CLIP (cerCLIP.1) Antibody: sc-12725

CLIP Background Information
Classical major histocompatibility (MHC) class II complexes are formed in the endoplasmic recticulum and consist of three invariant chains that associate with three class II-ab dimers. The invariant chains contain translocation signals that shuttle the complex into the cytoplasm and then to the endocytic pathway. Within the endoyctic vesicles the invariant chains are degraded, and the resulting MHC class II molecules then contains the ab dimers and a residual fragment of the invariant chain, designated CLIP (class II-associated invariant chain peptide), that remains in the peptide-binding grove. The non-classical human leukocyte antigen HLA-DM catalyzes the removal of CLIP peptides from the peptide-binding groove of MCH class II molecules, chaperones them until peptides are available for loading, and functions as a peptide editor. During this antigen presentation, bound CLIP is exchanged for the processed peptide, thereby allowing the class II ab-peptide complex to be presented to T cells. The monoclonal antibody to CLIP, cerCLIP.1, strongly reacts with surface class II-CLIP complexes and detects HLA class II-positive cells, cells that have impaired HLA-DM activity, and tumor cells that have escaped immuno-surveillance by CD4-positive T cells.