Programmed Cell Death Protein 4 (C-term) Blocking Peptide

Programmed cell death protein 4 (PDCD4) levels are elevated during apoptosis and absent in many cancer samples.{16340,16167} Loss of PDCD4 expression is an important event in cancer cell progression whereas the restoration of PDCD4 protein can lower metalloproteinase activity and possible metastasis.{16167,16166} The known isoforms of PDCD4 differ only at the N-termini with isoform 1 comprised of 468 amino acids and isoform 2 comprised of 458 amino acids. Each isoform contains two MA-3 domains essential for PDCD4 binding eIF4A and thereby suppression of cell cycle regulation and growth factor production.{16166,16167,16345} This antibody is capable of detecting both PDCD4 isoforms. Additional protein modifications are possible and can explain the range of masses detected by the immunoblotting (52-64 kDa).{16340} The molecular mechanisms of PDCD4 influence on tumor suppression are becoming known but warrant further research.{16166,16168,16167}