The USP9X antibody targets the ubiquitin-specific protease 9X (USP9X), a deubiquitinating enzyme belonging to the USP family. USP9X regulates protein stability, localization, and activity by removing ubiquitin chains from substrate proteins, thereby modulating key cellular processes such as apoptosis, cell migration, and differentiation. It interacts with diverse signaling pathways, including Wnt, Notch, and TGF-β, and is implicated in cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, and developmental biology.
In research, USP9X antibodies are widely used to study its expression patterns, subcellular localization, and interactions with proteins like SMURF1. β-catenin, or FAS-associated factor 2 (FAF2). USP9X's role in cancer is context-dependent; it can act as an oncogene by stabilizing pro-survival proteins (e.g., MCL1) or as a tumor suppressor by promoting degradation of oncoproteins. In neurobiology, USP9X maintains neuronal health by regulating synaptic proteins and is linked to intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorders when mutated.
USP9X antibodies are also employed in developmental studies, given its role in stem cell maintenance and embryogenesis. Commercial USP9X antibodies vary in specificity, often validated via knockout cell lines or siRNA knockdown. Applications include Western blotting, immunofluorescence, and co-immunoprecipitation, aiding mechanistic insights into USP9X-associated diseases and therapies.