Recombinant Mouse IL-13 Rα1

Recombinant Mouse IL-13 Rα1 is used in research applications to study the biology of IL-13 signaling, immune modulation, and disease mechanisms, particularly in contexts such as inflammation, metabolism, and tissue repair.

Key scientific applications and rationale:

• Receptor Biology and Signal Transduction: IL-13 Rα1 is the primary binding subunit for IL-13 and forms a high-affinity receptor complex with IL-4Rα, activating the JAK/STAT pathway (notably STAT3 and STAT6), which is central to immune regulation and cellular responses. Recombinant IL-13 Rα1 allows for controlled studies of ligand-receptor interactions, downstream signaling, and receptor specificity.

• Decoy and Regulatory Functions: Soluble forms of IL-13 Rα1 can act as decoy receptors, modulating IL-13 availability and activity in vivo. Delivery of recombinant soluble IL-13 Rα1 has been shown to decrease blood glucose levels in mice, indicating a role in metabolic regulation and potential therapeutic relevance for metabolic disorders.

• Immune Modulation and Disease Models: IL-13 Rα1 is implicated in the regulation of Th1/Th2 balance, T cell subset differentiation, and inflammatory responses. Its expression on specific T cell populations suggests a role in autoimmune disease models, such as diabetes and ulcerative colitis, and in tissue repair after injury (e.g., stroke, radiation-induced lung injury).

• Metabolic and Physiological Studies: IL-13/IL-13Rα1 signaling is involved in metabolic conditioning of muscle, endurance capacity, and glucose homeostasis. Recombinant receptor proteins are used to dissect these pathways and their physiological outcomes.

• Tool for Therapeutic Target Validation: Recombinant IL-13 Rα1 is essential for screening and validating therapeutic candidates targeting the IL-13 axis, including antibodies, small molecules, and engineered cytokines.

Best practices for use:

• Employ recombinant IL-13 Rα1 in binding assays, cell signaling studies, and in vivo models to elucidate its role in disease and physiology.
• Use as a control or competitor in experiments involving IL-13 or IL-4 to distinguish receptor-specific effects.
• Apply in therapeutic screening to assess the efficacy and specificity of IL-13-targeted interventions.

Summary:
Using recombinant mouse IL-13 Rα1 enables precise investigation of IL-13 signaling mechanisms, immune regulation, metabolic effects, and therapeutic targeting in mouse models, making it a valuable tool for immunology, metabolism, and translational research.

Recombinant Mouse IL-13 Rα1 should not be used as a standard for quantification or calibration in ELISA assays designed to measure IL-13 itself. Standards for ELISA quantification must match the analyte being measured—in this case, IL-13, not its receptor IL-13 Rα1.

Key points:

• ELISA standards must be the same molecule as the target analyte. For quantifying mouse IL-13, the standard must be recombinant or purified mouse IL-13, not its receptor or any other protein.
• Recombinant Mouse IL-13 Rα1 is the extracellular domain of the IL-13 receptor alpha 1 subunit, not the cytokine IL-13. It is used in studies of receptor-ligand interactions, binding assays, or as a capture/detection reagent in ELISAs designed to measure IL-13 Rα1, not IL-13 itself.
• ELISA kits for IL-13 quantification are calibrated using recombinant mouse IL-13 as the standard, and their antibodies are specific for IL-13. Using IL-13 Rα1 as a standard would yield invalid results, as it is structurally and immunologically distinct from IL-13.
• If your goal is to quantify IL-13 Rα1 (the receptor), then a standard of recombinant IL-13 Rα1 is appropriate, but only in an assay specifically designed to detect IL-13 Rα1.

Summary Table:

Best practice: Always match your ELISA standard to the analyte you wish to quantify. For mouse IL-13 quantification, use recombinant mouse IL-13 as the standard. For IL-13 Rα1 quantification, use recombinant IL-13 Rα1 as the standard in a receptor-specific assay.

Recombinant Mouse IL-13 Rα1 has been validated for several applications in published research, primarily in studies of cytokine signaling, receptor-ligand binding, cell-based assays, and as a tool for mechanistic studies in immunology and metabolism.

