Antifibrinolytic activity of apolipoprotein(a) in vivo: human apolipoprotein(a) transgenic mice are resistant to tissue plasminogen activator-mediated thrombolysis

The extensive homology between apolipoprotein(a) and plasminogen has led to the hypothesis that the increased risk for atherosclerosis, cardiac disease and stroke associated with elevated levels of apolipoprotein(a) may reflect modulation of fibrinolysis. We have investigated the role of apolipoprotein(a) on clot lysis in transgenic mice expressing the human apolipoprotein(a) gene. These mice develop fatty streak lesions resembling early lesions of human atherosclerosis. Pulmonary emboli were generated in mice by injection, through the right jugular vein, of a human platelet-rich plasma clot radiolabelled with technetium-99m-labelled antifibrin antibodies. Tissue plasminogen activator was introduced continuously via the right jugular vein. Clot lysis, determined by ex vivo imaging, was depressed in mice carrying the apolipoprotein(a) transgene relative to their sex-matched normal littermates. These results directly demonstrate an in vivo effect of apolipoprotein(a) on fibrinolysis, an effect that may contribute to the pathology associated with elevated levels of this protein.

Localization of the factor IX propeptide binding site on recombinant vitamin K dependent carboxylase using benzoylphenylalanine photoaffinity peptide inactivators

The propeptide binding/activation site on the vitamin K dependent carboxylase has been localized to a region of carboxylase between residues Arg +50 and Glu +225 by photoinactivation studies using [125I]tyrosyl-labeled benzoylphenylalanine (Bpa)-containing analogs of proFIX19, a peptide containing residues -18 to +1 of factor IX. Four proFIX19 analogs with Bpa substituents at -16, -13, -7, and -6 were synthesized. These peptides were specific photoinactivators of carboxylase and were used to label a His6-carboxylase construct produced in baculovirus-infected insect cells. Fragments of the labeled carboxylase produced by V8 protease digestion were analyzed by peptide-specific antibodies and by autoradiography. The propeptide recognition site was localized to the N-terminal one-third of the 94 kDa carboxylase. This is consistent with previous studies using a carboxylase substrate affinity label, N-(bromoacetyl)-FLEELY [Kuliopulos, A., Nelson, N.P., Yamada, M., Walsh, C.T., Furie, B., Furie, B.C., & Roth, D.A. (1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269, 21364-21370], indicating that the propeptide binding site and the FLEEL binding site are both located within the N-terminal one-third of the vitamin K dependent carboxylase.

Lectin and epidermal growth factor domains of P-selectin at physiologic density are the recognition unit for leukocyte binding

P-selectin is an integral membrane glycoprotein on stimulated platelets and endothelial cells that serves as a receptor for leukocytes. To estimate the density of P-selectin in membranes necessary to support adhesion, we incorporated purified P-selectin at varying concentrations into phospholipid bilayers that encapsulated glass microspheres. Maximal binding of these lipospheres to HL60 cells, a P-selectin ligand-expressing cell line, was approached at a P-selectin density of about 100 molecules per microns 2; half-maximal binding was observed at about 50 to 60 molecules per microns 2. Compatible results were obtained with P-selectin expressed on Chinese hamster ovary cells. The P-selectin density on stimulated platelets was estimated to be 150 to 200 molecules/microns 2. To identify the domains of P-selectin required for HL60 cell binding, chimeras of P-selectin and L-selectin were stably expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells and clones that expressed the chimeras at the estimated physiologic density were selected. Chimeras containing the P-selectin lectin and epidermal growth factor (EGF) domains or the lectin, EGF, and short consensus repeats bound HL60 cells equivalently, but a chimera containing the P-selectin lectin domain alone bound HL60 cells much less well. These results indicate that at a physiologically relevant P-selectin density on membrane surfaces, the lectin, and EGF domains of P-selectin are together required for optimal leukocyte binding.

