Characterization of discontinuous epitope of prion protein recognized by the monoclonal antibody T2

The anti-prion protein (PrP) monoclonal antibody T2 has previously been prepared using PrP-knockout mice immunized with mouse recombinant PrP residues 121–231, however its interaction mechanism to PrP antigen has not been cleared. Here we identified and characterized the epitope of T2 antibody. The competitive ELISA with 20-mer synthetic peptides derived from PrP121–231 showed that T2 antibody had no affinity for these peptides. The analysis with deletion mutants of PrP revealed that 10 amino acids in the N terminus and 66 amino acids in the C terminus of PrP121–231 were necessary for reactivity with T2. Two far regions are necessary for complete affinity of the T2 antibody for PrP; either region alone is not sufficient to retain the affinity. The epitope recognized by T2 antibody is discontinuous and conformational. We examined the effect of disulfide bond and salt bridges. Alkylation of cysteine residues in C terminus of PrP121–231, which breaks a disulfide bond and disrupts the structure, had diminished the reactivity. Mutations induced in the PrP121–231 to break the disulfide bond or salt bridges, markedly had reduced the reactivity with T2 antibody. It suggests that T2 antibody recognized the structure maintained by the disulfide bond and salt bridges.

Research highlights
► Anti-prion protein (PrP) monoclonal antibody T2 recognizes discontinuous epitope of PrP121–231
► N terminus and C terminus in PrP121–231 are necessary for complete affinity of the T2 for PrP
► PrP136–140 region is indispensable for recognition by the T2
► Structural motif that is critical for the recognition of PrP by the T2 was maintained by a disulfide bond and salt bridge in PrP