NOTCH2 Antibody, HRP conjugated refers to polyclonal antibodies raised against specific epitopes of the NOTCH2 protein, chemically linked to HRP for enhanced detection capabilities. Key features include:
NOTCH2 signaling regulates fate decisions in antigen-activated follicular B cells, directing differentiation into germinal center B cells (GCB) or marginal zone B cells (MZB). HRP-conjugated antibodies enabled the quantification of NOTCH2 expression dynamics in these populations, showing:
Downregulation in GCB cells: NOTCH2 levels decrease during germinal center formation, correlating with Bcl6 upregulation .
Upregulation in MZB precursors: Sustained NOTCH2 signaling promotes Irf4 expression, driving plasma cell differentiation .
In nephrosis models, NOTCH2 agonistic antibodies (non-HRP versions) reduced podocyte apoptosis by activating Akt pathways. While HRP-conjugated variants were not directly tested here, similar detection tools likely underpinned mechanistic insights .
In diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), NOTCH2 mutations evade ubiquitin-mediated degradation, promoting chemoresistance. HRP-conjugated antibodies could aid in tracking NOTCH2 stabilization in drug-resistant tumors .
Specificity: Validated via peptide-blocking assays and cross-reactivity tests .
Sensitivity: Detects NOTCH2 at concentrations as low as 0.1–1 ng/mL in ELISA .
Functional Assays: Used to confirm NOTCH2 cleavage (S3 γ-secretase-dependent processing) in Western blots .
Species Reactivity: Most antibodies are validated for human and mouse; cross-reactivity with other species requires empirical testing .
Epitope Masking: Full-length NOTCH2 detection may require antigen retrieval in IHC due to transmembrane domain occlusion .
HRP-conjugated NOTCH2 antibodies are pivotal for advancing studies in:
Stem Cell Biology: Tracking NOTCH2 in neural and hematopoietic stem cells.
Therapeutic Development: Evaluating NOTCH2-targeted drugs in cancers and autoimmune disorders.
For optimal Western blot results with HRP-conjugated NOTCH2 antibodies, follow this validated protocol:
Prepare cell/tissue lysates in standard RIPA buffer supplemented with protease inhibitors
Load 10-30 μg of protein per lane on 8-10% SDS-PAGE gels (NOTCH2 has high molecular weight forms)
Transfer to PVDF membrane (recommended over nitrocellulose for better protein retention)
Block with 5% non-fat dry milk in TBST for 1 hour at room temperature
Incubate with HRP-conjugated NOTCH2 antibody at 1:1000-1:4000 dilution overnight at 4°C
Wash 3-4 times with TBST
Develop using chemiluminescence detection system
Expected bands: Full-length NOTCH2 at ~265 kDa and cleaved forms at ~110 kDa and ~72 kDa (cleaved N-terminus)
Note: Freshly prepared lysates yield better results than frozen samples, particularly for detecting cleaved forms .
NOTCH2 antibodies vary significantly in their epitope recognition and detection capabilities:
The choice depends on research objectives: cleaved N-terminus antibodies are ideal for studying activation, while intracellular domain antibodies better detect nuclear signaling events .
Comprehensive validation of NOTCH2 antibody specificity should include:
Dot blot analysis against recombinant NOTCH family proteins (NOTCH1, NOTCH2, NOTCH3) to confirm isoform specificity
Genetic validation using NOTCH2 knockout/knockdown cells as negative controls
Peptide competition assay with the immunizing peptide
Orthogonal validation comparing results from antibodies targeting different NOTCH2 epitopes
Signal induction testing showing increased signal following γ-secretase cleavage activation
Cross-species reactivity testing if working with non-human models
Additionally, independent validation from established labs provides strong evidence of antibody reliability, such as validation performed at the University of Ulm for certain NOTCH2 antibodies .
For successful IHC with HRP-conjugated NOTCH2 antibodies:
Epitope retrieval is crucial: Heat-induced epitope retrieval using citrate buffer (pH 6.0) or basic retrieval reagents (pH 9.0) is essential, as demonstrated in validated protocols
Fixation impacts detection: For cleaved NOTCH2 forms, use 4% paraformaldehyde with shorter fixation times
Optimal dilution range: 1:50-1:500 depending on specific antibody and tissue type
Signal amplification: For low-abundance detection, consider tyramide signal amplification systems
Nuclear vs. membrane staining interpretation: Cleaved forms show nuclear localization while full-length forms show membrane/cytoplasmic staining
Example protocol: Subject tissue to heat-induced epitope retrieval, incubate with primary NOTCH2 antibody (5 μg/ml) for 1 hour at room temperature, followed by HRP-polymer secondary antibody, and develop with DAB .
