Human Lipocalin-2/NGAL/LCN2 Recombinant Protein (85-929)

Background:

Lipocalin-2, also known as Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin (NGAL), was originally identified as a component of neutrophil granules . It is a 25 kDa protein existing in monomeric and homo- and heterodimeric forms, the latter as a dimer with human neutrophil gelatinases (MMP-9) . Its expression has been observed in most tissues normally exposed to microorganism, and its synthesis is induced in epithelial cells during inflammation . Lipocalin-2 has been implicated in a variety of processes including cell differentiation, tumorigenesis, and apoptosis . Studies indicate that Lipocalin-2 binds a bacterial catecholate sidropore bound to ferric ion such as enterobactin with a subnanomolar dissociation constant . The bound ferric enterobactin complex breaks down slowly in a month into dihydroxybenzoyl serine and dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHBA). It also binds to a ferric DHBA complex with much less Kd values (7.9 nM) . Secretion of Lipocalin-2 in immune cells increases by stimulation of Toll-like receptor as an acute phase response to infection. As a result, it acts as a potent bacteriostatic reagent by sequestering iron . Moreover, Lipocalin-2 can alter the invasive and metastatic behavior of Ras-transformed breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo by reversing epithelial to mesenchymal transition inducing activity of Ras, through restoration of E-cadherin expression, via effects on the Ras-MAPK signaling pathway .