Immunogen

synthetic peptide corresponding to amino acids 1126-1144 of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) of mouse macrophage origin (iNOS, also termed macNOS) conjugated to KLH. The immunogen sequence is highly conserved in rat iNOS and diverges from the human iNOS.

General description

Nitric Oxide Synthases (NOS) are enzymes involved in the synthesis of nitric oxide (NO), a messenger molecule generated under physiological conditions by virtually all mammalian cells. NO is formed from oxidation of L-arginine by NOS, releasing NO and L-citrulline. NO mediates diverse functions including vasodilation, synaptic neurotransmission, and cytotoxicity. NO participates in signal transduction pathways by activating soluble guanylate cyclase. At least three distinct isoforms of NOS have been described which are the products of different mammalian genes. The NOS isoform characterized in macrophages is a 130 kDa protein, also known as macrophage NOS (macNOS; mNOS), NOS2, or inducible NOS (iNOS). Inducible NOS is Ca²⁺ independent and is expressed in cytokine-activated macrophages and microglial cells in response to bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation. iNOS not only occurs in macrophages but in several other cell types including hepatocytes, chondrocytes, endothelial cells and fibroblasts.

Physical form

Solution in 0.01 M phosphate buffered saline, pH 7.4, containing 15 mM sodium azide.

Specificity

Anti-Nitric Oxide Synthase, Inducible is specific for nitric oxide synthase (NOS), derived from activated mouse macrophage RAW 264.7 cells (iNOS, 130 kDa), but does not recognize NOS derived from brain tissue (bNOS) and endothelial cells (eNOS). By immunoblotting of an activated mouse macrophage RAW 264.7 cells extract, the staining of the iNOS band is specifically inhibited by the immunizing peptide.

Application

Rabbit polyclonal anti-Nitric Oxide Synthase is used to tag inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) molecule for detection and quantitation by immunocytochemical and immunohistochemical (IHC) techniques such as immunoblotting. It is used as a probe to determine the presence and roles of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in a variety of cell signaling pathways via activation of enzymes such as guanylate cyclase.