PELI3 antibodies are immunoreagents specifically designed to bind to PELI3, an E3 ubiquitin ligase involved in Toll-like receptor (TLR) and interleukin-1 receptor (IL-1R) signaling pathways. These antibodies facilitate the study of PELI3’s dual roles in promoting inflammatory responses and regulating autophagy through ubiquitination-dependent mechanisms .
PELI3 regulates TLR4-mediated proinflammatory cytokine production (e.g., IL-1β, TNF-α) during sepsis. Antibodies have been used to demonstrate that PELI3 knockdown reduces cytokine expression, linking it to hyperinflammation in septic conditions .
Autophagy-dependent degradation of PELI3 modulates inflammatory responses, as shown via colocalization studies with SQSTM1/p62 and LC3B .
PELI3 antibodies revealed its role in starvation-induced autophagy. PELI3 interacts with ATG8 proteins (LC3/GABARAP) and promotes ULK1 ubiquitination, which is critical for autophagosome formation and lipid droplet clearance in hepatocytes .
In mouse models, PELI3 deficiency exacerbates hepatic steatosis due to defective autophagy, highlighting its protective role in liver metabolism .
PELI3 promotes colitis-associated colorectal cancer (CAC) by enhancing TLR4-mediated NF-κB signaling. Antibodies confirmed PELI3’s interaction with interferon regulatory factor 4 (IRF4), which it ubiquitinates for proteasomal degradation, driving oncogenic inflammation .
Western Blot: Rabbit anti-human PELI3 antibodies detect a 57 kDa band in human and mouse lysates .
Specificity: Validated using Peli3 knockout (KO) models to confirm absence of signal in deficient tissues .
Functional Studies: Used in immunoprecipitation-mass spectrometry (IP-MS) to identify PELI3 binding partners like SQSTM1 and ULK1 .
PELI3 (Pellino E3 ubiquitin protein ligase family member 3) is a critical component of various inflammatory signaling pathways, including Toll-like receptor signaling, NOD2 signaling, and TNF signaling pathways. The Pellino3 protein, encoded by the PELI3 gene, contains a RING domain with E3 ligase activity that facilitates the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) such as JNK and p38 . The human version of Pellino 3 has a canonical amino acid length of 469 residues and a protein mass of 50.8 kilodaltons, with four distinct isoforms identified to date . Pellino3's role in ubiquitination processes and cell death regulation makes it a significant target for researchers investigating inflammatory diseases, liver injuries, and cellular stress responses.
When selecting antibodies for Pellino 3 detection, researchers must consider the presence of multiple isoforms (at least four have been identified in humans). These isoforms may display differential expression patterns across tissues and under various physiological conditions. For optimal experimental outcomes, researchers should:
Determine which isoform(s) are relevant to their specific research question
Select antibodies that either recognize conserved regions (for pan-Pellino 3 detection) or isoform-specific epitopes
Validate antibody specificity using positive controls expressing the target isoform(s)
Consider using recombinant expression constructs such as Flag-hPellino3a, Flag-hPellino3b, 6xMyc-hPellino3a, and 6xMyc-hPellino3b when investigating isoform-specific functions
The choice between these approaches depends on whether the research aims to study general Pellino 3 functions or isoform-specific roles in particular cellular contexts.
For optimal Western blot detection of PELI3 across different tissue samples, researchers should implement the following protocol:
Sample preparation:
For liver tissue: Homogenize in RIPA buffer containing protease inhibitors and phosphatase inhibitors
For cultured cells: Lyse directly in 1X SDS sample buffer or extract using NP-40 lysis buffer
Protein separation:
Use 10-12% SDS-PAGE gels for optimal resolution of the ~50.8 kDa Pellino 3 protein
Load 25-50 μg of total protein per lane
Transfer and blocking:
Transfer to PVDF membrane at 100V for 90 minutes in cold transfer buffer
Block with 5% non-fat dry milk in TBST for 1 hour at room temperature
Antibody incubation:
Primary antibody dilution: 1:500 to 1:1000 in blocking buffer
Incubate overnight at 4°C with gentle rocking
Secondary antibody: HRP-conjugated anti-mouse or anti-rabbit (depending on primary antibody species) at 1:5000 dilution
Detection:
Use enhanced chemiluminescence (ECL) substrate
Expose to film or use digital imaging systems with exposure times of 30 seconds to 5 minutes
Different tissue types may require optimization of lysis buffers and protein extraction methods to ensure consistent detection of Pellino 3 .
