The MPPED2 antibody is a diagnostic and research tool designed to detect the Metallophosphoesterase-Domain-Containing Protein 2 (MPPED2), a Class III cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase with tumor suppressor properties. Its expression is frequently downregulated in cancers such as breast, cervical, and neuroblastoma, often due to promoter hypermethylation . This antibody facilitates the study of MPPED2’s role in carcinogenesis, epigenetic regulation, and cellular signaling pathways.
MPPED2 is encoded by the MPPED2 gene located on chromosome 11p13, near the FSHB and PAX6 genes . It cleaves 3′,5′-cyclic nucleotides (cAMP/cGMP) into 5′-phosphate derivatives, modulating second messenger signaling . A unique glycine-to-histidine substitution at position 252 reduces its catalytic efficiency, allowing it to act as a scaffold for signaling proteins .
MPPED2 antibodies are typically raised against recombinant proteins or synthetic peptides corresponding to conserved regions. Validation involves:
Western Blot: Confirms specificity by detecting a ~50 kDa band .
Immunohistochemistry (IHC): Demonstrates nucleolar localization in normal tissues and reduced staining in cancers .
| Antibody Type | Epitope | Validation Method | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polyclonal | C-terminal domain | IHC, Western Blot | |
| Monoclonal | N-terminal domain | ELISA, IF |
The MPPED2 antibody is used in:
Cancer Research:
Epigenetic Studies:
Neurodevelopment:
Diagnostic Potential: MPPED2 antibodies may aid in identifying cancers with silencing mutations (e.g., rs2065418 SNP) .
Therapeutic Targeting: Overexpression of MPPED2 via CRISPR or lncRNA modulation (e.g., MPPED2-AS1) inhibits tumor growth .
MPPED2 (Metallophosphoesterase Domain Containing 2) is a protein that functions as a metallophosphodiesterase, cleaving 3',5'-cyclic phosphate nucleosides into 5'-phosphate nucleosides. It regulates the levels of cyclic second messengers including cAMP and cGMP and their degradation rates . MPPED2 exhibits low phosphodiesteric activity against cAMP and cGMP due to an amino acid replacement (glycine replacing histidine) at position 252 in the highly conserved catalytic site . This unique substitution allows the active site to retain AMP or GMP with strong affinity but reduces its catalytic efficiency.
MPPED2 is highly expressed in fetal and adult brain tissue and plays roles in neurodevelopment . Recent studies indicate MPPED2 functions as a tumor suppressor in multiple cancer types.
Currently available MPPED2 antibodies can be categorized based on several characteristics:
For example, catalog number ABIN6750479 is a rabbit polyclonal antibody targeting the N-terminal region with reactivity to human, mouse, rat, cow, horse, rabbit, pig, and chicken MPPED2 . Similarly, catalog number 13270-1-AP is a rabbit polyclonal antibody validated for WB, IHC, and IF/ICC applications primarily on human samples .
MPPED2 shows tissue-specific expression patterns that researchers should consider when selecting antibodies:
Highest expression occurs in brain tissue, making it an ideal positive control
Expression is downregulated in multiple cancer types, including glioblastoma, cervical cancer, thyroid neoplasia, and breast cancer
Expression levels correlate with brain development stages, with high expression in fetal brain
These expression patterns have methodological implications:
Brain tissue should be used as a positive control when validating antibodies
For cancer studies, paired normal-tumor samples are essential for comparative analysis
When working with low-expressing tissues, more sensitive detection methods may be required
The observed molecular weight is consistently reported as approximately 33 kDa
Based on validated protocols from multiple antibody suppliers, optimal Western blot conditions for MPPED2 detection include:
For troubleshooting weak signals:
Increase protein loading for tissues with low MPPED2 expression
Extend primary antibody incubation to overnight at 4°C
Use enhanced chemiluminescence detection systems with longer exposure times
Consider concentrating protein samples when working with cell lines showing low expression
For successful IHC detection of MPPED2, the following protocol parameters have been validated:
For brain tissue specifically, studies have shown strong MPPED2 immunoreactivity in normal brain samples, which progressively decreases in low-grade gliomas and is minimally detected in glioblastoma tissues . This pattern makes brain tissue an excellent model for validating antibody specificity and optimizing staining protocols.
To ensure reliable and reproducible results with MPPED2 antibodies, incorporate these essential controls:
Example: In glioblastoma studies, researchers validated MPPED2 antibody specificity by comparing expression patterns in normal brain tissue (high expression), low-grade gliomas (moderate expression), and glioblastomas (low expression), correlating protein detection with mRNA expression data from databases like TCGA and Gravendeel .
