Human NCOA4 ELISA Kit — Technical Comparison & Buying Guide for Ferritinophagy and Ferroptosis Researchers
NCOA4: The 64-kDa Gatekeeper of Cellular Iron Release
NCOA4 (Nuclear Receptor Coactivator 4) , also known as ARA70 or EBP70 (UniProt: Q13770, Gene ID: 8021), is a ~624-aa, ~64–70 kDa multi-domain scaffolding protein with two identities. It was originally cloned in the late 1990s as an androgen receptor coactivator — hence the name. But over the past decade, the field's center of gravity shifted when Mancias, Kimmelman, and colleagues demonstrated that NCOA4 is the canonical cargo receptor for selective autophagy of ferritin (ferritinophagy), delivering FTH1-bound ferritin to autophagosomes via its LIR (LC3-interacting region) motif[reference:0][reference:1].
When iron is scarce, NCOA4 binds ferritin and shuttles it to lysosomes, releasing labile Fe²⁺ to fuel heme and iron-sulfur cluster biosynthesis. But in excess, ferritinophagy spikes labile iron, triggers Fenton chemistry, overwhelms GPX4, and drives ferroptotic cell death[reference:2]. This makes NCOA4 a critical node in iron overload disorders, ferroptosis-based cancer therapy, and muscle atrophy.
Yet for labs studying NCOA4, traditional assays have been a persistent bottleneck. The Human Nuclear Receptor Coactivator 4 (NCOA4) ELISA Kit (KTE61342) from Abbkine is built to turn this pivotal scaffold into a calibrated, plate-readable readout.
Why Traditional NCOA4 Detection Methods Fall Short
A 2024 survey of 120 iron metabolism and cancer labs found 89% struggling with three deal-breakers in legacy kits[reference:3]:
| Flaw | Impact |
|---|---|
| Cross-reactivity with NCOA1-3 | Up to 30% interference |
| Poor sensitivity | LODs ≥10 ng/mL, missing the 1–4 ng/mL NCOA4 dips in early anemia |
| Sample greed | 50–100 µL serum, impossible for pediatric or longitudinal cohorts |
Even "optimized" kits often fail in cell lysates, where NCOA4 binds to FTH1 and artificially lowers detectable levels[reference:4].
Abbkine KTE61342: Engineered for NCOA4's Messy Biology
This monoclonal antibody sandwich ELISA uses a capture antibody targeting NCOA4's unique C-terminal ferritin-binding domain (aa 550–614, exclusive to active NCOA4) and a detection antibody against its N-terminal nuclear receptor interaction region. Cross-reactivity drops to <0.5% with NCOA1-3, and it only detects ferritin-bound active NCOA4 — not the free, inactive pool[reference:5].
Key Specifications
| Parameter | KTE61342 |
|---|---|
| LOD | 0.12 ng/mL — 83× better than polyclonal kits |
| Dynamic Range | 0.3–150 ng/mL — spans basal (5–15 ng/mL in serum) to hemochromatosis peaks (120 ng/mL) |
| Cross-Reactivity | <0.5% with NCOA1-3 |
| Sample Volume | 10–20 µL serum/plasma, 15 µL CSF, or 1×10⁶ cells |
| Sample Types | Serum, plasma, CSF, cell culture supernatants |
| Format | Monoclonal antibody sandwich ELISA |
Head-to-Head Comparison: KTE61342 vs. Legacy Kits
| Feature | Abbkine KTE61342 | Polyclonal Kits | Western Blot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sensitivity | 0.12 ng/mL | ≥10 ng/mL | Low (band-dependent) |
| Specificity | <0.5% with NCOA1-3 | Up to 30% cross-reactivity | Antibody-dependent |
| Sample Volume | 10–20 µL | 50–100 µL | 20–50 µg protein |
| Active NCOA4 Only | Yes (ferritin-bound) | No | No |
| Quantitative | Yes (standard curve) | Yes (standard curve) | Semi-quantitative |
| Throughput | 96-well plate | 96-well plate | Low (gel-based) |
Why Choose Abbkine KTE61342?
- Unmatched Sensitivity: 0.12 ng/mL LOD — captures the 2-fold NCOA4 surge in renal cancer cells that predicts resistance to sorafenib[reference:6]
- Active NCOA4 Specificity: Detects only ferritin-bound, active NCOA4 — not the free, inactive pool
- Minimal Sample Consumption: Just 10–20 µL of serum/plasma — ideal for fine-needle biopsies or 96-well drug screens[reference:7]
- Broad Dynamic Range: From basal levels in healthy adults to hemochromatosis peaks
- Superior Reproducibility: Monoclonal antibody format for consistent performance
- Complete Kit: Pre-coated plate, standards, detection antibodies, all buffers included
Who Should Buy This Kit?
✅ Buy KTE61342 if you:
- Study ferritinophagy, ferroptosis, or iron metabolism
- Research iron overload disorders, hereditary hemochromatosis, or anemia
- Investigate cancer metabolism and ferroptosis-based therapies
- Study muscle atrophy or hepatocyte iron handling[reference:8]
- Need to quantify NCOA4 in serum, plasma, CSF, or cell lysates
- Require high sensitivity (0.12 ng/mL) and low sample volume (10–20 µL)
- Value specificity — only active NCOA4, not NCOA1-3
❌ Consider alternatives if you:
- Only need qualitative detection (presence/absence)
- Work with non-human samples (mouse, rat) — check Abbkine's other offerings
- Require a faster assay (<3 hours)
📌 Reference Link: Human Nuclear receptor coactivator 4 (NCOA4) ELISA Kit — KTE61342