For effective immunoprecipitation (IP) of PELI3 to study protein interactions, researchers should follow this methodological approach:
Cell/tissue preparation:
Harvest cells or tissue and lyse in a non-denaturing buffer (e.g., 50 mM Tris-HCl pH 7.4, 150 mM NaCl, 1% NP-40, 0.5% sodium deoxycholate) supplemented with protease and phosphatase inhibitors
Clarify lysates by centrifugation at 14,000g for 15 minutes at 4°C
Pre-clearing (to reduce non-specific binding):
Incubate lysates with Protein A/G beads for 1 hour at 4°C
Remove beads by centrifugation
Immunoprecipitation:
Bead capture and washing:
Add 40 μl of Protein A/G beads and incubate for 2-4 hours at 4°C
Wash beads 4-5 times with lysis buffer
For studying ubiquitination, include 2% SDS in the first wash buffer followed by dilution to 0.2% SDS for subsequent washes
Elution and analysis:
Elute bound proteins by boiling in 2X SDS sample buffer for 5 minutes
Analyze by Western blot using antibodies against PELI3 and potential interacting partners
For studying specific interactions, such as between Pellino3 and GSK3β or JNK1/2, this method can be effectively coupled with subsequent Western blot analysis .
When investigating PELI3's role in acetaminophen (APAP)-induced liver injury, researchers should implement a comprehensive experimental design that addresses multiple aspects of the injury mechanism:
Animal model setup:
Use Peli3−/− knockout (KO) mice and wild-type (WT) controls (C57BL/6 background)
Consider adenovirus-mediated Peli3 knockdown (KD) mice as an alternative model
Age- and sex-match all experimental groups (typically 8-12 weeks old)
Administer APAP (300-500 mg/kg) via intraperitoneal injection after overnight fasting
Assessment parameters:
Monitor survival rates (if using lethal APAP doses)
Collect serum at 6, 12, and 24 hours post-APAP for ALT/AST measurement
Harvest liver tissue for histological analysis (H&E staining)
Quantify immune cell infiltration using flow cytometry
Measure mitochondrial damage markers and ROS levels
Mechanistic investigations:
Isolate primary hepatocytes from WT and Peli3−/− mice for in vitro studies
Assess mitochondrial translocation of GSK3β via subcellular fractionation
Examine JNK phosphorylation levels by Western blotting
Perform ubiquitination assays to detect K63-mediated polyubiquitination of GSK3β
Conduct rescue experiments using adenoviral expression of wild-type Pellino3 versus catalytically inactive mutants
Controls and validation:
Include vehicle-treated groups for both genotypes
Confirm genotypes by PCR using appropriate primers
Validate Peli3 deletion by qRT-PCR
Test for compensatory expression of other Pellino family members
This experimental design allows for comprehensive characterization of PELI3's role in APAP hepatotoxicity through multiple complementary approaches .
To effectively study PELI3's E3 ligase activity in cellular assays, researchers should consider the following key experimental design elements:
Expression system selection:
Choose appropriate cell lines that either naturally express PELI3 (primary hepatocytes) or are easily transfectable (HEK293 cells)
Consider using cell lines relevant to the biological context being studied (e.g., immune cells for inflammatory pathway studies)
Construct design:
Ubiquitination assay setup:
Co-express PELI3 with potential substrates (e.g., GSK3β, JNK1, JNK2)
Include HA-tagged ubiquitin constructs (wild-type and K63-only variants)
Perform ubiquitination assays under denaturing conditions to eliminate non-covalent interactions
Use proteasome inhibitors (MG132) to prevent degradation of ubiquitinated proteins
Controls and validation:
Include vector-only controls
Use siRNA/shRNA-mediated knockdown of endogenous PELI3
Compare wild-type PELI3 with catalytically inactive mutants
Validate physical interactions using co-immunoprecipitation before ubiquitination studies
Detection methods:
Use immunoblotting with specific antibodies against ubiquitin, K63-linkage, and target proteins
Employ size-shift analysis to detect multiple ubiquitination events
Consider mass spectrometry to identify specific ubiquitination sites on target proteins
This methodological framework provides a comprehensive approach to characterizing PELI3's E3 ligase activity and substrate specificity in cellular contexts .
