Localization of an epitope of a calcium-dependent monoclonal antibody to the N-terminal region of the Gla domain of human factor VII

A single-domain antibody that blocks factor VIIa activity in the absence but not presence of tissue factor

BACKGROUND

Activated factor VII (FVIIa) is pertinent to the initiation of blood coagulation. Proteolytic and amidolytic activity of FVIIa are greatly enhanced by its cofactor, tissue factor (TF).

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to generate a single-domain antibody (sdAb) that recognizes free FVIIa rather than TF-bound FVIIa.

METHODS

A llama-derived phage library was used to screen for anti-FVIIa sdAbs.

RESULTS

One sdAb, KB-FVIIa-004, bound to FVIIa, but not to its precursor FVII or to homologous proteins (prothrombin, factor X, or their activated derivatives). FVIIa amidolytic activity was inhibited by KB-FVIIa-004 (Ki  = 28-45 nM) in a competitive manner. KB-FVIIa-004 also inhibited FVIIa-mediated FX activation (Ki  = 26 nM). In contrast, KB-FVIIa-004 was inefficient in prolonging the clotting time of the prothrombin time-test, which was prolonged by a maximum of 10 s at high sdAb concentrations (10 μM). Furthermore, FVIIa/TF amidolytic activity or FVIIa/TF-mediated FX activation remained unaffected up to a 50-fold to 1000-fold molar excess of KB-FVIIa-004. These data suggest that KB-FVIIa-004 loses its inhibitory activity in the presence of TF. A KB-FVIIa-004/albumin fusion-protein (004-HSA) was generated for in vivo testing. By using 004-HSA, we observed that this sdAb blocked the therapeutic capacity of FVIIa to correct bleeding in FVIII-deficient mice.

DISCUSSION

This observation is compatible with the view that FVIIa functions independently of TF under these conditions. In conclusion, we have generated a sdAb that specifically blocks TF-independent activity of FVIIa. This antibody can be used to gain insight into the roles of TF-bound and TF-free FVIIa.

Identification and purification of vitamin K-dependent proteins and peptides with monoclonal antibodies specific for gamma -carboxyglutamyl (Gla) residues

Novel monoclonal antibodies that specifically recognize gamma-carboxyglutamyl (Gla) residues in proteins and peptides have been produced. As demonstrated by Western blot and time-resolved immunofluorescence assays the antibodies are pan-specific for most or all of the Gla-containing proteins tested (factors VII, IX, and X, prothrombin, protein C, protein S, growth arrest-specific protein 6, bone Gla protein, conantokin G from a cone snail, and factor Xa-like proteins from snake venom). Only the Gla-containing light chain of the two-chain proteins was bound. Decarboxylation destroyed the epitope(s) on prothrombin fragment 1, and Ca(2+) strongly inhibited binding to prothrombin. In Western blot, immunofluorescence, and surface plasmon resonance assays the antibodies bound peptides conjugated to bovine serum albumin that contained either a single Gla or a tandem pair of Gla residues. Binding was maintained when the sequence surrounding the Gla residue(s) was altered. Replacement of Gla with glutamic acid resulted in a complete loss of the epitope. The utility of the antibodies was demonstrated in immunochemical methods for detecting Gla-containing proteins and in the immunopurification of a factor Xa-like protein from tiger snake venom. The amino acid sequences of the Gla domain and portions of the heavy chain of the snake protein were determined.

Probing the structural changes in the light chain of human coagulation factor VIIa due to tissue factor association

The crystallographic structure of human coagulation factor VIIa/tissue factor complex bound with calcium ions was used to model the solution structure of the light chain of factor VIIa (residues 1-142) in the absence of tissue factor. The Amber force field in conjunction with the particle mesh Ewald summation method to accommodate long-range electrostatic interactions was used in the trajectory calculations. The estimated TF-free solution structure was then compared with the crystal structure of factor VIIa/tissue factor complex to estimate the restructuring of factor VIIa due to tissue factor binding. The solution structure of the light chain of factor VIIa in the absence of tissue factor is predicted to be an extended domain structure similar to that of the tissue factor-bound crystal. Removal of the EGF1-bound calcium ion is shown by simulation to lead to minor structural changes within the EGF1 domain, but also leads to substantial relative reorientation of the Gla and EGF1 domains.

