Catalog#: P10010     Package: 1 kit

For research use only, not for use in diagnostic procedures

The M65® ELISA measures soluble keratin 18 (K18) released from dying cells and can be used to assess overall cell death (due to apoptosis and necrosis) of epithelial cells. The M65® ELISA is primarily intended to be used together with the M30 Apoptosense® assay, which specifically measures apoptosis.

As both assays are calibrated against the identical reference the combination of M30 Apoptosense® and M65® ELISA should allow for determination of the relative contribution of apoptosis to the total degree of cancer cell death.

Background

Liver disease

Certain liver diseases are associated with increased total cell death (apoptosis and/or necrosis). Total K18 levels are increased in toxicant-associated steatohepatitis (TASH) and acute liver failure (ALF) (Cave et al, 2009; Rutherford et al., 2007; Dechene et. al, 2010).

The M65® ELISA when used in combination with the M30 Apoptosense® assay (which specifically measures apoptosis) allows to quantify and distinguish different forms of epithelial cell death as both assays are standardized against the identical reference (Kramer et al., 2004).

Oncology

Tumor cells die in vivo by apoptosis and necrosis. The mode of cell death depends both on the type of cytotoxic stimulus and the tumor. An apoptotic stimulus may under conditions of deficient cellular ATP generation fail to induce the apoptotic program and cells instead undergo necrosis (Leist et al., 1997). During necrosis, intracellular proteins that are not cleaved by caspases will be released from cells.

Keratin 18 (K18) is an intracellular protein expressed at high levels by many types of epithelial cells. Most K18 molecules will form insoluble filaments in the cell, but a pool of soluble K18 can also be demonstrated (Chou et al., 1993). During cell death, the cellular content of K18 will be released into the extracellular compartment. Measurements of extracellular soluble K18 will therefore reflect epithelial cell death "by any cause" (due to apoptosis and necrosis) (Kramer et al., 2004).

Additional background information

Instructions (.pdf, 45 KB)

Hepatology References

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