Granzyme A Monoclonal Antibody (GzA-3G8.5), APC, eBioscience™, Invitrogen™

Description

This Gza-3G8.5 MAb reacts with mouse Granzyme A. Granzyme A is the most abundantly expressed of the ten granzyme serine proteases that have been identified in mice. Granzymes are proteins released from the granules of NK cells and cytotoxic T lymphocytes that induce death in target cells by cleavage of intracellular substrates. They play a critical role in immune defense against viruses, tumors, and intracellular bacteria. Granzyme A activates caspase-independent cell death pathways morphologically similar to apoptosis and characterized by mitochondrial and DNA damage. It may also play a role in inflammation, as the precursor form of IL-1 beta (pro-IL-1 beta) is among its target substrates. Granzyme A shares overlapping substrate specificity with the closely-related Granzyme K, which is believed to account for the minimal decrease in cytotoxicity of Granzyme A-deficient CTLs.

Cytolytic T lymphocytes (CTL) and natural killer (NK) cells share the remarkable ability to recognize, bind, and lyse specific target cells. They are thought to protect their host by lysing cells bearing on their surface 'nonself' antigens, usually peptides or proteins resulting from infection by intracellular pathogens. The protein described here is a T cell- and natural killer cell-specific serine protease that may function as a common component necessary for lysis of target cells by cytotoxic T lymphocytes and natural killer cells.