Each antibody in the IRAK Isoform Antibody Sampler Kit detects endogenous levels of its indicated target. Cross-reactivity has not been detected with other family members at endogenous levels.
Source / Purification
Antibodies are produced by immunizing animals with a synthetic peptide corresponding to residues near the carboxy-terminus of murine IRAK1, human IRAK2, human IRAK-M, and surrounding Lys41 of human IRAK4.
Description
The IRAK Isoform Antibody Sampler Kit provides an economical means to examine total protein levels of the four Interleukin-1 Receptor Associated Kinase family members: IRAK1, IRAK2, IRAK3/IRAK-M, and IRAK4.
Background
Interleukin-1 (IL-1) receptor-associated kinase (IRAK) is a serine/threonine-specific kinase that can be coprecipitated in an IL-1-inducible manner with the IL-1 receptor (1). The mammalian family of IRAK molecules contains four members (IRAK1, IRAK2, IRAK3/IRAK-M and IRAK4). The binding of IL-1 to IL-1 receptor type I (IL-1RI) initiates the formation of a complex that includes IL-1RI, AcP, MyD88 and IRAKs (2). IRAK undergoes autophosphorylation shortly after IL-1 stimulation. The subsequent events involve IRAK dissociation from the IL-1RI complex, its ubiquitination and its association with two membrane-bound proteins: TAB2 and TRAF6. The resulting IRAK-TRAF6-TAB2 complex is then released into the cytoplasm and activates protein kinase cascades, which include TAK1, IKKs and the stress-activated kinases (3).Upon IL-1R/TLR (Toll-Like Receptor) ligation, IRAK1 and IRAK4 are rapidly recruited to the receptor by the adaptor MyD88 (4). IRAK1 is phosphorylated by IRAK4 at Thr209 and Thr387 (5), followed by sequential autohyperphosphorylation in various domains. Unlike IRAK1 and IRAK4, IRAK2 and IRAK-M do not have significant kinase activity although they can still activate NF-κB when overexpressed (6,7). Antisense oligonucleotide depletion of IRAK2 can inhibit IL-1 mediated NF-κB activation (8). Expression of IRAK-M is more restricted compared to other family members with highest levels of expression occurring in monocytes/macrophages (6). Studies from IRAK-M knockout mice suggest that it may play a role as a negative regulator of TLR signaling and innate immune responses by preventing the dissociation of IRAK1 and IRAK4 from MyD88 and the subsequent formation of its complex with TRAF6 (9).