The TCHP antibody is a specialized immunological tool targeting Trichoplein, Keratin Filament Binding (TCHP), a protein critical for regulating keratin filament organization and desmosome structure in epithelial cells . TCHP acts as a "capping" or "branching" protein at the cell periphery, influencing cytoskeletal dynamics and cellular integrity . This antibody is widely utilized in research and diagnostics to study TCHP's role in epithelial biology, cancer progression, and therapeutic targeting.
(Note: "TCHP" in clinical oncology may also refer to a chemotherapy regimen [trastuzumab, carboplatin, docetaxel, pertuzumab] , but this article focuses solely on the TCHP antibody for protein detection.)
TCHP antibodies have been instrumental in studying epithelial cancers:
Breast Cancer: TCHP depletion causes chromosome mis-segregation and genomic instability, promoting tumor progression . Anti-TCHP antibodies validated in MCF-7 cell lines show strong reactivity in WB and IF .
Bladder Cancer: Reduced TCHP expression correlates with poor prognosis, highlighting its role as a tumor suppressor .
Immunohistochemistry (IHC): TCHP antibodies detect protein expression in human liver and small intestine tissues, with optimal antigen retrieval using TE buffer (pH 9.0) .
Western Blot (WB): Validated in MCF-7 lysates, showing a single band at 61 kDa .
Neoadjuvant Therapy: Pre-treatment T-cell receptor (TCR) repertoire analysis using TCHP antibodies revealed decreased clonal diversity post-TCHP chemotherapy, suggesting immune modulation .
TCHP antibodies undergo rigorous validation:
Proteintech: Verified via WB, IHC, and IF using CRISPR/Cas9-edited cell lines .
Sigma-Aldrich: Tested across 44 normal and 20 cancerous human tissues in IHC arrays .
Antibodies-Online: Includes pre-adsorption controls to confirm specificity .
Emerging studies explore TCHP's interaction with HER2-targeted therapies (e.g., trastuzumab-emtansine) and its potential as a biomarker for chemotherapy response . Advances in recombinant antibody engineering may enhance specificity for clinical diagnostics .
KEGG: dre:678595
UniGene: Dr.39775
TCHP antibody is a research tool designed to detect and study the TCHP protein (Trichoplein), also known as MGC10854. According to product information, it is produced in rabbit as an affinity isolated antibody and supplied in a buffered aqueous glycerol solution . The antibody targets the unmodified form of human TCHP protein (gene ID 84260) . This antibody enables researchers to visualize and quantify this protein in biological samples.
TCHP antibody is primarily used in immunohistochemistry and Western blotting applications . It enables detection of TCHP protein distribution in tissue samples and cell lysates. The antibody is valuable for studying TCHP's biochemical functions, as this protein has been shown to prevent cell growth when expressed de novo, block colony formation, and decrease DNA synthesis rates in transformed cell lines . The antibody has been extensively tested in the Human Protein Atlas project against hundreds of normal and disease tissues .
TCHP antibody should be stored at −20°C according to manufacturer guidelines . For maximum stability, researchers should:
Avoid repeated freeze-thaw cycles by creating working aliquots
Maintain the antibody in its buffered aqueous glycerol solution
Handle according to good laboratory practices
Follow specific manufacturer recommendations for storage duration
Consider the potential impact of preservatives like sodium azide when designing experiments
While specific protocol details for TCHP antibody aren't provided in the search results, researchers should follow standard immunohistochemistry procedures with attention to:
Tissue preparation: Proper fixation is critical; formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues are typically used in validation studies
Antigen retrieval: Optimize based on manufacturer recommendations
Blocking: Use appropriate blocking reagents to minimize non-specific binding
Antibody dilution: Determine optimal concentration through titration experiments
Detection system: Choose appropriate secondary antibodies and visualization methods
Controls: Include positive and negative controls in each experiment
The antibody has been validated by the Human Protein Atlas project through testing on tissue arrays of 44 normal human tissues and 20 common cancer types , suggesting robust performance across diverse tissue types.
For Western blotting with TCHP antibody, researchers should:
Sample preparation: Use appropriate lysis buffers with protease inhibitors
Protein separation: Optimize polyacrylamide gel percentage based on TCHP's molecular weight
Transfer conditions: Determine optimal transfer time and voltage for TCHP
Blocking: Test different blocking agents (BSA vs. non-fat milk) to minimize background
Antibody incubation: Optimize primary antibody dilution, incubation time, and temperature
Washing: Use stringent washing to reduce non-specific binding
Detection: Select appropriate secondary antibody and detection method based on sensitivity requirements
The antibody has been verified for Western blotting applications according to product information , though specific optimization parameters should be determined empirically for each experimental system.
Researchers should implement multiple validation strategies:
Antigen controls: Prestige antigen controls are available for corresponding Prestige Antibodies and can be found in the linkage section of product information
Protein array testing: The antibody has been tested on arrays of 364 human recombinant protein fragments
Orthogonal validation: Compare results across multiple detection techniques
RNA correlation: Compare protein detection with RNA expression data
Genetic models: Test in TCHP knockout/knockdown systems
Cross-tissue comparison: Evaluate performance in tissues with varying TCHP expression levels
These approaches ensure that experimental findings truly reflect TCHP biology rather than non-specific interactions.
