and immune cells after MAGOH manipulation
Use flow cytometry to assess changes in immune cell activation markers
Evaluate cytokine/chemokine production through ELISA or cytometric bead arrays
Conduct in vivo studies using immunocompetent mouse models to assess effects on tumor immunogenicity
To investigate MAGOH's role in the EJC:
Protein-protein interaction studies:
RNA-protein interaction analysis:
RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) to identify RNA targets
CLIP-seq (crosslinking immunoprecipitation-sequencing) to map binding sites on RNAs
Analyze exon junction associations using computational approaches
Functional assays for NMD activity:
Utilize reporter constructs containing premature termination codons (PTCs)
Measure NMD efficiency after MAGOH/MAGOHB knockdown
Assess changes in endogenous NMD target transcripts
Splicing pattern analysis:
Structural studies:
Research shows seemingly contradictory findings about MAGOH's role in apoptosis:
For successful IHC with MAGOH antibodies:
Tissue preparation:
Antigen retrieval:
Blocking and antibody conditions:
Controls:
Positive control: Human ovary tumor tissue or endometrial adenocarcinoma
Negative control: Primary antibody omission
Perform comparative staining with antibodies to different MAGOH epitopes
Signal development and visualization:
DAB (3,3'-diaminobenzidine) for chromogenic detection
Evaluate nuclear and cytoplasmic MAGOH localization
Use digital image analysis for quantification when possible
For effective MAGOH/MAGOHB knockdown:
siRNA design strategy:
Validation methods:
Experimental design considerations:
Test individual knockdowns of MAGOH or MAGOHB
Compare with simultaneous knockdown of both
Perform time-course experiments to capture both immediate and delayed effects
Functional readouts:
Rescue experiments:
Express siRNA-resistant MAGOH or MAGOHB constructs
Use constructs with silent mutations in the siRNA target sequence
Verify whether phenotypes can be reversed by re-expression
To comprehensively analyze MAGOH's effects on splicing:
RNA-seq experimental design:
Compare control vs. MAGOH/MAGOHB knockdown cells
Include biological replicates (minimum n=3)
Consider time-course experiments to capture dynamic changes
Splicing pattern analysis:
Validation approaches:
RT-PCR with primers flanking alternatively spliced regions
Minigene reporter assays for key splicing events
Targeted RNA-seq for deep coverage of specific genes
Mechanistic investigations:
RNA immunoprecipitation to identify direct MAGOH RNA targets
CLIP-seq to map MAGOH binding sites relative to affected splice sites
RNA structure analysis to examine how MAGOH binding affects RNA folding
Integrative analysis:
Correlate splicing changes with alterations in gene expression
Identify enriched sequence motifs near affected splice sites
Perform pathway analysis on genes with altered splicing
MAGOH shows promise as a cancer biomarker:
Prognostic value:
Assessment methodologies:
Biomarker panel integration:
Combine MAGOH with other EJC component expression
Integrate with established biomarkers for specific cancer types
Correlate with immune checkpoint gene expression for immunotherapy response prediction
Validation approaches:
Multi-center cohort studies with standardized assessment protocols
Test in different cancer types and stages
Compare with current standard of care biomarkers
Clinical implementation considerations:
Standardize cutoff values for high vs. low expression
Ensure reproducibility across testing platforms
Validate in prospective clinical trials
MAGOH shows important associations with therapy responses:
Chemotherapy correlation:
Immunotherapy implications:
Experimental approaches:
Test chemosensitivity in high vs. low MAGOH-expressing cells
Assess immunotherapy response in models with varying MAGOH levels
Analyze patient cohorts receiving immunotherapy for correlations with MAGOH expression
Combination therapy investigations:
Study whether MAGOH inhibition could sensitize resistant tumors to therapy
Examine synergistic effects with checkpoint inhibitors
Explore combinations with targeted therapies based on pathway analysis
Predictive biomarker development:
Develop and validate MAGOH-based scoring systems for therapy response prediction
Integrate with other predictive biomarkers (TMB, MSI status, PD-L1 expression)
Perform multi-omics analysis for comprehensive response prediction models