Is able to inhibit all four classes of proteinases by a unique 'trapping' mechanism. This protein has a peptide stretch, called the 'bait region' which contains specific cleavage sites for different proteinases. When a proteinase cleaves the bait region, a conformational change is induced in the protein which traps the proteinase. The entrapped enzyme remains active against low molecular weight substrates (activity against high molecular weight substrates is greatly reduced). Following cleavage in the bait region, a thioester bond is hydrolyzed and mediates the covalent binding of the protein to the proteinase.
Background References
1. Sottrup-Jensen L et al. Primary structure of human alpha 2-macroglobulin. V. The complete structure. J Biol Chem 259:8318-8327 (1984).
2. Liu T et al. Human plasma N-glycoproteome analysis by immunoaffinity subtraction, hydrazide chemistry, and mass spectrometry. J Proteome Res 4:2070-2080 (2005).
Sequence Similarity
Belongs to the protease inhibitor I39 (alpha-2-macroglobulin) family.
ICC staining Alpha-2-macroglobulin in H22 cells (green). Formalin fixed cells were permeabilized with 0.1% Triton X-100 in TBS for 10 minutes at room temperature and blocked with 1% Blocker BSA for 15 minutes at room temperature. Cells were probed with Alpha-2-macroglobulin monoclonal antibody at a dilution of 1:50 for at least 1 hour at room temperature, washed with PBS. Alexa Fluorc™ 488 Goat anti-Mouse IgG was used as the secondary antibody at 1/100 dilution. The nuclear counter stain is DAPI (blue).
Immunohistochemical analysis of paraffin-embedded rat uterus tissue using anti-Alpha-2-macroglobulin antibody. The section was pre-treated using heat mediated antigen retrieval with sodium citrate buffer (pH 6.0) (high pressure) for 2 minutes. The tissues were blocked in 5% BSA for 30 minutes at room temperature, washed with ddH2O and PBS, and then probed with the antibody (M1510-23) at 1/50 dilution, for 30 minutes at room temperature and detected using an HRP conjugated compact polymer system. DAB was used as the chrogen. Counter stained with hematoxylin and mounted with DPX.
Immunohistochemical analysis of paraffin-embedded mouse liver tissue using anti-Alpha-2-macroglobulin antibody. The section was pre-treated using heat mediated antigen retrieval with sodium citrate buffer (pH 6.0) (high pressure) for 2 minutes. The tissues were blocked in 5% BSA for 30 minutes at room temperature, washed with ddH2O and PBS, and then probed with the antibody (M1510-23) at 1/50 dilution, for 30 minutes at room temperature and detected using an HRP conjugated compact polymer system. DAB was used as the chrogen. Counter stained with hematoxylin and mounted with DPX.
Immunohistochemical analysis of paraffin-embedded human liver tissue with Mouse anti-Alpha-2-macroglobulin antibody (M1510-23) at 1/200 dilution.
The section was pre-treated using heat mediated antigen retrieval with Tris-EDTA buffer (pH 9.0) for 20 minutes. The tissues were blocked in 1% BSA for 20 minutes at room temperature, washed with ddH2O and PBS, and then probed with the primary antibody (M1510-23) at 1/200 dilution for 1 hour at room temperature. The detection was performed using an HRP conjugated compact polymer system. DAB was used as the chromogen. Tissues were counterstained with hematoxylin and mounted with DPX.
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