When encountering inconsistent Pellino 3 detection in immunofluorescence studies, researchers should systematically troubleshoot using the following approach:
Fixation optimization:
Test multiple fixation methods:
4% paraformaldehyde (10-15 minutes at room temperature)
Methanol (-20°C for 10 minutes)
Acetone (-20°C for 5 minutes)
Combination fixation (PFA followed by methanol permeabilization)
Determine optimal fixation based on epitope accessibility and cellular compartment of interest
Permeabilization refinement:
Compare different permeabilization agents:
0.1-0.5% Triton X-100
0.1-0.5% Saponin
0.1% SDS (for more stringent permeabilization)
Adjust permeabilization time (5-15 minutes) based on cell type and thickness
Blocking and antibody parameters:
Use 5-10% serum from the species of secondary antibody
Add 1% BSA to reduce non-specific binding
Test different antibody dilutions (1:50 to 1:500)
Extend primary antibody incubation (overnight at 4°C rather than 1-2 hours)
Consider using FITC-conjugated anti-Pellino 3 antibodies for direct detection
Signal amplification and detection:
Implement tyramide signal amplification for low-abundance proteins
Use high-sensitivity detection systems
Optimize exposure settings on microscopes
Consider spectral unmixing for multi-label experiments
Positive controls and validation:
Include cells transfected with tagged PELI3 constructs as positive controls
Validate antibody specificity using PELI3 knockout or knockdown samples
Compare results with cells known to express high levels of PELI3
Implementation of this systematic troubleshooting approach can significantly improve consistency and specificity in Pellino 3 immunofluorescence detection .
When Western blot results for PELI3 protein expression conflict with qRT-PCR data measuring PELI3 mRNA levels, researchers should implement the following investigative strategy:
Methodological validation:
Confirm primer specificity for qRT-PCR (test against known positive and negative controls)
Verify antibody specificity using PELI3 knockout samples or blocking peptides
Re-sequence PCR products to confirm target amplification
Test multiple validated antibodies targeting different PELI3 epitopes
Post-transcriptional regulation assessment:
Measure PELI3 mRNA stability using actinomycin D chase experiments
Investigate microRNA regulation using prediction algorithms and validation assays
Examine alternative splicing with isoform-specific primers
Consider nonsense-mediated decay of specific transcripts
Post-translational modification and protein stability analysis:
Treat samples with proteasome inhibitors (MG132) to assess protein degradation rates
Examine ubiquitination patterns of PELI3 itself
Test various protein extraction methods to ensure complete solubilization
Use phosphatase inhibitors to preserve potential phosphorylated forms
Experimental design considerations:
Implement time-course studies to capture temporal discrepancies between mRNA and protein
Include tissue-specific positive controls known to express PELI3
Normalize to multiple housekeeping genes/proteins
Consider subcellular fractionation (PELI3 may relocalize under certain conditions)
Technical approach to resolve discrepancies:
| Observation | Possible Explanation | Recommended Investigation |
|---|---|---|
| High mRNA, Low protein | Rapid protein degradation | Proteasome inhibitor treatment |
| Low mRNA, High protein | Protein stability | Cycloheximide chase assay |
| Variable results between experiments | Protocol inconsistency | Standardize lysate preparation |
| Discrepancies in specific tissues | Tissue-specific regulation | Compare multiple tissue sources |
| Multiple bands on Western blot | Isoforms or degradation | Isoform-specific antibodies |
This comprehensive approach helps determine whether discrepancies represent biological phenomena or technical artifacts, enabling more accurate interpretation of PELI3 expression data .