NOTCH2 antibody performance shows significant species and tissue-dependent variation:
For pancreatic tissues, antibodies show differential staining patterns across developmental stages (day 0 to day 14), with stronger detection in pancreatic progenitor cells compared to pluripotent stem cells .
For bone tissue research, NOTCH2 antibodies have been validated in models of Hajdu-Cheney syndrome, demonstrating efficacy in detecting pathological changes in osseous tissues .
To effectively study NOTCH2 activation in signaling pathways:
Use complementary antibodies: Combine antibodies recognizing both full-length and cleaved forms to track processing
Time-course experiments: NOTCH2 cleavage occurs sequentially (S1→S2→S3); sample collection timing is critical
Subcellular fractionation: Separate nuclear and membrane fractions to track NICD translocation
Co-immunoprecipitation: Use NOTCH2 antibodies to pull down interaction partners (RBPJ/RBPSUH)
Inhibitor controls: Include γ-secretase inhibitors as negative controls
For optimal results tracking NOTCH2 activation in B cells, samples should be collected at specific timepoints after immunization (days 7 and 14) when NOTCH2 signaling regulates fate decisions between germinal center and marginal zone B cells .
NOTCH2 antibodies have demonstrated significant therapeutic potential in research models:
Reversing bone phenotypes: Anti-NOTCH2 NRR antibody (10 mg/kg twice weekly for 4 weeks) successfully reversed osteopenic phenotype in Hajdu-Cheney syndrome mouse models by locking the receptor in its quiescent state
Modulating B cell differentiation: NOTCH2 antibodies can manipulate the fate decision between germinal center and marginal zone B cell development, with potential applications in immunomodulation
Combination therapies: When used alongside inhibitors of other pathways, NOTCH2 antibodies show enhanced efficacy
Key dose considerations: The effective dose range of 5-10 mg/kg for in vivo applications balances efficacy with minimal gastrointestinal toxicity, based on immunoglobulin G half-life data .
When facing contradictory NOTCH2 antibody results:
Consider epitope accessibility: The NOTCH2 epitope recognized by certain antibodies is only exposed after γ-secretase cleavage and remains inaccessible in uncleaved forms
Validate processing state: NOTCH2 undergoes multiple cleavage events (S1, S2, S3) producing fragments of different sizes:
Cross-check with multiple antibodies: Use antibodies targeting different domains (NRR, NICD) to confirm findings
Assess experimental conditions: Ligand stimulation status (Jagged1/2, Delta1) dramatically affects detection patterns
Consider tissue-specific processing: Different tissues show varying NOTCH2 processing kinetics and fragment accumulation
HRP conjugation of NOTCH2 antibodies presents several technical challenges:
Epitope masking: Direct HRP conjugation may affect binding site accessibility, particularly for antibodies targeting the cleaved form where the epitope region is small and conformationally sensitive
Optimal conjugation ratio: The recommended HRP:antibody molar ratio is typically 4:1 for NOTCH2 antibodies, but requires optimization based on antibody concentration and target application
Preserving functionality: Recombinant antibody formats (Superclonal™ antibodies) maintain better functionality after conjugation compared to traditional polyclonal antibodies
Storage stability: HRP-conjugated NOTCH2 antibodies show reduced shelf-life (3-6 months) compared to unconjugated antibodies (1-2 years)
Alternative approach: Consider using high-sensitivity unconjugated primary antibodies with HRP-conjugated secondary antibodies for maximum flexibility and sensitivity
For complex multiparameter analyses involving NOTCH2:
Multiplex immunofluorescence:
Compatible fluorophore combinations for NOTCH2 co-staining include:
NOTCH2 (AF488) + Jagged1 (AF647) + DAPI (nuclear)
NOTCH2 (HRP-tyramide-Cy3) + CD3 (AF647) + CD20 (AF488)
Flow cytometry applications:
Single-cell analysis protocols:
Spatial protein profiling:
Robust negative controls for NOTCH2 antibody validation include:
Isotype controls: Matched concentration of non-specific rabbit IgG (for rabbit-derived NOTCH2 antibodies)
Cell line controls: IMR-32 cells have been validated as negative controls for certain NOTCH2 antibodies
Developmental stage controls: Human pluripotent stem cells (day 0) and definite endoderm cells (day 4) show minimal NOTCH2 expression compared to pancreatic progenitor cells (day 14)
Peptide competition: Pre-incubation with immunizing peptide should abolish specific signal
Genetic models: Notch2 conditional knockout cells using CD19-Cre or Cγ1-Cre systems provide definitive negative controls
Cross-reactivity panels: Test against related NOTCH family members (NOTCH1, NOTCH3) using dot blot analysis with recombinant protein fragments
Selection of appropriate NOTCH2 antibodies is critical for studying disease-related mutations:
Hajdu-Cheney syndrome (HCS):
Alagille syndrome type 2 (ALGS2):
Cancer-associated NOTCH2 alterations:
Research approach recommendation: Use complementary antibodies targeting different domains to comprehensively characterize variant forms and their functional impacts.