Profactor IX: the propeptide inhibits binding to membrane surfaces and activation by factor XIa

The gamma-carboxylase recognition site in the propeptide of profactor IX signals the gamma-carboxylation of specific glutamic acid residues in the adjacent Gla domain during factor IX biosynthesis. To study posttranslational processing of the vitamin K-dependent blood coagulation factors and the properties of processing intermediates, we have isolated an incompletely processed factor IX species, profactor IX, from the medium of heterologous mammalian cells expressing the human factor IX cDNA. Profactor IX was purified by sequential immunoaffinity chromatography using antibodies specific for the propeptide and antibodies specific for the well-carboxylated factor IX species. This purified profactor IX preparation was fully gamma-carboxylated and contained the N-terminal propeptide, but it exhibited no factor IX procoagulant activity. Profactor IX was not cleaved following incubation with factor XIa. In contrast to mature factor IX, profactor IX did not demonstrate Ca(II)-dependent binding to acidic phospholipid vesicles, nor can the membrane binding surface be expressed, as detected by antibodies specific for this epitope. The propeptide of profactor IX can be removed in vitro by a specific endopeptidase, furin/PACE, yielding factor IX, which can be converted to fully active factor IXa by factor XIa and which binds normally to acidic phospholipid vesicles. These results indicate that fully gamma-carboxylated profactor IX is biologically inactive due to the presence of the propeptide.

Membrane binding properties of the factor IX gamma-carboxyglutamic acid-rich domain prepared by chemical synthesis

The fully gamma-carboxylated peptides based upon the complete and truncated Gla/aromatic amino acid stack domains of human Factor IX were prepared by solid phase peptide synthesis using Fmoc (N-(9-fluorenyl)methoxycarbonyl) chemistry. A 47-residue peptide Factor IX-(1-47) and a 42-residue peptide Factor IX-(1-42), both containing 12 residues of L-gamma-carboxyglutamic acid, were purified by high performance liquid chromatography and oxidized to form the disulfide bond. Quantitative gamma-carboxyglutamic acid analysis of Factor IX-(1-47) and Factor IX-(1-42) indicated the presence of 12.1 and 11.2 gamma-carboxyglutamic acid residues/mol of peptide, respectively; no glutamic acid was detected. As monitored by fluorescence quenching, calcium ions induced the prototypical conformational transition in Factor IX-(1-47), but not in Factor IX-(1-42), that is observed with Factor IX. Half-maximal quenching of the intrinsic fluorescence of Factor IX-(1-47) was observed at Ca(II) concentrations of about 50 microM. Factor IX-(1-47) bound to the conformation-specific antibodies, anti-Factor IX:Mg(II) and anti-Factor IX:Ca(II)-specific in the presence of metal ions. Factor IX-(1-47) bound to phospholipid membranes, as monitored by energy transfer from intrinsic fluorophores to dansyl (5-dimethylaminonaphthalene-1-sulfonyl)-phosphatidylethanolamine incorporated into a lipid bilayer composed of phosphatidylserine:phosphatidylcholine. In contrast, Factor IX-(1-42) bound poorly to these same membranes. Factor IX-(1-47) did not inhibit Factor XIa activation of Factor IX but did inhibit the activation of Factor X by Factor IXa bound to Factor VIII in the presence of calcium ions and phospholipid. These results show that phospholipid membrane binding is a property of the Gla/aromatic amino acid stack domain and that the Factor IX-(1-47) peptide, prepared by chemical synthesis, preserves the membrane binding properties and the metal-induced conformational transitions observed in native Factor IX. These results indicate that Factor IX-(1-47) but not Factor IX-(1-42) is a suitable model for structural studies of Factor IX-membrane interaction.

P-selectin induces the expression of tissue factor on monocytes

P-selectin on activated platelets and stimulated endothelial cells mediates cell adhesion with monocytes and neutrophils. Since activated platelets induce tissue factor on mononuclear leukocytes, we examined the effect of P-selectin on the expression of tissue factor activity in monocytes. Purified P-selectin stimulated tissue factor expression on mononuclear leukocytes in a dose-dependent manner. Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells expressing P-selectin stimulated tissue factor procoagulant activity in purified monocytes, whereas untransfected CHO cells and CHO cells expressing E-selectin did not. Anti-P-selectin antibodies inhibited the effects of purified P-selectin and CHO cells expressing P-selectin on monocytes. Incubation of CHO cells expressing P-selectin with monocytes leads to the development of tissue factor mRNA in monocytes and to the expression of tissue factor antigen on the monocyte surface. These results indicate that P-selectin upregulates the expression of tissue factor on monocytes as well as mediates the binding of platelets and endothelial cells with monocytes and neutrophils. The binding of P-selectin to monocytes in the area of vascular injury may be a component of a mechanism that initiates thrombosis.