PELI3 knockout models provide significant insights that can inform therapeutic strategies for acetaminophen (APAP)-induced liver injury through several mechanistic pathways:
GSK3β pathway modulation:
Peli3−/− knockout mice show reduced phosphorylation at serine 9 and decreased mitochondrial translocation of GSK3β
This reduction correlates with decreased JNK phosphorylation and mitochondrial translocation
Therapeutic strategies targeting GSK3β phosphorylation or mitochondrial translocation could mimic the protective effects seen in PELI3-deficient models
Mitochondrial protection mechanisms:
Primary hepatocytes from Peli3−/− mice demonstrate decreased mitochondrial damage
Reduced mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels are observed
Lysosomal damage is also attenuated in these models
Therapeutic approaches focusing on mitochondrial preservation during APAP toxicity would align with PELI3 knockout protective mechanisms
Inflammation modulation:
PELI3 knockout mice exhibit reduced immune cell infiltration upon APAP treatment
Inflammatory biomarkers are decreased compared to wild-type mice
Anti-inflammatory interventions targeting pathways downstream of PELI3 could provide hepatoprotection
Translational applications:
Development of small molecule inhibitors specifically targeting PELI3's E3 ligase activity
Design of peptide-based inhibitors that disrupt PELI3-GSK3β interaction
Creation of liver-targeted siRNA or antisense oligonucleotides to reduce PELI3 expression during acute toxicity
Screening for compounds that inhibit K63-mediated polyubiquitination of GSK3β
These findings suggest that therapeutic strategies targeting the PELI3-GSK3β-JNK axis could provide effective protection against APAP-induced liver injury, particularly when administered in the early phases of toxicity development .
The development of PELI3-targeting therapeutic strategies for inflammatory conditions presents several challenges and opportunities:
Challenges:
Functional redundancy:
Pellino family members (Pellino1, Pellino2, and Pellino3) share structural similarities
Potential compensatory mechanisms may limit efficacy of PELI3-specific inhibition
Distinguishing unique functions of PELI3 from other family members is crucial
Pathway complexity:
PELI3 is involved in diverse inflammatory signaling pathways (Toll-like receptor, NOD2, and TNF signaling)
Different isoforms may have distinct or even opposing functions in specific contexts
Temporal dynamics of PELI3 activity during inflammatory responses are not fully characterized
Target specificity:
Developing inhibitors specific to PELI3's E3 ligase activity without affecting other RING domain-containing proteins
Ensuring tissue-specific delivery to minimize off-target effects
Maintaining selectivity for pathological versus physiological PELI3 functions
Opportunities:
Novel mechanistic insights:
PELI3's role in GSK3β ubiquitination and mitochondrial translocation provides a unique therapeutic target
K63-specific ubiquitination activity offers potential for highly selective intervention
The demonstrated protective effect of PELI3 ablation in liver injury models suggests therapeutic potential
Emerging technological approaches:
PROTAC (Proteolysis Targeting Chimera) technology could be applied to selectively degrade PELI3
Structure-based drug design targeting the RING domain or substrate interaction surfaces
Antisense oligonucleotides for isoform-specific modulation of PELI3 expression
Therapeutic applications:
Acute liver injury (particularly acetaminophen overdose)
Inflammatory bowel disease (based on PELI3's role in NOD2 signaling)
Autoimmune conditions where excessive MAPK activation contributes to pathology
Potential application in cancer contexts where apoptosis regulation is disrupted
Biomarker development:
PELI3 expression or activity patterns could serve as predictive biomarkers for treatment response
Monitoring PELI3-mediated ubiquitination as a pharmacodynamic marker
A comprehensive comparison of anti-PELI3 antibodies reveals significant variations in performance across different experimental applications:
