Figure 3.

Fine mapping of selected cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP)-specific mAbs. To identify possible linear peptide epitopes for anti-COMP mAbs, synthetic peptides from rat COMP were produced. Each peptide spans amino acid residues differently in the rat and mouse sequence. Antibodies were obtained from culture supernatants after 14 days and tested by ELISA in wells individually coated with 10 μg/ml of synthetic peptide. Pooled sera from COMP-immunized mice were used as the positive control. Monoclonal Ab 15A11 bound peptide 6, which is derived from EGF repeat 4.