Phospho-BRCA1 (Ser1423) Antibody is a polyclonal antibody that specifically recognizes BRCA1 phosphorylated at Ser1423, a modification induced by DNA damage agents such as ionizing radiation (IR), ultraviolet (UV) light, hydroxyurea (HU), and aphidicolin (APH) . BRCA1 is a tumor suppressor protein encoded by the BRCA1 gene, mutated in ~50% of familial breast cancers . Its phosphorylation at Ser1423 is mediated by the kinases ATR (ATM- and Rad3-related) and ATM (ataxia-telangiectasia mutated), with ATR playing a dominant role in response to UV, HU, and APH, while ATM partially contributes to IR-induced phosphorylation .
DNA Damage Response: Ser1423 phosphorylation occurs in response to replication stress (e.g., HU, APH) or DNA damage (e.g., IR, UV) .
Kinase Dependence:
Functional Impact: Phosphorylated BRCA1 forms nuclear foci at stalled replication forks, facilitating DNA repair and cell cycle checkpoint activation .
Specificity: Recognizes endogenous BRCA1 only when phosphorylated at Ser1423, confirmed via λ phosphatase treatment and Ser→Ala mutagenesis .
Detection Sensitivity:
Mechanistic Studies: Used to investigate BRCA1’s role in homologous recombination repair (HRR) and its interaction with PALB2/RAD51 .
Clinical Biomarker Research: Detects BRCA1 activation status in tumor samples, potentially correlating with therapeutic responses .
Kinase Signaling Pathways: Differentiates ATR- vs. ATM-dependent DNA damage responses .
The Phospho-BRCA1 (Ser1423) Antibody specifically recognizes the breast cancer type 1 susceptibility protein (BRCA1), also known as RING finger protein 53 (RNF53), only when phosphorylated at serine 1423. This antibody is designed to detect endogenous levels of BRCA1 protein exclusively in its phosphorylated state at this specific residue . The specificity can be confirmed by several methods, including treatment with lambda phosphatase (which removes phosphorylation and eliminates antibody recognition) or by using BRCA1 with Ser1423Ala mutation, which prevents recognition by the antibody . The antibody's specificity makes it valuable for studying BRCA1 phosphorylation events in response to various DNA damaging agents.
The Phospho-BRCA1 (Ser1423) Antibody can be used in multiple experimental applications:
Western Blotting (WB): Typically used at dilutions of 1:500-1:2,000
Immunohistochemistry (IHC): Recommended dilutions of 1:100-1:300
Immunofluorescence (IF): Typically used at dilutions of 1:50-1:200
The antibody successfully detects a 210-220 kDa protein in human samples that corresponds to phosphorylated BRCA1 . When using this antibody for these applications, researchers should optimize the dilution ratios based on their specific experimental conditions and sample types.
For optimal preservation of antibody activity and specificity:
Long-term storage: Store undiluted at -20°C. Avoid frost-free freezers as temperature cycling can damage the antibody
Avoid repeated freeze-thaw cycles which can lead to loss of antibody activity
If precipitate forms, microcentrifugation before use is recommended
The antibody is typically supplied in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) with 50% glycerol and 0.02% sodium azide, which helps maintain stability
Proper storage and handling of the antibody is crucial for maintaining its specificity and sensitivity in detecting phosphorylated BRCA1 at Ser1423.
The Phospho-BRCA1 (Ser1423) Antibody primarily reacts with human BRCA1 . Some commercially available versions also show reactivity with rat BRCA1 . When planning experiments using this antibody, researchers should verify species cross-reactivity, especially if working with model organisms other than human cell lines or tissues. The antibody recognizes the specific phosphorylation site in the context of the surrounding amino acid sequence (HGsQP, where "s" represents the phosphorylated serine) . This sequence conservation is important for cross-species reactivity.
