MDM2 antibody [HDM2-323]

MDM2 is a nuclear phosphoprotein with an apparent molecular mass of 9 kD that forms a complex with the p53 tumor suppressor protein. Human MDM2 was identified as a homologous product of the 'murine double minute 2' gene (mdm2). The MDM2 gene enhances the tumorigenic potential of cells when it is overexpressed and encodes a putative transcription factor. Forming a tight complex with the p53 gene, the MDM2 oncogene can inhibit p53-mediated transactivation, MDM2 also binds to p53 protein. Inactivation of tumor suppressor genes leads to deregulated cell proliferation and is a key factor in human tumorigenesis. p53 can be subjected to negative regulation by the product of a single cellular protooncogene. The interference of binding to p53 prevents the interaction of MDM2 and its regulation of the transcriptional activity of p53 in vivo. Direct association of p53 with the cellular protein MDM2 results in ubiquitination and subsequent degradation of p53. MDM2-p53 complexes were preferentially found in S/G2M phases of the cell cycle. The MDM2 gene is alternatively spliced, producing 5 additional splice variant transcripts from the full length MDM2 gene. The alternatively spliced transcripts tend to be expressed in tumorigenic tissue, whereas the full length MDM2 transcript is expressed in normal tissue.