AffiAB® Anti-Fascin Antibody [JM12-53]

Fascin is an actin bundling protein. Fascin binds beta-catenin, and colocalizes with it at the leading edges and borders of epithelial and endothelial cells. Fascin localizes to actin-rich protrusions at the cell surface called filopodia. T regulatory cell adhesion to antigen presenting dendritic cell causes sequestration of Fascin-1, an actin-bundling protein essential for immunological synapse formation, and skews Fascin-1–dependent actin polarization in antigen presenting dendritic cells toward the T reg cell adhesion zone. Although it is reversible upon T regulatory cell disengagement, this sequestration of essential cytoskeletal components causes a lethargic state of dendritic cells, leading to reduced T cell priming. This suggests Treg-mediated suppression of antigen presenting cells is a multi-step process. In addition to CTLA-4 CD80/CD86 interaction fascin dependent polarization of cytoskeleton towards dendritic cell Treg immune synapse play a pivotal role. In normal tissue, inflammation and the immune response would be limited by secretion of TGF-β. TGF-β on the one hand induces fascin expression, but on the other hand, restricts activity of transcription factor NF-κB. This results to limited fascin expression and allows tissue to rebuild epithelial barriers. In cancer, instead, TGF-β does not restrict NF-κB activity, and both can increase fascin expression, disrupting tissue structure and function.