Nonradioactive p38 MAP Kinase Assay Kit provides all the reagents necessary to measure p38 MAP kinase activity in cells. First, Immobilized Phospho-p38 MAPK (Thr180/Tyr182) mAb is used to immunoprecipitate p38 MAP kinase, then an in vitro kinase assay is performed using ATF-2 as a substrate. ATF-2 phosphorylation is detected by Western blotting using Phospho-ATF-2 (Thr71) Antibody.
Applications
Immobilized Phospho-p38 MAP Kinase (Thr180/Tyr182) AntibodyMonoclonal antibody is produced by immunizing mice with a synthetic phospho-peptide (KLH-coupled) corresponding to residues around Thr180/Tyr182 of human p38 MAP Kinase. The phospho-p38 MAP Kinase (Thr180/Tyr182) mAb was immobilized by crosslinking to agarose hydrazide beads via carbohydrate linkages and are supplied in 1X cell lysis buffer and 50% Glycerol. Store at -20oC. Do not aliquot the immobilized antibody.
Background
p38 MAP kinase (MAPK), also called RK (1) or CSBP (2), is the mammalian orthologue of the yeast HOG kinase that participates in a signaling cascade controlling cellular responses to cytokines and stress (1-4). Four isoforms of p38 MAP kinase, p38α, β, γ (also known as Erk6 or SAPK3), and δ (also known as SAPK4) have been identified. Similar to the SAPK/JNK pathway, p38 MAP kinase is activated by a variety of cellular stresses including osmotic shock, inflammatory cytokines, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), UV light, and growth factors (1-5). MKK3, MKK6, and SEK activate p38 MAP kinase by phosphorylation at Thr180 and Tyr182. Activated p38 MAP kinase has been shown to phosphorylate and activate MAPKAP kinase 2 (3) and to phosphorylate the transcription factors ATF-2 (5), Max (6), and MEF2 (5-8). SB203580 (4-(4-fluorophenyl)-2-(4-methylsulfinylphenyl)-5-(4-pyridyl)-imidazole) is a selective inhibitor of p38 MAPK. This compound inhibits the activation of MAPKAPK-2 by p38 MAPK and subsequent phosphorylation of HSP27 (9). SB203580 inhibits p38 MAPK catalytic activity by binding to the ATP binding pocket, but does not inhibit phosphorylation of p38 MAPK by upstream kinases (10).