Crystal structure of NMC-4 fab anti-von Willebrand factor A1 domain

We have solved the crystal structure of the Fab fragment of NMC-4, a mouse monoclonal antibody that binds to the A1 domain of von Willebrand factor (vWF). Two Asp and three Tyr residues in the complementarity determining regions 1 and 3 of the heavy chain exhibited a spatial orientation suggestive of a dominant role in establishing contact with the antigen. A cluster of Asp and Tyr residues occurs also in a region of the platelet glycoprotein (GP) Ib alpha amino terminal domain known to be critically involved in vWF binding. Thus, the structural information obtained with NMC-4 may prove relevant to understand the stereochemical bases of the GP Ib alpha-vWF interaction essential for thrombus formation at sites of vascular lesion.