UGT2B10 antibodies are immunological reagents designed to bind specifically to UGT2B10 protein epitopes. They are employed in techniques such as immunohistochemistry (IHC), Western blotting, and immunoprecipitation (IP) to study enzyme localization, expression levels, and interactions. Antibodies vary in specificity, cross-reactivity, and experimental utility.
The ab225931 antibody (Abcam) is validated for IHC-P, enabling visualization of UGT2B10 in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues. For example:
Ovarian and cervical cancer tissues stained with ab225931 showed distinct UGT2B10 expression patterns, highlighting its role in xenobiotic metabolism in cancerous environments .
ab57685 (Abcam) and custom anti-UGT2B10-B11 antibodies are used to detect UGT2B10 in cell lysates or microsomes. For instance:
In human liver S9 fractions, ab57685 IP followed by mass spectrometry identified alternative spliced UGT2B10 variants (e.g., C-terminal truncations) and their impact on enzymatic activity .
LNCaP prostate cells treated with androgen agonists (e.g., R1881) showed increased UGT2B10/11 protein levels via Western blot, suggesting hormonal regulation of UGT2B10 expression .
Cycloheximide glucuronidation assays using UGT2B10-overexpressing HEK293/HepG2 cells confirmed the enzyme’s role in metabolizing drugs like amitriptyline and levomedetomidine .
UGT2B10 undergoes alternative splicing (AS), producing isoforms with novel C-terminal regions. These isoforms:
Modulate glucuronidation efficiency: Co-expression of AS variants in cell models repressed or activated UGT2B10 activity (40%–70% change, P < 0.01), depending on cell context .
Show proteasome-dependent turnover: AS proteins exhibit rapid degradation compared to the stable canonical UGT2B10, suggesting dynamic regulation of enzyme function .
UGT2B10 polymorphisms:
Prostate cancer: Androgen receptor activation (e.g., via R1881) upregulates UGT2B10/11 expression, potentially altering drug response in hormone-sensitive cancers .
Hepatocellular carcinoma: UGT2B10 AS transcripts are 3.5-fold higher in tumors than normal livers, correlating with canonical transcript levels .
| Antibody | Strengths | Limitations |
|---|---|---|
| ab225931 | High specificity for IHC-P; human-specific | Limited to paraffin-embedded tissues |
| ab57685 | Effective for IP and Western blot | Cross-reacts with UGT2B11/28 (minor) |
| Custom anti-UGT2B10-B11 | Detects UGT2B10/11 in dynamic systems | Limited commercial availability |
UGT2B10 is a detoxification enzyme specialized in N-linked glucuronidation of many drugs and xenobiotics. It belongs to the UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) superfamily, which catalyzes the glucuronidation of molecules containing nucleophilic functional groups. UGT2B10 is of major importance in the conjugation and subsequent elimination of potentially toxic xenobiotics and endogenous compounds .
Its preferred substrates possess tertiary aliphatic amines and heterocyclic amines, such as tobacco carcinogens and several antidepressants and antipsychotics . UGT2B10 exhibits higher affinity than UGT1A4 for numerous substrates, making it potentially the more important enzyme for metabolism of these compounds in vivo . The study of UGT2B10 is particularly relevant due to clinically significant polymorphisms that can lead to large exposure differences for UGT2B10 substrates, potentially limiting their developability as marketed drugs .
Based on the available information, researchers have access to several types of UGT2B10 antibodies:
Rabbit Polyclonal Antibodies: Such as ab225931, which is suitable for immunohistochemistry on paraffin-embedded tissues (IHC-P) and reacts with human samples. The immunogen corresponds to a recombinant fragment protein within Human UDP-glucuronosyltransferase 2B10 aa 1-300 .
In-house Produced Antibodies: Such as the rabbit polyclonal anti-UGT2B10 #1845, produced against GST-UGT2B11 (aa 60-140), which has been used for immunodetection of UGT2B10 in HepG2 and HEK293 cell models .
Commercial Monoclonal Antibodies: Such as the monoclonal anti-UGT2B10 antibody (ab57685; Abcam), which has been used for immunoprecipitation in human liver samples .
UGT2B10 antibodies have been validated for several research applications:
It's important to note that antibody cross-reactivity has been observed. Analysis revealed that antibody #1845 detects UGT2B10, UGT2B11, and less efficiently UGT2B28 .
Research has established that alternative splicing (AS) constitutes a means to regulate steady-state levels of UGT2B10 and enzyme activity. To study alternative transcript expression:
First, establish the transcriptome of UGT2B10 in your tissue of interest. In normal liver tissue, 10 AS transcripts represented 50% of the UGT2B10 transcriptome .
Use reverse-transcription PCR analysis of UGT2B10 transcripts to identify specific variants. Design primers to target regions of interest, particularly those involving novel exonic sequences .
For protein-level detection of alternative variants:
Generate expression vectors from UGT2B10_v1 constructs using site-directed mutagenesis
Create tagged versions (e.g., V5-his tag) for immunoprecipitation studies
Express these constructs in UGT-negative (HEK293) or UGT-positive (HepG2) cell lines
Use Western blotting with specific antibodies to detect expression levels
For quantitative analysis of alternative splicing, consider MS-coupled multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) approaches to detect peptides unique to alternative UGT2B10 variants .
