Monoclonal Antibodies to Esophageal Cancer–Related Gene2 Protein

Abstract

Esophageal cancer related gene2 (ECRG2) acts as a bi-functional gene associated with regulation of cell growth and death, and plays an important role in carcinogenesis of esophageal cancer. RT-PCR and Northern blot data showed that ECRG2 was expressed in normal esophagus, liver, colon, and lung tissues, but lost or greatly down-regulated in the adjacent and cancerous tissues, especially in esophageal cancer. However, studies of protein have been hampered by the lack of a sensitive and specific antibody. Here, we generated anti-ECRG2 monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) by using c-terminal of ECRG2 peptide as immunogen. Antibodies 8C9c53, 5E3c9, and 3C5c76, are suitable for detecting the ECRG2 on ELISA and Western blot assays, and 1E4c2 and 4B6c41 are suitable for immunofluorescence microscopy. The study also provides novel data about ECRG2 protein expression in the cytoplasm and the possibility of post-translation modification in mammalian cells. Based on these findings, it may be expected that anti-ECRG2 monoclonal antibodies will be valuable tools for research and diagnosis.