Identification of an antigenic epitope and receptor binding domain of human C5a.

Nine different murine anti-human C5a monoclonal antibodies have been produced and characterized. They exhibit Kas for the 125I-labeled ligand that range from 0.4 to 48 X 10(8) M-1, and they display limited cross-reactivity with C5a from other species. Each of these antibodies has been found to compete with the granulocyte C5a receptor for binding site(s) on the C5a polypeptide. Exploration of the antigenic topography of C5a revealed that the immunodominant portion of this glycopolypeptide resides between residues Lys20 and Arg37, with the area surrounding Cys27 being particularly important. In addition, a specific C5a derived tryptic peptide containing these amino acid residues competes with 125I-C5a for binding to the receptor. These observations are consistent with previously published data and suggest that this area of the C5a molecule is an important part of the receptor "recognition domain", and thus plays a critical role in the C5a receptor interaction.