Merck, MABS2155-100UG, Anti-Fibrin Antibody

Fibrinogen beta chain (UniProt: P02675) is encoded by the FGB gene (Gene ID: 2244) in human. Fibrinogen beta chain is synthesized with a signal peptide (aa 1-30), which is subsequently cleaved off to product the mature protein that is further cleaved by thrombin to produce fibrinopeptide B (aa 31-44) and fibrinogen beta chain (45-491). Conversion of fibrinogen to fibrin is triggered by thrombin, which cleaves fibrinopeptides A and B from alpha and beta chains, and thus exposes the N-terminal polymerization sites responsible for the formation of the soft clot. The soft clot is converted into the hard clot by factor XIIIA which catalyzes the epsilon-(gamma-glutamyl)lysine cross-linking between gamma chains (stronger) and between alpha chains (weaker) of different monomers. Fibrin monomers spontaneously aggregate into an insoluble gel, which is then covalently stabilized by Factor XIIIa. Fibrin is shown to retain about 98% of the original covalent structure of fibrinogen. Fibrin clot can be broken down by plasmin by cleave between residues 152-153 and 163-164. This monoclonal antibody (clone 59D8) binds to fibrin even in the presence of human fibrinogen at the concentration found in plasma. (Ref.: Hui, KY., et al. (1983). Science. 222 (4628); 1129-1132).