Localization of the affinity peptide-substrate inactivator site on recombinant vitamin K-dependent carboxylase

A recombinant His6-tagged vitamin K-dependent gamma-glutamyl carboxylase has been produced in baculovirus-infected insect cells. The His6-carboxylase shares nearly identical kinetic properties with the wild-type enzyme from bovine liver microsomes. The His6-carboxylase was irreversibly inactivated by the N-bromoacetyl-FLEEL-125I-Y peptide substrate/affinity label under pseudo-first order conditions. This inactivation could be abolished by coincubation with a high affinity peptide substrate consistent with an active site-directed inactivation. The inactivated His6-carboxylase-Ac-FLEEL-125I-Y, purified under denaturing conditions by Ni-chelation chromatography followed by preparative polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, was subjected to proteolytic digestions with either Glu-C or Lys-C endoproteinases. The resulting polypeptide fragments were probed with three regiospecific antibodies which recognized epitopes present at the extreme N terminus (residues -23 to -13), at the hydrophobic N-terminal region (residues 86-99), and at the hydrophilic C-terminal region (residues 661-673). The site of attachment to the 125I-affinity label is located within the first 218 amino acid residues of the 758-residue carboxylase. This is the first evidence for the involvement of either the putative membrane-anchoring hydrophobic region (residues 50-314) or possibly the N-terminal hydrophilic region (residues 1-50) in gamma-carboxylation of glutamate-peptide substrates.

A role for the epidermal growth factor-like domain of P-selectin in ligand recognition and cell adhesion

The selectin family of adhesion molecules mediates the initial interactions of leukocytes with endothelium. The extracellular region of each selectin contains an amino-terminal C-type lectin domain, followed by an EGF-like domain and multiple short consensus repeat units (SCR). Previous studies have indirectly suggested a role for each of the extracellular domains of the selectins in cell adhesion. In this study, a panel of chimeric selectins created by exchange of domains between L- and P-selectin was used to directly examine the role of the extracellular domains in cell adhesion. Exchange of only the lectin domains between L- and P-selectin conferred the adhesive and ligand recognition functions of the lectin domain of the parent molecule. However, chimeric selectins which contained both the lectin domain of L-selectin and the EGF-like domain of P-selectin exhibited dual ligand-binding specificity. These chimeric proteins supported adhesion both to myeloid cells and to high endothelial venules (HEV) of lymph nodes and mesenteric venules in vivo. Exchange of the SCR domains had no detectable effect on receptor function or specificity. Thus, the EGF-like domain of P-selectin may play a direct role in ligand recognition and leukocyte adhesion mediated by P-selectin, with the lectin plus EGF-like domains collectively forming a functional ligand recognition unit.

Expression cloning of a functional glycoprotein ligand for P-selectin

The initial adhesive interactions between circulating leukocytes and endothelia are mediated, in part, by P-selectin. We now report the expression cloning of a functional ligand for P-selectin from an HL-60 cDNA library. The predicted amino acid sequence reveals a novel mucin-like transmembrane protein. Significant binding of transfected COS cells to P-selectin requires coexpression of both the protein ligand and a fucosyltransferase. This binding is calcium dependent and can be inhibited by a neutralizing monoclonal antibody to P-selectin. Cotransfected COS cells express the ligand as a homodimer of 220 kd. A soluble ligand construct, when coexpressed with fucosyltransferase in COS cells, also mediates P-selectin binding and is immunocrossreactive with the major HL-60 glycoprotein that specifically binds P-selectin.

The importance of specific gamma-carboxyglutamic acid residues in prothrombin. Evaluation by site-specific mutagenesis

Prothrombin has 10 gamma-carboxyglutamic acid residues which are essential for the metal ion binding properties and membrane binding function of the protein. To assess the importance of each gamma-carboxyglutamic acid residue we made, by site directed mutagenesis, a series of mutant human prothrombins each with a single glutamic acid to aspartic acid substitution at positions 6, 7, 14, 16, 19, 20, 25, 26, 29, or 32 which are gamma-carboxylated in native prothrombin. Along with wild-type prothrombin, the prothrombin mutants were expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells, purified by immunoaffinity chromatography using polyclonal anti-prothrombin antibodies, and shown by amino acid analysis to contain the expected number of gamma-carboxyglutamic acid residues. Only substitution of gamma-carboxyglutamic acid 6 with aspartic acid yields a protein with procoagulant activity, affinity for phospholipid and KM(app) for prothrombinase indistinguishable from wild-type prothrombin. In contrast, the conservative gamma-carboxyglutamic acid to aspartic acid mutation at positions 16, 26, or 29 results in proteins with little or no procoagulant activity, Kd(app) for binding to phospholipid at least 200-fold higher than wild-type prothrombin and a KM(app) for interaction with the prothrombinase complex nearly 100-fold higher than wild-type prothrombin. The mutations at residues 7, 14, 19, 20, 25, or 32 yielded proteins with intermediate procoagulant activities, between 15 and 52% of wild-type prothrombin. These data have been interpreted to suggest that there are certain gamma-carboxyglutamic acid residues which are important to maintaining the basic structure of the calcium-liganded Gla domain while other gamma-carboxyglutamic acid residues subserve other functions including membrane binding and interdomain interactions.

