TNFAIP8L2 (Tumor necrosis factor alpha-induced protein 8-like protein 2), also known as TIPE2, serves as a critical negative regulator of innate and adaptive immunity that plays a fundamental role in maintaining immune homeostasis . This 184 amino acid protein is preferentially expressed in myeloid cell types, with highest expression in spleen, thymus, small intestine, and lymph node, and lower levels in colon, lung, and skin . TNFAIP8L2 functions as a molecular "brake" for immunometabolism, with expression that drastically decreases in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated macrophages .
Research has demonstrated that TNFAIP8L2 deficiency leads to heightened expression of genes enriched for leukocyte activation and lipid biosynthesis pathways, while also affecting mitochondrial respiration rates in macrophages . The protein's unique anti-inflammatory and metabolic-modulatory functions make it a promising therapeutic target for cardiovascular diseases and cancer research .
The biotin-conjugated TNFAIP8L2 polyclonal antibody demonstrates versatility across multiple research applications:
Western Blotting (WB): Effective at dilution ranges of 1:300-5000
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA): Optimal at dilutions of 1:500-1000
Immunohistochemistry on paraffin-embedded tissues (IHC-P): Recommended at 1:200-400 dilutions
Immunohistochemistry on frozen tissues (IHC-F): Best results at 1:100-500 dilutions
The biotin conjugation provides significant advantages through compatibility with streptavidin-based detection systems, offering enhanced sensitivity and signal amplification compared to conventional antibody detection methods. This facilitates both chromogenic and fluorescent visualization techniques depending on the experimental requirements.
For maximum stability and performance of the biotin-conjugated TNFAIP8L2 antibody:
Store the antibody at -20°C for long-term preservation (up to 12 months)
The provided storage buffer contains 0.01M TBS (pH 7.4) with 1% BSA, 0.02% Proclin300, and 50% Glycerol, which protects antibody integrity during freeze-thaw cycles
For working solutions, maintain at 4°C for short-term use (up to one week)
Minimize repeated freeze-thaw cycles which can degrade antibody performance
Centrifuge briefly before opening to collect solution at the bottom of the vial
Designing appropriate controls is critical when working with TNFAIP8L2 antibody:
Positive tissue controls:
Negative controls:
Time-course considerations:
Antibody controls:
When encountering conflicting results in TNFAIP8L2 autophagy studies, consider these methodological approaches:
Context-dependent molecular interactions:
TNFAIP8L2 competes with MTOR for binding to the GTP-bound state of RAC1, negatively regulating MTORC1 activity
Despite MTOR suppression, TNFAIP8L2 overexpression fails to induce autophagy flux under glutamine and serum starvation conditions
Validate both MTOR inhibition (via phospho-S6K/4E-BP1) and autophagy markers (LC3-II, p62) simultaneously
Expression level considerations:
Temporal dynamics analysis:
TNFAIP8L2 specifically impairs autophagic lysosome reformation (ALR) during prolonged starvation rather than initial autophagosome formation
Design time-course experiments that distinguish between early autophagy induction and late-stage ALR processes
Monitor dynamic changes in both MTOR signaling and autophagic flux markers
Structural and functional mutation studies:
For optimal Western blot detection of TNFAIP8L2 in primary immune cells:
Sample preparation:
Gel electrophoresis parameters:
Use 12-15% SDS-PAGE gels for optimal resolution of TNFAIP8L2 (~21 kDa)
Load 20-40 μg of total protein per lane from primary cell lysates
Include molecular weight markers that clearly indicate the 20-25 kDa range
Transfer and detection optimization:
Transfer to PVDF membrane at 100V for 60-90 minutes in cold transfer buffer
Block with 5% BSA in TBST for 1 hour at room temperature
Incubate with biotin-conjugated TNFAIP8L2 antibody at 1:1000 dilution overnight at 4°C
Detect using streptavidin-HRP at 1:5000 for 1 hour at room temperature
Signal development:
TNFAIP8L2 exhibits complex regulatory functions in the RAC1-MTORC1 signaling pathway:
Competitive binding mechanism:
TNFAIP8L2 directly binds to and blocks RAC1 GTPase activity, particularly interacting with GTP-bound RAC1
TNFAIP8L2 competes with MTOR for binding to RAC1, progressively abrogating RAC1-MTOR association in a dose-dependent manner
The TNFAIP8L2 K15,16Q mutation decreases its binding ability with RAC1, promoting RAC1-MTOR interaction when expressed
Effect on MTORC1 activity:
Autophagy regulation:
Inflammatory response modulation:
To effectively investigate TNFAIP8L2's impact on immune cell metabolism:
Mitochondrial respiration analysis:
Utilize Seahorse metabolic analyzer to measure oxygen consumption rate (OCR) in cells with varied TNFAIP8L2 expression
Compare basal respiration, ATP production, maximal respiratory capacity, and spare respiratory capacity
