Glutaminase antibodies are immunological tools used to detect and study glutaminase enzymes, which play a critical role in cellular metabolism. Glutaminase, primarily existing as two isoforms (GLS and GLS2), catalyzes the hydrolysis of glutamine to glutamate, a key step in the glutaminolysis pathway. This process is vital for energy production, nucleotide synthesis, and redox homeostasis, particularly in rapidly proliferating cells like cancer cells. Dysregulation of glutaminase activity is linked to cancer progression, neurodegenerative disorders, and metabolic diseases, making it a focus of therapeutic research.
Antibodies targeting glutaminase (e.g., anti-GLS1. anti-GLS2) are widely used in techniques such as Western blotting, immunohistochemistry (IHC), and immunofluorescence (IF) to assess protein expression, localization, and regulation in tissues or cell lines. These antibodies help researchers investigate glutaminase's role in tumor metabolism, where cancer cells often exhibit a "glutamine addiction" to fuel their growth. For instance, GLS1 is overexpressed in many cancers, and its inhibition is explored as a potential therapeutic strategy. Meanwhile, GLS2. initially identified as a p53 target, has dual roles in both tumor suppression and promotion, depending on cellular context.
The development of specific glutaminase antibodies has advanced studies in metabolic reprogramming, drug resistance, and biomarker discovery. Their application extends to neurological research, as glutamate—a product of glutaminase activity—is a major neurotransmitter. Validated antibodies with high specificity are crucial to avoid cross-reactivity with homologous proteins. Recent efforts also focus on creating isoform-selective inhibitors and companion diagnostic antibodies, reflecting glutaminase's growing importance in precision medicine and cancer therapeutics.