Anti-HLA-E / HLA class I histocompatibility antigen E, clone HLAE/13125

1 mg/ml in 1X PBS, BSA free, sodium azide free. MHC-E antibody targets MHC class I antigen E, a non-classical major histocompatibility complex class I molecule encoded by the HLA-E gene. MHC-E is expressed at the cell surface in association with beta-2 microglobulin and a restricted set of peptides, most commonly derived from signal sequences of other HLA class I molecules. Unlike classical MHC class I proteins, MHC-E displays limited polymorphism and serves primarily immune regulatory functions rather than broad antigen presentation. An MHC-E antibody is therefore widely used to study immune modulation rather than peptide diversity.MHC class I antigen E plays a central role in regulating natural killer (NK) cell activity through interaction with CD94/NKG2 receptor complexes. Engagement of inhibitory receptors such as CD94/NKG2A delivers tolerance signals that protect healthy cells from NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity. Because of this function, MHC-E is often described as a non-classical MHC class I molecule and a key immune checkpoint ligand in innate immunity. Use of an MHC-E antibody allows investigation of NK cell inhibition, immune surveillance, and self-recognition mechanisms.Beyond NK cell regulation, MHC-E can also present select pathogen-derived peptides to subsets of CD8-positive T cells, linking innate and adaptive immune responses. Expression of MHC class I antigen E is dynamically regulated by inflammatory cytokines, cellular stress, and infection. Viral pathogens such as cytomegalovirus are known to exploit MHC-E expression to evade immune detection, further highlighting its importance in host-pathogen interactions. An MHC-E antibody is therefore a valuable tool in studies of infection biology and immune evasion strategies.MHC-E expression has gained increasing attention in cancer immunology. Many tumors upregulate MHC class I antigen E to suppress NK cell activity and escape immune-mediated elimination. Elevated MHC-E expression has been reported in a variety of solid tumors and hematologic malignancies, where it may correlate with immune suppression within the tumor microenvironment. Use of an MHC-E antibody supports research into tumor immune escape, immune checkpoint pathways, and the development of novel immunotherapeutic strategies.Structurally, MHC class I antigen E shares the conserved alpha chain architecture of MHC class I molecules but binds a highly restricted peptide repertoire. This specialization underlies its immune regulatory function and distinguishes it from classical HLA-A, HLA-B, and HLA-C molecules. Because MHC-E expression reflects immune status rather than antigen diversity, MHC-E antibody staining is commonly used to assess immune regulation in tissues rather than antigen presentation capacity.Clone HLAE/13125 is designed to recognize MHC class I antigen E and supports detection of MHC-E expression in research applications. NSJ Bioreagents offers this MHC-E antibody to support studies of NK cell biology, immune tolerance, viral immune evasion, and tumor immunology.