LC3B, also known as microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 beta (MAP1LC3B), is an autophagy gene that contributes appreciably to protein degradation. Autophagy is a highly synchronized and dynamic catabolic degradation activity that plays an essential role in cellular maintenance, development, antigen presentation and cell death. Aberrations in autophagy have been the underlying mechanisms for neurodegenerative, muscular diseases and are also prominent in hepatic inflammation and cancer. Increased LC3B levels have been reported in mitochondria of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) after oxidative damage as detected by anti-LC3B antibodies in immunoblots, suggesting that it could be an adaptive mechanism of the mitochondria against oxidative stress (1).
IF analysis of LC3B in treated U373-MG cells.
More recently, LC3B has demonstrated therapeutic target potential in hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension as hypoxia stimulates autophagy by the up regulation of LC3B as detected by anti-LC3B antibodies, which might in turn contribute to the anti-proliferative effects of the pulmonary artery endothelial cells in the experimental animal model (2). Based on the data available in literature, LC3B is evidently an interesting target that needs to be further researched by the investigators to fully understand its therapeutic potential in various disorders.
Novus Biologicals in the fore front specializing in latest range of LC3B reagents, including:
