UCP2 Mouse mAb

UCP2 (mitochondrial uncoupling protein 2) is an anion carrier protein located on the inner mitochondrial membrane, belonging to the mitochondrial carrier superfamily. Its core function is to reduce mitochondrial membrane potential by mediating proton leakage from the intermembrane space back into the matrix, thereby partially uncoupling oxidative phosphorylation from ATP synthesis and reducing the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Unlike UCP1, which is primarily involved in thermogenesis regulation, UCP2 is widely expressed in various tissues, with particularly high expression in immune cells, pancreatic β-cells, adipose tissue, and the central nervous system. Its physiological function is not primarily thermogenic but rather focused on regulating energy metabolism, insulin secretion, ROS homeostasis, and inflammatory responses. In pancreatic β-cells, UCP2 participates in blood glucose regulation by negatively modulating glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS). In immune cells, it influences macrophage polarization and T-cell activation by restricting ROS production and metabolic reprogramming, thereby exerting anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects. Furthermore, UCP2 is involved in various metabolism-related pathological processes—including obesity, type 2 diabetes, atherosclerosis, and neurodegenerative diseases—through its regulation of fatty acid metabolism and oxidative stress. Its overexpression in certain tumors has also been associated with metabolic adaptation and chemotherapy resistance.