MAP1LC3B2 Antibody

Structure and Function of MAP1LC3B2

MAP1LC3B2 is a 125-amino acid protein belonging to the MAP1LC3 family, which includes LC3A, LC3B, and LC3C. It plays a central role in autophagosome biogenesis by binding to phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) via lipidation, forming LC3-II, which integrates into autophagosome membranes . Key structural features include:

• Ubiquitin-like (Ubl) domain: Facilitates interactions with autophagy-related proteins.

• C-terminal cleavage: Unlike LC3A and LC3C, MAP1LC3B2 does not undergo C-terminal cleavage post-translational modification .

The antibody targets specific epitopes, such as amino acids 1–47 , enabling precise detection of MAP1LC3B2 in its lipidated (LC3-II) and non-lipidated (LC3-I) states.

Applications of MAP1LC3B2 Antibody

The antibody is employed in multiple experimental techniques to study autophagy dynamics:

Western Blotting

• Detection of LC3-I and LC3-II:

  • LC3-I (16–18 kDa): Cytoplasmic form.

  • LC3-II (14–16 kDa): Lipidated form bound to autophagosome membranes .

• Knockout Validation: Used to confirm LC3B deficiency in knockout models (e.g., LC3B knockout HeLa cells show no LC3-II band) .

Immunofluorescence

• Punctate Staining: Indicates autophagosome formation.

• Diffuse Staining: Reflects basal autophagy levels .

ELISA

• Quantification: Sandwich ELISA kits measure MAP1LC3B2 levels in serum, plasma, or cell culture supernatants .

• Sensitivity: High specificity for human samples, with no cross-reactivity reported .

Role in Viral Infections

Mutations in LC3B2 and ATG4A impair autophagy induction against HSV2, leading to recurrent meningitis. Patients with these mutations exhibit higher viral loads and cell death due to defective autophagosome formation .

Atherosclerosis

• MAP1LC3B Underexpression: Linked to symptomatic carotid atherosclerosis. Reduced LC3-II levels correlate with impaired autophagy, exacerbating plaque instability .

Therapeutic Targets

• Autophagy Modulation: MAP1LC3B2 inhibition (e.g., via P140 peptide) corrects dysregulated autophagy in autoimmune diseases like lupus .

Table 1: MAP1LC3B2 Antibody Characteristics

Table 2: Autophagy-Related Antibodies for Western Blotting