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PCNA Antibodies: Marking Cell Proliferation & DNA Replication

Fri, 07/06/2012 - 09:35


Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen (PCNA), also known as the polymerase delta auxiliary protein, is a nuclear protein essential for DNA replication as well as DNA excision and mismatch repair pathways. It has a large role in cell cycle regulation and response of cells to stress. Studies with PCNA antibodies have determined its mechanism of action to be direct binding of downstream signaling molecules such as CDK inhibitor p21, the endonucleases FEN1 and XPG, and DNA cytosine 5-methyltransferase (DNMT1).

Immunohistochemistry: PCNA Antibody

Due to the specific regulated synthesis of PCNA in only the late G1 and S phases of the cell cycle, PCNA antibodies are extremely useful tools as markers of cellular proliferation in both normal and cancerous tissue and cells (1). More importantly, PCNA holds huge promise as a prognostic marker for a wide range of a cancer types. Schramm, et. al. used PCNA antibodies in immunohistochemical and microarray studies to identify PCNA and survivin as the top two candidates to be pursued as a melanoma-specific biomarker from out of a large panel of 254 outcome-related genes (2).  Other ongoing studies and multi-functional reviews using PCNA antibodies suggests PCNA could also be exploited for use in mesotheliomas and bladder cancers (3,4).

  1. PMID: 1680784
  2. PMID: 21659462
  3. PMID: 22198210
  4. PMID: 21771101

Novus Biologicals offers PCNA reagents for your research needs including:


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