Polyclonal Antibody to AIMP2

Background
AIMP2, short for aminoacyl tRNAse synthetase complex –interacting multifunctional protein 2, is also called JTV1 and first identified as the p38 component of the macromolecular complex of tRNA synthetases (1).  Along with AIMP1 and AIMP3, AIMP2 forms a trio of auxiliary proteins bound to the aminoacyl tRNase synthetase complex.  AIMP1 has already been identified as a pleiotropic cytokine that enhances TLR1, TLR2, TLR3 and TLR7 expression in BM-DCs.  AIMP1 also enhances DC production of IL-6 and IL-12 and increases NF-kB activity (2).  AIMP2 appears to enhance TNFa induced apoptosis via degradation of TRAF2 (3).   It also counters proliferative effects of TGFb imparted by down regulation of c-Myc (3).  Reduction of AIMP2 levels in AIMP2 heterozygous or homozygous mice led to higher susceptibility to tumor growth.  AIMP2 levels being inversely proportion to the apoptotic process, proliferation and tumorigenesis, implicate AIMP2 as a tumor suppressor.  Taken together with the finding that AIMP1 and AIMP3 mutations or allelic deletions are reported in cancer patients (4) (and perhaps similarly AIMP2 as well) bolster the concept of AIMP2 as a potential target for its enhanced expression in development of anti-cancer reagents.

Antigen
A portion of amino acids 140-190 from human AIMP2 was used as the immunogen for this antibody.

Application Notes
The amino acid sequence used as immunogen for this antibody is 100% homologous in human, crab-eating macaque, rhesus monkey, white-cheeked gibbon, chimpanzee, and orangutan, and 94% homologous in new world monkey.

Genebank Info (Protein)
NP_006294.2

Reference
1. Choi, JW et al 2009.  AIMP2 promotes TNFa-dependent apoptosis via ubiquitin –mediated degradation of TRAF2.  J. Cell Science 122: 27710-2715.
2. Kim, E et al 2011.  Enhancement of Toll-like receptor 2 mediates immune responses by AIMP1, a novel cytokine in mouse dendritic cells. Immunology 134: 73-81.
3. Choi, JW et al 2009.  Multi-directional tumor-suppressive activity of AIMP2/p38 heterozygous mice to carcinogenesis.
4. Kim, MJ et al 2003.  Downregualtion of FUSE-binding protein and c-Myc b tRNA synthetase cofactor p38 is required for lung cell differentiation. Nat Genet. 34: 330-336.
5. Kim, KJ et al 2008. Determination of three-dimensional structure and residues of the novel tumor suppressor AIMP3/p18 required for the interaction with ATM.  J. Biol. Chem 283: 14032-14040.