UGT2B10 exhibits clinically relevant polymorphisms, including a null activity splice site mutation common in African populations. To study these polymorphisms:
Identify individuals with relevant polymorphisms through genotyping.
Utilize human liver microsomes (HLM) from phenotypically poor metabolizer donors as a model system. The activity difference between pooled HLM and HLM from a phenotypically UGT2B10 poor metabolizer donor can be exploited to identify UGT2B10-selective substrates .
Perform comparative immunoblotting between normal and polymorphic samples to assess protein expression levels.
Conduct immunoprecipitation followed by mass spectrometry to confirm the presence of specific UGT2B10 variants.
Apply glucuronidation assays with specific substrates to functionally characterize the impact of polymorphisms on enzymatic activity.
This approach has been successful in identifying compounds like dothiepin, cidoxepin, cyclobenzaprine, azatadine, cyproheptadine, bifonazole, and asenapine as selective UGT2B10 substrates .
UGT2B10 antibodies are valuable tools in drug development for identifying compounds that might be significantly affected by UGT2B10 polymorphisms:
These approaches provide rapid and sensitive ways to evaluate whether a potential drug candidate cleared via glucuronidation will be sensitive to UGT2B10 polymorphisms in vivo .
For optimal immunohistochemistry results with UGT2B10 antibodies:
Sample Preparation:
Use paraffin-embedded tissue sections
Perform appropriate antigen retrieval methods
Ensure tissues are properly fixed
Antibody Selection and Dilution:
Detection System:
Use an appropriate secondary antibody and detection system compatible with rabbit IgG
Include positive controls (such as human ovarian or cervical cancer tissues)
Include negative controls (primary antibody omitted)
Interpretation:
Evaluate staining specificity by examining subcellular localization
UGT2B10 is typically localized to the endoplasmic reticulum
For effective immunoprecipitation of UGT2B10:
Sample Preparation:
Immunoprecipitation:
Washing and Analysis:
To determine UGT2B10 protein half-life:
Treatment:
Sample Collection:
Wash cells in phosphate-buffered saline
Collect cells and lyse by scraping in lysis buffer
Protein Analysis:
Perform immunoblotting using anti-UGT2B10 antibodies (such as #1845)
Quantify protein levels by densitometry at each time point
Plot protein levels versus time on a semi-logarithmic scale
Calculate half-life from the slope of the resulting line
Validation:
Perform duplicate experiments to ensure reproducibility
Collect RNA samples to verify that protein degradation (rather than transcriptional changes) is being measured
Analysis has revealed that some antibodies, such as #1845, detect not only UGT2B10 but also UGT2B11 and less efficiently UGT2B28 . To address cross-reactivity:
Specificity Testing:
Test antibodies against recombinant UGT isoforms to identify cross-reactivity
Use control samples from UGT2B10-knockout systems or cells not expressing UGT2B10
Optimization Strategies:
Adjust antibody concentration to minimize non-specific binding
Modify blocking conditions to reduce background
Consider pre-adsorption with recombinant proteins of cross-reactive UGTs
Alternative Approaches:
Use mass spectrometry-based detection methods for definitive identification
Employ peptide-specific antibodies targeting unique regions of UGT2B10
Consider RNA-based detection methods (qPCR) in parallel for confirmation
To validate UGT2B10 antibody specificity:
Cell and Tissue Models:
Compare antibody reactivity in UGT-negative cells (such as HEK293) versus those expressing UGT2B10
Test antibody in tissues known to express high (liver) versus low levels of UGT2B10
Use siRNA knockdown of UGT2B10 to confirm specificity
Molecular Approaches:
Comparative Analysis:
Test multiple antibodies against the same target
Compare reactivity patterns across different detection methods
Distinguishing between closely related UGT isoforms is challenging but can be achieved through:
Epitope Selection:
Use antibodies raised against unique regions of UGT2B10 that differ from other UGT isoforms
Target non-conserved regions, particularly in the C-terminal domain
Detection Methods:
Functional Validation:
Comparative Expression Analysis:
UGT2B10 antibodies have been applied in cancer research in several ways:
Expression Analysis:
Hepatocellular Carcinoma Studies:
Drug Metabolism Research:
UGT2B10 is involved in the metabolism of several drugs used in cancer treatment
Antibodies help in assessing expression levels and potential impact on therapeutic outcomes
When studying UGT2B10 in drug metabolism:
Enzyme Source Selection:
Substrate Selection and Assay Conditions:
Select appropriate substrates known to be metabolized by UGT2B10
For enzymatic assays in intact cells (in situ assays), both HEK293 (UGT negative) and HepG2 (UGT positive) cell models can be used
Use appropriate substrate concentrations (e.g., amitriptyline at 7.5 and 150 μM; levomedetomidine at 7.5 and 75 μM)
Detection Methods:
Experimental Controls: