Epitope Mapping of a Monoclonal Antibody against VWF Which Diminishes the Proteolytic Cleavage of VWF by ADAMTS13 Under Flow.

Abstract 2133

Poster Board II-110

Introduction: In our former study, we have found that SZ-34, a monoclonal antibody to Von Willebrand factor (VWF), can inhibit the proteolysis of VWF by ADAMTS13 under shear stress. But the precise epitope of this antibody (SZ-34) on VWF is not clear for it is generated by immunizing mouse with native full-length VWF purified from pooled human normal plasmas. Thus, the objective of this study is to map the epitope of SZ-34 and to explore the effect of VWF structrue on the proteolytic activity by ADAMTS13. Materials and Methods: Firstly we constructed and expressed a series of recombinant proteins of different domains or polypeptide fragments of human VWF in prokaryotic cell expression system, including A1A2A3, D′D3, A1, A2, A3, A1A2, A2A3 and five sub-fragments of A2 domain. Then native VWF and these recombinant proteins or polypeptide fragments were subjected to polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and analyzed by Western blots with SZ-34. Results: Different recombinant proteins of VWF were successfully expressed and purified. Results of Western blot showed that SZ-34 could bind specifically some recombinant proteins, such as full-length VWF, A1A2A3, A2 and GST-D1459D1596 in which the last was a fusion protein of a sub-fragment of A2 domain with GST. But SZ-34 couldn't bind to others, including A1, A3, D′D3, GST-D1459E1554, GST-E1554D1596, GST-D1596R1668 (VWF73) and GST- E1554R1668. In addition, the reacting activity of SZ-34 with native VWF was significantly stronger than with unfolded VWF, such as heat-treated or 1.5M guanidine hydrochloride-treated VWF. Conclusions: The epitope of SZ-34 is located within N-terminal region fore-VWF73 inside VWF-A2 domain. Besides, SZ-34 maybe is a conformation-specific monoclonal antibody. Combining with our former findings that SZ-34 inhibits the proteolytic cleavage of VWF by ADAMTS13, we can conclude that N-terminal region fore-VWF73 inside VWF-A2 domain also regulates the proteolytic activity of VWF by ADAMTS13, although VWF73 is considered as the minimal substrate for ADAMTS13.