BRCA1 phosphorylation at Ser1423 is significantly enhanced in response to various types of DNA damage. Research has shown that:
Ionizing radiation (IR): Induces rapid phosphorylation of BRCA1 at Ser1423, with ATM playing a significant role in this process
Ultraviolet (UV) light: Triggers Ser1423 phosphorylation primarily through ATR kinase activity
Hydroxyurea (HU): Causes replication stress that leads to increased Ser1423 phosphorylation
Aphidicolin (APH): Inhibits DNA polymerase and enhances BRCA1 phosphorylation at Ser1423
When designing experiments to detect damage-induced phosphorylation, researchers should consider:
Time course analysis: Phosphorylation typically occurs rapidly after damage and may show different kinetics depending on the damaging agent
Dose-response relationships: Titration of damaging agents (e.g., 10-50 Gy for IR) can provide insight into sensitivity thresholds
Cell cycle considerations: Asynchronously cycling cells show different baseline levels of phosphorylation
The Phospho-BRCA1 (Ser1423) Antibody can effectively detect these changes in phosphorylation status via Western blotting, allowing researchers to quantify differences between treatment conditions through densitometric analysis .
The phosphorylation of BRCA1 at Ser1423 is regulated by two key DNA damage response kinases: ATM (Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated) and ATR (ATM and Rad3-related). Their distinct roles can be studied using the Phospho-BRCA1 (Ser1423) Antibody:
ATM primarily mediates IR-induced phosphorylation of BRCA1 at Ser1423
ATR is primarily responsible for UV and replication stress-induced phosphorylation
Experimental approaches to study these relationships include:
Using ATM-deficient and ATM-reconstituted cell lines to compare phosphorylation levels
Employing inducible expression systems for wild-type or kinase-dead ATR
Combining specific kinase inhibitors with DNA damaging agents
Studying ATR relocalization to nuclear foci that overlap with BRCA1 foci after DNA damage
The Phospho-BRCA1 (Ser1423) Antibody is essential for these experiments as it allows direct measurement of phosphorylation levels in response to experimental manipulations.
In vitro kinase assays provide mechanistic insights into direct phosphorylation of BRCA1 by specific kinases. For studying Ser1423 phosphorylation:
Substrate preparation:
Kinase source:
Reaction conditions:
Combine purified kinase with GST-BRCA1 substrate in appropriate buffer
Include ATP (often radiolabeled for detection purposes)
Incubate at 30°C for 15-30 minutes
Detection methods:
For radiolabeled assays: SDS-PAGE followed by autoradiography
For non-radioactive assays: Western blotting with Phospho-BRCA1 (Ser1423) Antibody
Compare phosphorylation by wild-type versus kinase-inactive mutants
Research has shown that ATR specifically phosphorylates GST-BRCA1 fragments containing Ser1423 in vitro, and this phosphorylation is absent when using catalytically inactive ATR mutants . These assays help establish direct kinase-substrate relationships and validate the specificity of phosphorylation events observed in cells.
Optimizing immunohistochemistry (IHC) protocols for Phospho-BRCA1 (Ser1423) Antibody in cancer tissues requires careful consideration of several factors:
Tissue preparation and fixation:
Use fresh frozen or properly fixed (typically 10% neutral buffered formalin) tissues
Optimal fixation time (usually 24-48 hours) is crucial to preserve phospho-epitopes
Paraffin-embedded tissues require appropriate antigen retrieval methods
Antigen retrieval methods:
Heat-induced epitope retrieval (HIER) using citrate buffer (pH 6.0) or EDTA buffer (pH 9.0)
Optimization of retrieval time and temperature is essential for phospho-epitopes
Enzymatic retrieval may be less suitable for phospho-epitopes
Blocking and antibody incubation:
Detection and controls:
Use sensitive detection systems (HRP/DAB, polymer-based systems)
Include positive controls (breast carcinoma tissues with known BRCA1 phosphorylation)
Include negative controls (tissues treated with lambda phosphatase)
Consider using BRCA1-deficient tissues (e.g., HCC1937 cells) as specificity controls
Result interpretation:
Analyze subcellular localization (typically nuclear for phosphorylated BRCA1)
Quantify staining intensity and percentage of positive cells
Compare with normal adjacent tissue when analyzing tumor samples
Successful IHC with this antibody can reveal important insights into BRCA1 phosphorylation status in cancer tissues, potentially correlating with DNA damage response activity and treatment response.