Identification of residues in the Gla-domain of human factor IX involved in the binding to conformation specific antibodies

The binding of Ca2+ induces a conformational change in factor IX which can be monitored with conformation specific antibodies. Anti-FIX:Mg(II) antibodies recognize a conformational epitope (FIX') that can be induced by several metal ions such as Ca2+, Mg2+, Mn2+ and Ba2+, while anti-FIX:Ca(II) antibodies recognize a conformational epitope (FIX*) that can be only induced by Ca2+ and Sr2+ ions (Liebman et al., J. Biol. Chem., vol. 262 (1987) pp. 7605-7612). The latter conformation is essential for the function of factor IX. In this study we tried to identify residues in the Gla-domain of factor IX which are involved in binding to anti-factor IX:Mg(II) and anti-factor IX:Ca(II) antibodies. For this we substituted residues in recombinant human factor IX for those of factor X or factor VII. The substitution of residues 1-40 of factor IX by those of factor VII eliminated binding to both types of antibodies. Re-introduction of factor IX specific residues increased the binding to conformation specific anti-factor IX antibodies, but reduced the binding to conformation specific anti-factor VII antibodies, indicating that the structural integrity of the Gla-domain was not seriously affected by the mutations. We provide evidence that residues 33, 39 and 40 of human factor IX are important for binding to anti-factor IX:Mg(II) antibodies, while residues 1-11 are important for binding to anti-factor IX:Ca(II) antibodies.

Site-directed mutagenesis but not gamma-carboxylation of Glu-35 in factor VIIa affects the association with tissue factor

Factor VIIa is a vitamin K-dependent enzyme whose gamma-carboxyglutamic acid (Gla)-containing domain is important for calcium ion-dependent binding to the cofactor tissue factor and membrane surfaces. This domain contains 10 Gla residues, the individual roles and importance of which are not known. Comparisons with the homologous protein C, factor IX and prothrombin may provide functional information on the first nine Gla residues, whereas no data can be extrapolated to Gla-35 in factor VIIa. Therefore, the effects of posttranslational gamma-carboxylation and site-directed mutagenesis of Glu-35 were investigated. Mutations to Asp, Gln or Val all lead to a lower affinity for tissue factor by decreasing the rate of association, in the case of the Val mutant by a factor of 200, as measured by surface plasmon resonance. In contrast, Glu or Gla side chains at position 35 appear to fulfil the functional roles equally well.

Structurally and functionally distinct Ca2+ binding sites in the gamma-carboxyglutamic acid-containing domain of factor VIIa

The structural and functional effects of Ca2+ binding to vitamin-K-dependent coagulation factor VIIa were investigated. Conformational changes with a midpoint around 0.7 mM Ca2+ quenched the intrinsic protein fluorescence of a fragment of factor VIIa comprising only the light chain and this coincided with an increase in factor VIIa amidolytic activity in the absence of tissue factor. Ca2+ binding to sites in factor VIIa and in the fragment with an apparent dissociation constant of 1.3-1.4 mM induced binding to phospholipids. A similar Ca2+ dependency was not observed with factor VIIa lacking the N-terminal 38 or 44 residues of the light chain and the observed effects could thus be attributed to gamma-carboxyglutamic-acid-dependent Ca2+ binding. Mg2+ appeared to bind to the site(s) of relatively higher affinity since, although it was less efficient than Ca2+, it stimulated the amidolytic activity and induced quenching of the intrinsic fluorescence. In contrast, Mg2+ did not induce expression of the phospholipid-interactive structure. The binding properties of two monoclonal antibodies that recognized epitopes in the gamma-carboxy-glutamic-acid-rich domain of factor VIIa corroborated the occurrence of two Ca(2+)-induced, sequential structural changes and only one of the antibodies recognized the Mg(2+)-induced structure. Thus Ca2+ binding to the gamma-carboxyglutamic-acid-containing domain appeared to result in at least two distinct structural transitions with different functional consequences. The two (sets of) sites responsible for the observed effects could be distinguished based upon differences in Ca2+ affinity and metal ion selectivity. The interaction between factor VIIa and tissue factor was monitored by means of a direct binding assay and an amidolytic assay. In both systems, half-maximal Ca2+ enhancement was observed at 0.25 mM. This coincided with a Ca(2+)-induced conformational change in factor VIIa associated with fluorescence quenching. The same effect on amidolytic activity was observed with the two N-terminally truncated forms of factor VIIa and it is presumably mediated by Ca2+ binding to a site located in the serine protease part.