Adrenocorticotropin Hormone

The pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) is the precursor of many pituitary hormones including Adenocorticotrphin (ACTH).  The POMC was first identified in the anterior intermediate lobe of pituitary but is expressed in many other tissues including CNS, skin, and placenta.  Following synthesis POMC undergoes extensive post-translational modifications and proteolysis producing not only ACTH but also a number of other biological active peptides.  The proteolysis and post-translational modification are dependent upon tissue thus producing a different combination of peptides from the same precursor protein.  These biological active peptides have diverse range of function ranging from pigmentation to adrenal  and regulation of feeding behavior (1). ACTH is produced in the anterior intermediate lobe of the pituitary and in neurons in the brain.  ACTH regulate the corticosteroid/glucocorticoid production in the adrenal cortex.  Other hormones that are produced by POMC gene are beta endorphins, met enkaphalin (endogenous opiods), melanocyte stimulating hormone that increase the pigmentation of skin by increasing the production of melanin in melanocytes. Other hormone s are corticotrophin like intermediate lobe peptide (CLIP), Lipotrophins and endorphins.  Defects in the POMC gene have been known to cause several defects including obesity.  Ectopic immunodeficiency has been found in many tumors including prostate carcinoma, thymoma, pancreatic tumors. The testicular adrenal rest tumors are frequently associated with hyper adrenal hyperplasia, and ACTH-dependent tumors can be easily detected from leydig-cell tumors by ACTH staining (2).  The serum lelves of ACTH are stimulated by adrenal-hypathamic-pituitary axis, ACTH levels are also positively correlated with stress levels.    

ACTH is a 39 amino acid peptide hormone derived from POMC gene (268amino acids).  The ACTH 39 amino acids) resides between amino acids138-176 on pro-ACTH a 22 kDa polypeptide.  ACTH has MW of about 4-5 kDa on denatured SDS-PAGE gel. The ACTH-selective antibodies were generated against full length synthetic ACTH peptide corresponding human ACTH sequence.  ACTH antibodies were affinity ypurified on immobilized antigen based affinity matrix.  The affinity purified antibodies are stabilized in antibody stabilization buffer for long-term storage. The ACTH antibodies strongly label a beta 4-5kDa ACTH band in PC-ACTH samples.  FabGennix Inc. also has FITC conjugated ACTH antibodies for direct visualization of ACTH positive cells in IHC and fluorescence microscopy.  FabGennix, Inc., provides Western blot positive controls for ACTH in ready-to-use buffer for easy identification of target protein is also availabel.  Limited quantities of antigenic blocking peptide is also available.  Please enquire for their availability before ordering.

For research use only, not for diagnostic or therapeutic use.