The sequence gamma-(312-324) is a fibrin-specific epitope.
Fibrin accelerates the activation of plasminogen catalyzed by tissue-type plasminogen activator much stronger than fibrinogen. Detailed studies showed that (part of) this rate-enhancing effect of fibrin is brought about by two sites in the fibrin molecule: one in A alpha-(148-160) and one in the gamma-chain stretch 311-379 (also known as FCB-5). During the fibrinogen-to-fibrin conversion, A alpha-(148-160) appears to become accessible, because a monoclonal antibody against synthetic A alpha-(148-160) reacts with fibrin, but not with fibrinogen. Because a similar situation may exist for (at least parts of) FCB-5, we have prepared a monoclonal antibody against a part (ie, gamma-[312-324]) of FCB-5, and found that this is fibrin-specific and does not bind fibrinogen. We conclude that gamma-(312-324) is hidden in fibrinogen and is exposed by the formation of fibrin.
Schielen
W J
WJ
Gaubius Institute TNO, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Adams
H P
HP
van Leuven
K
K
Voskuilen
M
M
Tesser
G I
GI
Nieuwenhuizen
W
W
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000032:analysis; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D000918:Antibody Specificity / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology*; D005337:Fibrin / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology
D000596:Amino Acids; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000939:Epitopes; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D005337:Fibrin