Summary
Protein S is an important anticoagulant protein acting as cofactor to activated protein
C (APC) in the degradation of membrane-bound factors Va and VIIIa. Binding of protein
S to the membrane depends on the Gla-domain, whereas sites for APC-interaction are
located in the thrombin-sensitive region (TSR) and the first EGF domain. The aims
of the present investigation were to localize the sites on protein S which are involved
in APC-cofactor function and to elucidate possible orientations of the TSR in relation
to the membrane. For these purposes, we determined the epitope for a calcium-dependent
monoclonal antibody (HPS67) against the TSR, which inhibits APC cofactor activity
even though it does not impede protein S binding to the membrane. HPS67 did not recognize
wild-type mouse protein S but gained reactivity against a recombinant mouse protein
in which G49 and R52 were mutated to R and Q (found in human protein S), respectively,
suggesting these two residues to be part of a surface exposed epitope for HPS67. This
information helped in the validation and refinement of the structural model for the
Gla-TSR-EGF1-modules of protein S. The X-ray structure of a Fab-fragment mimicking
HPS67 was docked onto the protein S model. The observation that HPS67 did not inhibit
phospholipid binding of protein S has implications for the possible orientation of
protein S on the membrane surface. In the proposed model for membrane-bound protein
S, there is no contact between the TSR and the membrane. Rather, the TSR is free to
interact with membrane-bound APC.