Anti-LCMV nucleoprotein – Purified in vivo PLATINUM™ Functional Grade

The clone VL-4, more commonly referred to in the context of integrin ?4 as VLA-4 (CD49d), is used in in vivo mouse studies primarily for its role in neutralizing or blocking the function of the VLA-4 integrin. This integrin is crucial for the adhesion and co-stimulation of various immune cells, including T cells and others. The PS/2 monoclonal antibody, which targets VLA-4, is employed for both in vivo and in vitro studies to neutralize VLA-4 functions.

In the context of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV), such as the Clone 13 (Cl 13) strain, the major receptor for entry into host cells is ?-dystroglycan (?-DG), not VLA-4. However, VLA-4 is important in other contexts where cell adhesion and immune function are critical. Thus, while VLA-4 itself might not be directly involved in studies specifically using Cl 13, its role in immune modulation makes it a valuable tool in broader immunological research involving mice.

For specific studies involving Cl 13, research has focused more on the immune response, such as the generation of high viral titers and robust CTL responses, and the role of IFN-1 signaling in disease progression. In these studies, other antibodies like those targeting CD4 or CD8 T cells are more directly relevant to understanding the immune dynamics involved.

Storage Temperature for Sterile Packaged Clone VL-4

General Principles for Biological Clones

For biological materials such as bacterial clones—commonly stored as either glycerol stocks or competent cells—the standard long-term storage temperature is –70°C to –80°C. This temperature range is necessary to maintain viability and genetic integrity over extended periods, with –80°C being most common for clone collections and competent cells. At these temperatures, cells remain stable for months to years if never thawed.

Short-Term Handling

• During preparation and aliquoting, keep cells on ice to minimize stress and maintain viability until they are flash-frozen (e.g., using dry ice/isopropanol or liquid nitrogen).
• After preparation, immediately transfer the aliquots to a –70°C or –80°C freezer for long-term storage.

Sterile Packaging

The sterile packaging itself (e.g., vials, tubes) must remain intact and free from moisture or contamination, but the storage temperature is determined by the biological material inside, not the packaging material. There is no evidence that VL-4 requires special conditions beyond standard clone handling.

Summary Table

Key Points

• Store clone VL-4 at –80°C for long-term preservation.
• Avoid repeated freeze-thaw cycles to maintain viability.
• Keep packaging sterile and dry; repackage if integrity is compromised.
• No evidence suggests VL-4 requires a unique storage temperature; standard clone protocols apply.

If you have specific manufacturer instructions for VL-4, always follow those, but in the absence of such guidance, –80°C freezer storage is the gold standard for sterile-packaged bacterial clones.

Based on the available information, VL4 appears to be an LCMV (Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus) nucleoprotein-specific antibody used for intracellular staining to detect LCMV-infected cells. The research literature shows VL4 being used in conjunction with several other antibodies and proteins in viral infection studies.

Antibodies Used with VL4

In the context of LCMV research, VL4 is frequently employed alongside KL53, which is a non-neutralizing monoclonal antibody specific to LCMV. The KL53 antibody is used to opsonize LCMV particles, and researchers use VL4 staining to identify which cells have become infected with the opsonized virus. Studies show that inflammatory monocytes (IMs) from mice treated with KL53-opsonized LCMV cluster as a distinct population that colocalizes with the highest abundance of VL4+ LCMV-infected cells.

Cell Surface Markers and Detection Proteins

VL4 staining is commonly combined with various cell surface markers to characterize infected cell populations. These include:

Myeloid and APC-related markers such as MHCII, CD11c, CX3CR1, CD40, and XCR1 are used alongside VL4 to phenotype inflammatory monocytes and antigen-presenting cells during LCMV infection. This combination allows researchers to determine not only which cells are infected (VL4-positive) but also their functional state and differentiation status.

Experimental Applications

The combination of VL4 with these other markers enables researchers to perform detailed flow cytometric analyses, including cluster analysis using algorithms like FlowSOM. This approach has revealed that certain cell clusters characterized by high levels of VL4 binding are exclusively present in mice treated with specific antibody treatments, and these clusters also show elevated expression of antigen-presenting cell-related markers.

The use of VL4 in conjunction with these various antibodies and markers represents a comprehensive approach to studying viral infection dynamics, immune cell phenotyping, and the effects of antibody-mediated interventions in viral disease models.

There are no scientific sources in your search results that specifically discuss a "clone VL-4." If you are referring to a particular biological clone (e.g., a cell line, viral variant, or genetically modified organism), please provide additional context or verify the correct name, as no relevant information is available based on the current search results.

If you meant Clone 13 (sometimes confused with VL-4), the search results do provide selective findings regarding Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) Clone 13, but there are no detailed citations or key findings related to a clone named VL-4. For LCMV Clone 13, notable findings include its use in immune system research, particularly in studying persistent viral infections and T cell biology. For example:

• Role in T Cell Activation: Research shows that DGK? (diacylglycerol kinase alpha) is an essential regulator of T cell receptor-mediated activation of CD8 T cells during LCMV Clone 13 infection, highlighting its importance in immune response regulation.
• Type 1 Interferon Signaling: Blockade of type 1 interferon signaling using a neutralizing antibody can reduce immune system activation during persistent LCMV infection, suggesting a role for interferon signaling in viral persistence.

If you need findings on a different clone (e.g., VL-4 in a different context), please clarify the species, context, or field of study. Currently, "clone VL-4" does not correspond to any clone with notable scientific citations in the provided search results.