Isolation of a Crosslinked Peptide from Hitman Fibrin and Development of a Radioimmunoassay

Factor XIIIa introduces up to six crossllnklng bonds per molecule of fibrin; the bonds between the γ chains on adjacent fibrin molecules form most rapidly. Since cross linking is essential for normal hemostasis and is likely to be important in tests to detect thrombosis, we have attempted to develop a radioimmunoassay that exhibits specificity for the γ chain crosslinks. The immunogen consisted of a 54 amino acid, crosslinked peptide, isolated from purified human γ-γ chains following CNBr cleavage, gel filtration on Sephadex G-50 and ion-exchange chromatography on SP-Sephadex. Amino acid analysis and Edman degradation through step 24 confirmed the sequence of Chen and Doolittle (Biochemistry 10: i486, 1971), and the two degradation steps that failed to liberate the expected PTH-amino acids matched the reported location of the Gin-Lys crosslinks. Antisera were obtained against this immunogen coupled either to bovine thyroglobulin or bovine serum albumin. All antisera elicited bound immunogen that was covalently coupled to ribonuclease radiolabeled with ¹²⁵I as a tracer. The unlabeled γ-γ, crosslinked peptide effectively inhibited binding (0.03-0.08 picomoles for 50% inhibition), while with some antisera up to 500 times more of the 27 amino acid γ monomer peptide was required for the same degree of inhibition. Fibrinogen and fragment D also were poor Inhibitors. The results Indicate that it is possible by radioimmunoassay to distinguish the COOH-termlnal region of the γ-γ dlmer from that of uncrosslinked molecules.