| Antibody Type | Western Blot Sensitivity | Immunofluorescence Performance | Cross-Reactivity | Isoform Specificity | Optimal Working Dilution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PELI3 Antibody (N-term) | High | Moderate | Human only | Detects all isoforms | 1:200-1:1000 (WB) |
| Pellino 3 (B-3) Antibody | Very High | Excellent | Human, Mouse, Rat | Preferential for isoform 1 | 1:500-1:2000 (WB), 1:50-1:200 (IF) |
| Pellino 3 (B-3) AC Antibody | N/A | N/A | Human, Mouse, Rat | Preferential for isoform 1 | 1:50 (IP) |
| Anti-Pellino 3 (FITC-conjugated) | Low | High | Mouse only | Detects all isoforms | 1:50-1:200 (IF) |
| E3 Ubiquitin-Protein Ligase Pellino Homolog 3 Antibody | Moderate | Moderate | Human only | Detects all isoforms | 1:500-1:2000 (WB) |
Key considerations for antibody selection based on application:
Western blot applications:
Pellino 3 (B-3) Antibody offers superior sensitivity and consistent performance
Polyclonal antibodies may detect multiple bands due to post-translational modifications
Pre-adsorbed antibodies reduce background in complex tissue lysates
Immunofluorescence studies:
FITC-conjugated antibodies eliminate secondary antibody cross-reactivity issues
Pellino 3 (B-3) Antibody provides excellent cellular localization information
Fixation method significantly impacts epitope accessibility with certain antibodies
Immunoprecipitation experiments:
Agarose-conjugated antibodies (Pellino 3 (B-3) AC) offer superior pull-down efficiency
Non-conjugated antibodies require optimization of antibody-to-bead ratios
Species matching between primary antibody and IP antibody improves detection in subsequent Western blots
Cross-species applications:
Few antibodies recognize PELI3 across human, mouse, and rat samples
Species-specific antibodies may be necessary for specialized applications
Sequence alignment confirms epitope conservation when using cross-reactive antibodies
This comparative analysis enables researchers to select the optimal PELI3 antibody based on their specific experimental requirements, tissue source, and application needs .
To effectively investigate PELI3's role in different inflammatory signaling pathways, researchers should implement a multi-faceted experimental design strategy:
Pathway-specific stimulation protocols:
| Signaling Pathway | Recommended Stimuli | Optimal Duration | Key Readouts | PELI3 Role Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TLR Signaling | LPS (TLR4), Pam3CSK4 (TLR1/2), CpG DNA (TLR9) | 0-24 hours | NF-κB activation, MAPK phosphorylation | E3 ligase activity toward TRAF molecules |
| NOD2 Signaling | MDP (NOD2 ligand) | 0-12 hours | RIP2 ubiquitination, inflammatory cytokines | Negative regulation of NOD2-induced cytokines |
| TNF Signaling | TNF-α | 0-8 hours | Cell viability, caspase activation | Regulation of apoptotic responses |
Cell type considerations:
Primary immune cells (macrophages, dendritic cells) for physiological relevance
Hepatocytes for investigating APAP-induced liver injury mechanisms
Cell lines for mechanistic studies (RAW264.7, HEK293T with pathway reporters)
Tissue-specific conditional knockout models to address cell-type specific functions
Genetic manipulation approaches:
CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout of PELI3
siRNA/shRNA knockdown for acute depletion studies
Rescue experiments with wild-type vs. catalytically inactive PELI3
Isoform-specific manipulation using targeted constructs
Domain mutants to dissect functional regions
Ubiquitination analysis methodology:
Immunoprecipitation under denaturing conditions
Ubiquitin linkage-specific antibodies (K48 vs. K63)
Mass spectrometry to identify ubiquitination sites
In vitro ubiquitination assays with purified components
Proteasome inhibitors to distinguish degradative vs. regulatory ubiquitination
Temporal dynamics assessment:
Time-course experiments capturing early and late events
Pulse-chase studies for protein turnover analysis
Live-cell imaging with fluorescently tagged constructs
Sequential chromatin immunoprecipitation for transcriptional effects
This comprehensive experimental approach enables researchers to dissect PELI3's specific roles across different inflammatory signaling cascades, distinguishing its functions from other Pellino family members and identifying pathway-specific mechanisms .