BIOASSAYS
ALDA provides a FRET bioassay development service for the detection and quantification of protein-protein interactions (PPI)
Biological targets
Protein-protein interaction is a phenomenon associated with almost all biological processes such as transcription and translation, cell-cell adhesion and communication, protein synthesis and degradation, protein control cell cycle and signaling cascades. PPIs can therefore be used to monitor almost all physiological and pathological processes.
ALDA bioassays
ALDA bioassays are meant to answer stand-alone question related to the interaction of component of a protein complex, measure the activation of receptor or test the efficacy of a new pharmaceutical treatment.
Our Bioassay group offers a range of standardised cell-based, paraffin embedded tissues (FFPE) and blood FRET assays that can be tailored to your specific requirements. We provide a complete assay development service.
Our expertise:
Measurement of GPCRs activation in blood cells
The G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCR) superfamily represents the largest class of mammalian cell membrane receptors. These receptors guide numerous signaling pathways involved in the regulation of a wide range of physiological and pathological processes. The activation status of these receptors correlates with a condition of diagnostic, prognostic interest or response to therapies. As such, they are considered effective targets for drug development.
ALDA developed a FRET assay for the measurement of the GPCRs activation in human blood, specifically related to the activation of the IL-8 receptor activation or pharmacological inhibition.
Measurement of cytokine receptors activation in blood cells
Cytokines are secreted proteins that act as messengers through interaction with their respective receptors. Such interactions are able to control mechanisms of proliferation, differentiation, growth and apoptosis of their target cells mainly in the context of inflammatory responses. Generally, it is possible to determine the concentration of cytokines in the bloodstream of patients using standard analytical methods but it is still not possible correlate these values with the cytokine receptors activity. The study of cytokines and their receptors activation is related to their involvement in numerous pathologies, such as, for example, autoimmune rheumatological diseases.
ALDA is developing a FRET assay for the measurement of the cytokine receptors activation in arthritis rheumatoid patient’s blood.
Measurement of heterodimerization of EGFR family in cell and FFPE
Tyrosine kinase (RTK) receptors are essential components of the signal transduction pathways that mediate cell-cell communication. RTKs are transmembrane receptors capable of binding polypeptide ligands, mainly growth factors, and play a key role in cell growth, differentiation, metabolism and motility processes. The vast RTK family includes the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), which is in turn a member of the ErbB receptor sub-family, whose components are made up of four closely related receptor tyrosine kinases: HER1 / EGFR, HER2 / ErbB2, HER3 / ErB3 and HER4 / ErbB4). The oligomerization status of each member of the EGFR family (dependent ligand) has been linked to the onset of various types of cancer including breast cancer. For this reason, ErbB receptors are considered excellent targets for anticancer drugs.
ALDA developed a FRET bioassay for the measurement of EGFR family heterodimers in paraffin embedded human tissues (FFPE). Specifically, the assay has been developed on the HER2-HER3 heterodimerization process.