Specificity
This antibody recognises the human Mitochondrial antiviral-signaling protein (MAVS), also known as Virus-induced-signalling-adaptor (VISA), and KIAA1271, VISA is a 540 amino acid outer mitochondrial membrane protein containing a single CARD domain. VISA is an important protein required for innate immune defence against viruses. VISA acts downstream of DDX58 and IFIH1/MDA5, which detect intracellular dsRNA produced during viral replication, to coordinate pathways leading to the activation of NF-kappa-B, IRF3 and IRF7, and to the subsequent induction of antiviral cytokines such as IFN-beta and RANTES (CCL5). VISA is believed to activate the same pathways following detection of extracellular dsRNA by TLR3 and it has been hypothosized that VISA is involved in the regulation of apoptosis following viral infection. VISA is a ubiquitously expressed protein present in a range of cell types including T-cells, monocytes and epithelial cells, with highest levels in tissues of the heart, skeletal muscle, liver, placenta and in peripheral blood leukocytes. Multiple isoforms of VISA generated by alternative splicing have been identified. Rabbit anti VISA antibody is reactive with full length VISA isoform 1. It does not react with isoforms 2,3,5 or 6, reactivity with isoform 4 is unknown.