Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 19, 2026

Characterization of Multi-subunit Protein Complexes of Human MxA Using Non-denaturing Polyacrylamide Gel-electrophoresis
Published on: October 28, 2016
Acute phase proteins are major clients for the chaperone action of α₂-macroglobulin in human plasma
Amy R Wyatt1, Nathan W Zammit, Mark R Wilson
1Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
Abstract:
Extracellular protein misfolding is implicated in many age-related diseases including Alzheimer's disease, macular degeneration and arthritis. In this study, putative endogenous clients for the chaperone activity of α₂-macroglobulin (α₂M) were identified after human plasma was subjected to physiologically relevant sheer stress at 37 °C for 10 days. Western blot analysis showed that four major acute phase proteins: ceruloplasmin, fibrinogen, α₁-acid glycoprotein and complement component 3, preferentially co-purified with α₂M after plasma was stressed. Furthermore, the formation of complexes between α₂M and these putative chaperone clients, detected by sandwich ELISA, was shown to be enhanced in response to stress. These results support the hypothesis that α₂M plays an important role in extracellular proteostasis by sequestering misfolded proteins and targeting them for disposal, particularly during acute phase reactions.
Related Concept Videos
Molecular Chaperones and Protein Folding
The...
Bacterial Protein Maturation
Translocation of Proteins into the Mitochondria
Sorting of outer membrane proteins:
Mitochondrial outer membrane proteins are of two types: the transmembrane, beta-barrel porins, and the membrane-anchored, alpha-helical proteins. Beta-barrel porin precursors are translocated by the TOM complex and inserted into the outer mitochondrial membrane by the SAM complex. In contrast,...
Antimicrobial Proteins
Interferons
Interferons (IFNs) are proteins produced by lymphocytes, macrophages, and fibroblasts infected with viruses. While IFNs cannot prevent viruses from entering and...
Mitochondrial Precursor Proteins
Most of the mitochondrial precursors...
Antibody Actions
Neutralization
Antibodies can bind to pathogens, preventing them from infecting host cells. This process...