While direct data on TCHP protein expression in cancer is limited in the search results, researchers investigating this question should consider:
Using TCHP antibody for immunohistochemical analysis of tissue microarrays representing cancer progression stages
Correlating TCHP expression with clinical outcomes and treatment responses
Investigating TCHP expression in the context of other biomarkers
Examining subcellular localization changes during disease progression
The biochemical properties of TCHP suggest potential tumor suppressor functions, as "de novo expression of mitostatin prevents cell growth, mitostatin blocks the colony formation and decreases the rate of DNA synthesis in several transformed cell lines" . This makes TCHP a potentially interesting target for cancer research.
When faced with contradictory results, researchers should:
Antibody validation: Re-validate antibody specificity using multiple approaches
Protocol standardization: Ensure consistent experimental conditions
Sample preparation comparison: Evaluate the impact of different fixation/extraction methods
Epitope accessibility assessment: Consider whether post-translational modifications or protein interactions might mask the epitope
Quantification method analysis: Compare different approaches to quantifying TCHP levels
Biological variability assessment: Determine whether differences reflect true biological variation
Orthogonal measurements: Use alternative methods to confirm TCHP detection
This systematic approach can help resolve apparent contradictions and advance understanding of TCHP biology.
Integration of antibody-based detection with sequencing can provide powerful insights. Based on approaches used in similar research contexts:
Chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq): If TCHP has DNA-binding properties
RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing (RIP-seq): To identify RNA molecules interacting with TCHP
Proximity ligation assays combined with sequencing: To identify protein interaction partners
Spatial transcriptomics with immunohistochemistry: To correlate TCHP protein localization with local gene expression
Study demonstrates how antibody-based techniques can be integrated with high-throughput sequencing in cancer research, offering a methodological framework that could be adapted for TCHP studies.
When encountering weak or inconsistent staining:
Optimize antigen retrieval: Test multiple methods (heat-induced vs. enzymatic) and conditions
Adjust antibody concentration: Perform titration experiments to identify optimal dilution
Modify incubation conditions: Test different incubation times and temperatures
Use signal amplification: Employ polymer-based detection systems or tyramide signal amplification
Evaluate sample quality: Assess fixation adequacy and tissue processing quality
Consider epitope accessibility: Determine if sample preparation affects the target epitope
Compare detection systems: Test different visualization methods for sensitivity
Each parameter should be systematically optimized while maintaining appropriate controls.
To distinguish specific from non-specific bands:
Positive control: Include samples with known TCHP expression
Blocking peptide competition: Pre-incubate antibody with immunizing peptide
Molecular weight verification: Confirm band appears at expected molecular weight
Knockout/knockdown validation: Compare with samples lacking TCHP expression
Alternative antibodies: Test antibodies recognizing different TCHP epitopes
Loading controls: Ensure equal protein loading across samples
Optimize blocking and washing: Reduce non-specific binding through protocol optimization
These approaches help ensure that observed bands truly represent TCHP rather than cross-reactive proteins.
For successful multiplex experiments:
Antibody compatibility: Ensure primary antibodies are from different host species
Fluorophore selection: Choose fluorophores with minimal spectral overlap
Sequential staining: Consider sequential rather than simultaneous staining when necessary
Cross-reactivity testing: Validate that secondary antibodies don't cross-react
Signal strength normalization: Balance signal intensities across channels
Controls: Include single-stain controls for accurate compensation
Image acquisition settings: Optimize acquisition parameters for each channel
Analysis approach: Develop quantification methods that account for potential bleed-through
Careful attention to these factors enables reliable co-localization studies involving TCHP and other proteins of interest.
Research examining immune responses to cancer treatments could benefit from TCHP antibody applications:
Investigation of TCHP expression patterns could be integrated with immune repertoire analysis, similar to approaches used in study , which examined "the relationship between trastuzumab, docetaxel, carboplatin, and pertuzumab (TCHP) treatment and immune repertoire as a treatment response" in breast cancer . This study analyzed T-cell receptor (TCR) and B-cell receptor (BCR) repertoires before and after TCHP treatment, finding significant changes in diversity, density, and clonal composition .
Researchers could:
Examine TCHP expression in relation to tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes
Correlate TCHP levels with changes in immune cell populations following treatment
Investigate potential associations between TCHP expression and immunotherapy response
Based on TCHP's reported biochemical activities , researchers should consider:
Cell cycle analysis: Combine TCHP immunofluorescence with cell cycle markers and flow cytometry
Live-cell imaging: Use fluorescently-tagged TCHP to monitor dynamics during cell division
Mitochondrial co-localization: Employ dual staining with mitochondrial markers
Functional assays: Measure metabolic parameters in cells with modified TCHP expression
Interaction proteomics: Identify TCHP binding partners using immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry
Structure-function analysis: Create domain mutants to map regions responsible for different activities
These approaches would help elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying TCHP's reported ability to inhibit cell growth and DNA synthesis in transformed cell lines .
| Analysis Approach | Applications | Technical Considerations |
|---|---|---|
| Deep learning segmentation | Automated identification of TCHP-positive cells | Requires large annotated training datasets |
| Spatial statistics | Quantifying TCHP distribution patterns | Needs careful normalization across samples |
| Multiplex co-localization | Relating TCHP to other markers | Requires spectral unmixing for overlapping signals |
| 3D reconstruction | Visualizing TCHP in tissue architecture | Demands consistent z-stack acquisition |
| Intensity quantification | Measuring TCHP expression levels | Requires standardized staining and imaging protocols |
Researchers should:
Establish reproducible image acquisition protocols
Implement rigorous normalization procedures
Develop automated analysis pipelines
Validate quantitative findings with orthogonal approaches
Correlate image-based measurements with functional outcomes
Such approaches would transform descriptive TCHP staining into quantitative data suitable for statistical analysis and correlation with clinical variables.