Key validated applications include:

• Ligand Binding Assays: Recombinant Mouse IL-13 Rα1 is routinely used in binding assays to characterize its interaction with IL-13 and IL-4, both in solution and when immobilized on solid supports. For example, it has been used in ELISA-based binding studies and biolayer interferometry (BLI) to determine affinity constants with IL-13.

• Cell-based Functional Assays: The protein has been used to study downstream signaling events upon IL-13 or IL-4 stimulation, including the activation of proliferative or metabolic pathways in various cell types. For instance, it has been used to demonstrate the role of IL-13/IL-13Rα1 signaling in preadipocyte differentiation and beige adipogenesis, as well as in neuronal signaling related to dopaminergic function and nicotine response.

• ELISA Standard: Recombinant Mouse IL-13 Rα1 is recommended as a standard in ELISA assays for quantifying IL-13 or for receptor-ligand interaction studies.

• Receptor Characterization and Mechanistic Studies: It has been used to dissect the composition and function of the IL-13 receptor complex, including its role in forming high-affinity receptor complexes with IL-4Rα and mediating IL-13/IL-4-dependent signaling.

• Immunotherapy and Target Validation: The protein has been used in preclinical studies to explore IL-13 receptor targeting as a therapeutic strategy, particularly in cancer immunotherapy models.

• Metabolic and Endocrine Studies: Soluble forms of IL-13Rα1 have been used to investigate its role as a decoy receptor in glucose metabolism and systemic regulation.

Summary Table of Validated Applications

These applications are supported by published research and product validation data, demonstrating the protein’s utility in both basic and translational immunology, metabolism, and receptor biology.

To reconstitute and prepare Recombinant Mouse IL-13 Rα1 protein for cell culture experiments, follow these steps for optimal solubility, stability, and biological activity:

1. Centrifuge the Lyophilized Protein
   Before opening the vial, briefly centrifuge (20–30 seconds in a microcentrifuge) to collect all material at the bottom and minimize loss.

2. Reconstitution Buffer

   • Use sterile phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) as the primary reconstitution buffer.
   • For proteins supplied with carrier (e.g., BSA), reconstitute in PBS containing at least 0.1% human or bovine serum albumin (BSA) to stabilize the protein and prevent adsorption to surfaces.
   • If the product is carrier-free, you may use PBS alone, but adding 0.1% BSA is recommended for improved stability, especially if you plan to store aliquots.

3. Reconstitution Concentration

   • A typical working concentration for reconstitution is 200 μg/mL.
   • Adjust the volume of buffer added according to the amount of protein in the vial to achieve this concentration (e.g., add 500 μL PBS to 100 μg lyophilized protein for 200 μg/mL).

4. Dissolving the Protein

   • Gently pipette up and down or swirl the vial to dissolve the protein completely. Avoid vigorous vortexing or foaming, which can denature the protein.

5. Aliquoting and Storage

   • After reconstitution, aliquot the solution into small volumes to avoid repeated freeze-thaw cycles, which can reduce activity.
   • Store aliquots at –20°C to –70°C for long-term storage. For short-term use (up to 1 month), store at 2–8°C under sterile conditions.
   • Avoid diluting the protein below 5 μg/mL for storage, as lower concentrations may lead to loss of activity unless a carrier protein is present.

6. Preparation for Cell Culture

   • Before adding to cell culture, dilute the reconstituted stock to the desired working concentration using sterile cell culture medium or PBS with 0.1% BSA.
   • Filter-sterilize the final working solution if sterility is a concern.

Additional Notes:

• Always check the specific product datasheet for any manufacturer-specific recommendations regarding buffer composition, pH, or additives.
• If using the protein for sensitive assays or in serum-free conditions, pre-screen carrier proteins for potential effects on your experimental system.
• Confirm protein integrity and concentration by SDS-PAGE or spectrophotometry if needed.

Summary Table: Recombinant Mouse IL-13 Rα1 Reconstitution

These guidelines will ensure optimal recovery, stability, and biological activity of recombinant Mouse IL-13 Rα1 for cell culture applications.