Research has demonstrated increased mitochondrial respiration rates in TNFAIP8L2-deficient macrophages
Gene expression profiling approaches:
Perform microarray or RNA-seq analysis of cells with TNFAIP8L2 knockout or overexpression
Focus on genes enriched in leukocyte activation and lipid biosynthesis pathways
Use Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) to identify affected pathways (e.g., "interferon signaling" and "cholesterol biosynthesis")
Lipid metabolism assessment:
Measure cellular lipid content using fluorescent lipid dyes or mass spectrometry
Analyze expression of lipid biosynthesis enzymes via qPCR and Western blotting
Compare results between wild-type and TNFAIP8L2-deficient cells, with and without inflammatory stimulation
Inflammation-metabolism intersection:
Design experiments that simultaneously track inflammatory responses and metabolic parameters
Include time course studies that capture the dynamic relationship between these processes
Correlate TNFAIP8L2 expression levels with both immune activation markers and metabolic readouts
For robust investigation of TNFAIP8L2 in inflammatory disease contexts:
In vivo disease model approaches:
Cell-specific expression analysis:
Molecular intervention strategies:
Test therapeutic approaches that target the RAC1-MTORC1-TNFAIP8L2 axis
Monitor changes in both inflammatory parameters and metabolic readouts
Investigate whether restoring normal TNFAIP8L2 expression or function ameliorates disease
Translation to human disease:
For successful immunoprecipitation with biotin-conjugated TNFAIP8L2 antibody:
Capture system optimization:
The biotin conjugation enables direct pull-down using streptavidin-coated beads
Use 2-5 μg antibody per 500 μg-1 mg of total protein lysate
Pre-clear lysates with unconjugated beads to reduce non-specific binding
Buffer considerations:
Use mild lysis buffers (e.g., NP-40 or CHAPS-based) to preserve protein-protein interactions
Include protease and phosphatase inhibitors to prevent degradation
For detecting RAC1-TNFAIP8L2 interactions, supplement buffer with GTP or non-hydrolyzable GTP analogs
Experimental controls:
Detection strategies:
To resolve common issues in IHC applications:
Antigen retrieval optimization:
Test multiple retrieval methods (citrate buffer pH 6.0, EDTA buffer pH 9.0)
For TNFAIP8L2, heat-induced epitope retrieval with citrate buffer is typically effective
Extend retrieval time (15-30 minutes) or increase temperature if signal is weak
Antibody concentration and incubation:
Detection system enhancement:
Use streptavidin-HRP polymer systems for signal amplification
Consider biotin blocking when working with tissues that have endogenous biotin
For fluorescent detection, use streptavidin conjugated to bright, photostable fluorophores
Tissue-specific considerations:
For effective flow cytometry applications:
Cell preparation:
For intracellular staining, use a gentle fixation protocol (2% paraformaldehyde for 10-15 minutes)
Permeabilize with 0.1% saponin or a commercial permeabilization buffer
Maintain cells at 4°C throughout the staining procedure to minimize antibody internalization
Staining protocol:
Block Fc receptors before antibody addition to reduce background
Use the biotin-conjugated TNFAIP8L2 antibody at 1:50-200 dilution
Counterstain with streptavidin conjugated to bright fluorophores (PE, APC, or their tandems)
Gating strategy design:
Controls and validation:
To discover new TNFAIP8L2 protein interactions:
Proximity labeling techniques:
Co-immunoprecipitation with MS analysis:
Use biotin-conjugated TNFAIP8L2 antibody to immunoprecipitate protein complexes
Analyze by mass spectrometry to identify binding partners
Validate key interactions by reverse co-IP and functional assays
Compare interactomes between resting and activated cells
Yeast two-hybrid screening:
Structure-function analysis:
For therapeutic targeting approaches:
Small molecule inhibitor development:
Focus on the RAC1-binding interface of TNFAIP8L2
Screen compound libraries for molecules that disrupt or enhance this interaction
Validate hits using interaction assays and functional readouts
Test promising compounds in inflammatory disease models
Peptide-based strategies:
Design peptides that mimic critical binding domains
These peptides could compete with endogenous interactions
Modify for stability and cell penetration
Evaluate effects on RAC1-MTORC1 signaling and inflammatory responses
Gene expression modulation:
Develop methods to normalize TNFAIP8L2 expression in disease states
For conditions with excessive inflammation, upregulate TNFAIP8L2
For immune suppression scenarios, consider TNFAIP8L2 inhibition
Validate approaches in appropriate disease models
Combination therapy design:
Test TNFAIP8L2-targeting strategies alongside established treatments
For inflammatory conditions, combine with existing anti-inflammatory drugs
For metabolic disorders, pair with metabolic modulators
The dual immunological and metabolic roles of TNFAIP8L2 make it a promising target for complex diseases