MPPED2 expression is consistently downregulated across multiple cancer types:
In glioblastoma specifically, MPPED2 downregulation:
Shows a negative correlation with the aggressive mesenchymal subtype
Is associated with promoter hypermethylation (r = -0.4495, p < 0.0028)
For reliable detection of these expression changes, multi-modal approaches are recommended:
Start with mRNA expression analysis (qRT-PCR or RNA-seq)
Confirm at protein level with Western blotting (quantitative)
Visualize cellular and tissue distribution changes with IHC or IF
Correlate with methylation status of the MPPED2 promoter region
Multiple functional studies support MPPED2's tumor suppressor role:
To replicate these functional studies, researchers should:
Generate stable or transient MPPED2-overexpressing cell lines using appropriate expression vectors
Confirm overexpression by both qRT-PCR and Western blotting
Perform comparative functional assays (proliferation, migration, drug sensitivity)
Analyze molecular pathway alterations through Western blotting for key signaling components
Include appropriate controls (empty vector transfected cells)
The documented inhibitory effects on PI3K/AKT and NF-kB pathways may be related to MPPED2's role in regulating cAMP levels, as subtle changes in cAMP have been shown to modulate the phosphorylation of both p65 and PI3K/AKT .
Recent research has revealed an interesting relationship between MPPED2 and p16INK4A in cervical carcinoma:
To study this relationship, researchers can:
Use a tissue cohort of cervical samples with known HPV status (high-risk HPV positive, low-risk HPV positive, and HPV negative)
Perform serial section IHC for both MPPED2 and p16INK4A
Apply semi-quantitative scoring methods as described by Kaur et al.:
Correlate expression patterns with clinical parameters and HPV status
Perform in vitro studies using HPV-positive and HPV-negative cervical cancer cell lines to examine the functional relationship
The rs2065418 polymorphism in the MPPED2 gene has been associated with altered systemic inflammation and clinical outcomes:
Research methodologies to study this association include:
Genotyping trauma patients using real-time PCR to identify rs2065418 variants
Stratifying patients based on injury severity (e.g., ISS ≥ 25)
Collecting and analyzing clinical data including:
Hospital length of stay
Multiple Organ Dysfunction Scores (MODScores)
Duration of mechanical ventilation
Plasma creatinine levels over time
Measuring plasma cytokine levels to assess inflammatory profiles
Statistical analysis to correlate genotype with clinical and inflammatory outcomes
Research has found that a certain injury severity threshold must be exceeded to observe the greater impact of rs2065418 TT genotype on outcomes, suggesting context-dependent effects of this polymorphism .
As a metallophosphoesterase, MPPED2's enzymatic activity can be studied using these approaches:
Researchers should note that MPPED2 exhibits relatively low catalytic efficiency compared to other phosphodiesterases due to the glycine substitution at position 252, which enables strong substrate binding but reduces turnover rate . Studies in Drosophila have confirmed that the ortholog (dMpped) hydrolyzes phosphodiester substrates including cAMP and cGMP in a metal-dependent manner, suggesting evolutionary conservation of this function .
MPPED2 is highly conserved across species, offering opportunities for comparative research:
Research approaches leveraging evolutionary conservation:
Cross-species rescue experiments (e.g., expressing human MPPED2 in dMpped knockout flies)
Comparative expression analysis across developmental stages in different organisms
Structural biology approaches to identify conserved functional domains
Study of simpler organisms to elucidate basic MPPED2 functions before moving to more complex models
In Drosophila, knockout of dMpped resulted in reduced lifespan, elevated cAMP and cGMP levels in the brain, misregulation of immune pathways, and defective olfactory perception. Importantly, neuronal expression of mammalian MPPED2 restored normal lifespan in dMpped knockout flies, demonstrating functional conservation .
When facing inconsistent MPPED2 detection, consider these troubleshooting approaches:
Validation protocol recommendation:
Start with well-characterized samples (e.g., brain tissue positive control)
Compare multiple antibodies targeting different epitopes
Verify correlation between protein and mRNA expression levels
Include MPPED2-overexpressing cells as additional positive controls
Optimize protocol for each specific antibody and application
MPPED2 downregulation in various cancers has been linked to promoter hypermethylation:
To investigate epigenetic regulation of MPPED2:
Analyze promoter methylation status using:
Bisulfite sequencing (gold standard for detailed methylation patterns)
Methylation-specific PCR (MSP) for targeted analysis
Pyrosequencing for quantitative methylation assessment
Correlate methylation with expression levels (qRT-PCR, Western blot)
Perform demethylation experiments:
Treat cells with 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (DNA methyltransferase inhibitor)
Measure MPPED2 re-expression following treatment
Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) to assess histone modifications
Analyze TCGA and other public datasets for correlations between methylation and expression across cancer types
The significant inverse correlation between MPPED2 expression and its promoter methylation in GBM samples (p < 0.0028) provides strong evidence that hypermethylation is a key mechanism of MPPED2 silencing in cancer.
Building on findings that MPPED2 restoration enhances temozolomide sensitivity in glioblastoma:
Methodological recommendations:
Generate stable cell lines with inducible MPPED2 expression to control expression timing and levels
Perform dose-response curves with multiple chemotherapeutic agents
Analyze both short-term (24-72h) and long-term (colony formation) effects
Investigate mechanisms through which MPPED2 enhances drug sensitivity:
Changes in drug efflux/influx
DNA damage response modifications
Alterations in apoptotic threshold
Effects on PI3K/AKT and NF-kB survival pathways
Validate findings across multiple cell lines representing different cancer subtypes
The observed sensitization to temozolomide through MPPED2 overexpression in glioblastoma cells provides a foundation for investigating similar effects with other chemotherapeutic agents and in other cancer types .