For developmental biology applications:
Temporal expression dynamics:
NOTCH2 expression varies significantly across developmental stages
Antibody selection should account for stage-specific processing and expression levels
Tissue fixation protocols:
For embryonic tissues: 2% paraformaldehyde for 2-4 hours preserves epitope accessibility
For adult tissues: 4% paraformaldehyde overnight may be required
Validated developmental models:
Co-staining markers:
Systematic optimization of NOTCH2 antibody dilutions should follow this approach:
Titration matrix:
Application-specific considerations:
Western blot: Lower dilutions (1:1000) for cleaved forms, higher dilutions (1:4000) for abundant full-length forms
IHC: Lower dilutions (1:50) for tissue samples, higher dilutions (1:500) for cell lines with overexpression
ELISA: Ultra-high dilutions (1:30,000 to 1:90,000) have been validated for certain antibodies
Signal-to-noise optimization:
Plot signal-to-background ratio at each dilution point
Select optimal dilution at highest specificity without signal intensity loss
Sample-specific adjustments:
Increase concentration for fixed tissues where epitope accessibility may be limited
Decrease concentration for overexpression systems to prevent signal saturation
For investigating NOTCH2 pathway interactions:
Validated co-immunoprecipitation protocols:
Multiple pathway activation markers:
Temporal dynamics analysis:
Tissue context considerations:
Optimized ChIP protocol for NOTCH2:
Crosslinking conditions:
1% formaldehyde for 10 minutes at room temperature
Quench with 125mM glycine for 5 minutes
Chromatin fragmentation:
Sonication to achieve fragments of 200-500bp
Verify fragmentation efficiency by gel electrophoresis
Antibody selection:
Input requirements:
5-10 μg of chromatin per IP reaction
2-5 μg of NOTCH2 antibody per reaction
Controls:
IgG negative control
Known NOTCH2 target regions (Hes1/5 promoters) as positive controls
Key quality control: Verify enrichment at canonical NOTCH2 binding sites (RBP-J binding motifs) compared to non-target regions.
Current limitations of NOTCH2 antibodies include:
Isoform specificity challenges:
Processing state detection:
Species cross-reactivity limitations:
Lot-to-lot variability:
Application restrictions:
Comparative analysis of NOTCH2 antibody formats:
Recombinant Superclonal™ antibodies combine advantages of both formats: they recognize multiple epitope sites like polyclonals while maintaining the consistency of monoclonals through a known mixture of light and heavy chains .
Optimal storage and handling protocols for NOTCH2 antibodies:
Storage conditions:
Aliquoting strategy:
Stability considerations:
Unconjugated antibodies: Stable for one year after shipment at -20°C
HRP-conjugated antibodies: More sensitive to degradation, use within 6 months
Avoiding performance loss:
Minimize exposure to direct light (especially for fluorophore-conjugated antibodies)
Centrifuge briefly before opening to collect solution at bottom of vial
Add carrier protein (0.1-0.5% BSA) to diluted antibodies for extended storage
Quality control monitoring:
Include positive control samples in each experiment to track performance over time
Document lot numbers and maintain consistent sourcing when possible
Cutting-edge therapeutic applications for NOTCH2 antibodies include:
Targeted inhibition strategies:
Immunomodulatory approaches:
Combination therapy research:
NOTCH2 antibodies combined with inhibitors of complementary pathways show enhanced efficacy
Integration with JAG1/JAG2 targeting approaches provides multi-level pathway control
Cancer research applications:
Safety profile research: