anti-VASP, pAb (IG-731)

VASP (vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein) is a proline-rich protein substrate of cAMP- and cGMP-dependent protein kinases. VASP is an actin-associated protein involved in a range of processes dependent on cytoskeleton remodeling and cell polarity such as axon guidance, lamellipodial and filopodial dynamics, platelet activation and cell migration. VASP promotes actin filament elongation. It protects the barbed end of growing actin filaments against capping and increases the rate of actin polymerization in the presence of capping proteins. VASP stimulates actin filament elongation by promoting the transfer of profilin-bound actin monomers onto the barbed end of growing actin filaments and it plays a role in actin-based mobility of Listeria monocytogenes in host cells. It regulates actin dynamics in platelets and plays an important role in regulating platelet aggregation. VASP phosphorylation is used to monitor the effect of so-called antiplatelet drugs that reduce platelet reactivity and are used to prevent stent thrombosis, strokes and heart attacks in patients. Phosphorylation of VASP at Ser157 causes a mobility shift in SDS gel electrophoresis from 46 to 50kDa, which has been used as a convenient marker to monitor cyclic nucleotide-dependent protein kinase activity.