PHA-P

Phytohaemagglutinin P - NFAT Activator

PHA-P, a lectin from Phaseolus vulgaris-P (red kidney bean), is the protein form of phytohemagglutinin (PHA). It consists of two closely related proteins, PHA-E and PHA-L, which agglutinate erythrocytes and lymphocytes, respectively. PHA is well-known as a selective T cell mitogen [1].

In addition to these activities, PHA is known to greatly enhance HIV-1 replication by mimicking T cell activation [2, 3]. Specifically, PHA binds to sugars on glycosylated surface proteins, including T cell receptor (TCR), and thereby crosslinks them.

This triggers calcium-dependent signaling pathways leading to NFAT (nuclear factor of activated T cells) activation.

References:

Movafagh A. et al., 2011. The significance application of indigenous Phytohemagglutinin (PHA) mitogen on metaphase and cell culture procedure. Iran J Pharm Res. 10(4):895-903.
Kinoshita S., 1997. The T cell activation factor NF-ATc positively regulates HIV-1 replication and gene expression in T cells. 46(2): 237–249. Immunity. 6(3):235-44.
Fortin JF. et al., 2001. Regulation of nuclear factor of activated T cells by phosphotyrosyl-specific phosphatase activity: a positive effect on HIV-1 long terminal repeat-driven transcription and a possible implication of SHP-1. Blood. 97(8):2390-400.

Specifications

Description: Mitogen and NFAT activator
Quality control:

• The biological activity of PHA-P has been confirmed by assessing NFAT activation in Jurkat-Lucia™ NFAT cells.
• The absence of bacterial contamination (e.g. lipoproteins and endotoxins) has been confirmed using HEK-Blue™ TLR4 and HEK-Blue™ TLR2 cells.

Contents

• 2 x 10 mg PHA-P
• 10 ml endotoxin-free water

PHA-P is shipped at room temperature.

Store at -20°C.