Invitrogen™ CD326 (EpCAM) Monoclonal Antibody (G8.8), PE-eFluor™ 610, eBioscience™, Invitrogen™

Description

The G8.8 MAb reacts with the 40 kDa protein mouse EpCAM (epithelial cellular adhesion molecule), also known as EGP40 (epithelial glycoprotein 40), 17-1A antigen, TACSTD1 (tumor-associated calcium signal transducer 1), and CD326. The immunogen used to generate the G8.8 antibody was the TE-71 thymic epithelial cell line. CD326 is expressed on the majority of epithelial cells, and is considered a pan-carcinoma antigen. CD326 mediates calcium-independent, homophilic, cell-cell adhesion and may function as a growth factor receptor. The antigen is being used as a target for immunotherapy treatment of human carcinomas. CD326 binds LAIR-1 (CD305) and LAIR-2 (CD306) to inhibit cellular activation and inflammation. This epithelial glycoprotein is now recognized as having an important role in tumor biology.

Ep-CAM (epithelial adhesion molecule, epithelial specific antigen, ESA) is a transmembrane glycoprotein expressed in the epithelium with a molecular weight of approximately 40 kDa, which functions as an epithelial cell adhesion molecule. Ep-CAM functions as a homotypic calcium-independent cell adhesion molecule, and has a direct impact on cell cycle, proliferation and metabolism of epithelial cells and fibroblasts due to its ability to rapidly induce the proto-oncogene c-myc and the cell cycle regulating genes cyclin A and E. Ep-CAM mediates Ca2+-independent homotypic interactions. Formation of Ep-CAM-mediated adhesions have a negative regulatory effect on adhesions mediated by classic cadherins, which may have strong effects on the differentiation and growth of epithelial cells. Ep-CAM overexpression was suggested to be associated with enhanced epithelial proliferation. Ep-CAM is highly expressed in human carcinomas, and is a marker for tumors of epithelial lineage. Ep-CAM is expressed on baso-lateral cell surface in most simple epithelia and many carcinoma types. Also, Ep-CAM reportedly distinguishes adenocarcinomas from pleural mesotheliomas.