Original Paper

Epitope Specificity of Monoclonal and Polyclonal Antibodies to Human Elastin
S. M. Wei^a, E. Katona^b, J. Fachet^b, T. Fülöp Jr.^c, L. Robert^a, M. P. Jacob<sup>d

a</sup>Laboratoire de Biologie Cellulaire, Université Paris VII, Paris, France
^bDepartment of Physiopathology, Medical University of Debrecen, Hungary
^cCentre de Recherche en Gérontologie et Gériatrie, Sherbrooke, Que., Canada
^dINSERM U 460, UFR de Médecine Xavier Bichat, Paris, France

Address of Corresponding Author

Int Arch Allergy Immunol 1998;115:33-41 (DOI: 10.1159/000023827)

  Key Words

• Elastin
• Antigenicity
• Epitopes
• Antibodies
• Monoclonal antibodies
• Antigen specificity

  Abstract

Polyclonal (pAb) and monoclonal (mAb) anti-human aorta elastin antibodies were reacted with a series of overlapping hexapeptides along the human tropoelastin sequence covering exons 2-7 and 23-36 from the N-terminus to the C-terminus, advancing 1 amino acid residue each time. ELISA indicated reactive epitopes. mAb A2.1 recognized sequences containing Ala-Lys, mAb G8.1, A7.1 and pAb, hydrophobic sequences. None of them reacted with the hexapeptide VGVAPG, or with desmosine or isodesmosine. pAb L85 reacted with a His-containing sequence coded in exon 26A. pAb *E(L), *E(S) and L85 reacted with the Cys-containing sequence of exon 36. A synthetic 14-residue peptide containing the three proximal tyrosines coded in exon 13 did not react with any of the antisera tested. It appears therefore that the most frequently recognized epitopes are hydrophobic sequences. One polyclonal antibody detected several isoforms of tropoelastin in the medium of cultured vascular smooth muscle cells. Monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies stained elastic fibers on tissue sections, suggesting that the epitopes recognized are available on the native fibers for reaction with the antibodies.

  Author Contacts

Correspondence to: Dr. Marie Paule Jacob
INSERM U 460, UFR de Médecine Xavier Bichat
16, rue Henri Huchard
F-75870 Paris cedex 18 (France)
Tel. +33 1 44 85 61 53, Fax +33 1 44 85 61 57

  Article Information

Received: Received: October 7, 1996
Accepted after revision: September 8, 1997
Number of Print Pages : 9
Number of Figures : 3, Number of Tables : 3, Number of References : 41