Expression of thymopoietin beta/lamina-associated polypeptide 2 (TP beta/LAP2) and its family proteins as revealed by specific antibody induced against recombinant human thymopoietin.

An expression vector was constructed to produce a common region of human thymopoietin family proteins. The recombinant protein was expressed in Escherichia coli as a fusion protein with a biotinylated tag region and purified by affinity chromatography on a monomeric avidin resin. The thymopoietin family-specific antibody was induced in rabbits by immunization with the recombinant fusion protein. Western blotting analysis using the antibody revealed that the expression of thymopoietin family proteins was remarkably tissue specific. Among those, thymopoietin beta/lamina-associated polypeptide 2 appears to be specifically expressed in tissues with high proliferative activity.