Expression of bovine vitamin K-dependent carboxylase activity in baculovirus-infected insect cells

A vitamin K-dependent carboxylase has recently been purified from bovine liver microsomes and candidate cDNA clones have been isolated. Definitive identification of the carboxylase remains circumstantial since expression of candidate carboxylase cDNAs in mammalian cells is confounded by the presence of endogenous carboxylase activity. To overcome this problem, a recombinant strain of baculovirus (Autographa california nuclear polyhedrosis virus, AcMNPV) encoding a putative carboxylase (vbCbx/AcMNPV) was used to infect Sf9 insect cells, which we demonstrate have no endogenous carboxylase activity. Infection with vbCbx/AcMNPV conferred vitamin K-dependent carboxylase activity to Sf9 insect cells. Carboxylase activity was demonstrated to peak 2-3 days after infection with vbCbx/AcMNPV. Metabolic radiolabeling with L-[35S]methionine revealed that the 90-kDa recombinant protein is the major protein synthesized at the time of peak activity after infection. An anti-peptide antibody directed against residues 86-99 reacted with bovine liver carboxylase on Western blot analysis and immunoprecipitated recombinant carboxylase from infected Sf9 microsomal protein preparations. Since Sf9 insect cells lack endogenous vitamin K-dependent carboxylase activity, expression of carboxylase activity in Sf9 insect cells with recombinant baculovirus demonstrates that the protein encoded by this cDNA is a vitamin K-dependent gamma-glutamyl carboxylase.

The interaction of prothrombin with phospholipid membranes is independent of either kringle domain

Prothrombin contains two kringle domains, a structural motif common to other plasma proteins involved in hemostasis and fibrinolysis. To determine the role of the kringle domains of prothrombin, we prepared three recombinant human prothrombin forms lacking the first kringle domain (residues 63-144; PT/delta K1), the second kringle domain (residues 144-249; PT/delta K2), or both kringle domains (63-249; PT/delta K1,2). The isolated prothrombin proteins were greater than 95% pure by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and were well carboxylated. PT/delta K1 displayed 50% of the specific coagulant activity of plasma prothrombin, PT/delta K2 had 10% of the specific coagulant activity, and PT/delta K1,2 was inactive. Polyclonal antibodies directed against the Ca(II)-specific conformer of prothrombin bound PT/delta K1 and PT/delta K2 with the same affinity as prothrombin, indicating that the Ca(II)-induced conformational transition does not involve sites on the prothrombin kringle domains. Gel filtration studies demonstrated that radiolabeled plasma prothrombin and all of the prothrombin kringle deletion mutants bound to phospholipid vesicles in the presence of Ca(II) but not in the presence of Mg(II) or EDTA. Relative dissociation constants of 1.10 +/- 0.75 and 0.49 +/- 0.18 microM were obtained by quasielastic light scattering for the interaction of phospholipid vesicles with plasma prothrombin and PT/delta K1, respectively. These data indicate that neither the first nor the second kringle domain contain unique sites for the interaction of prothrombin with phospholipid vesicles and are not required for prothrombin-phospholipid binding.

Rapid phosphorylation and selective dephosphorylation of P-selectin accompanies platelet activation

P-selectin, a receptor for neutrophils and monocytes, is an adhesion molecule on the surface of activated platelets that resides in the alpha granule membrane of unstimulated platelets. To determine whether phosphorylation of P-selectin might accompany platelet activation, P-selectin in resting and thrombin-stimulated platelets labeled with o-[32P]phosphate was immunoprecipitated with the monoclonal antibody AC1.2 directed against P-selectin. SDS-gel electrophoresis of the immunoprecipitates indicated about 10-20-fold higher levels of 32P incorporated into P-selectin from thrombin-activated platelets than in resting platelets, although both sets of platelets contained equivalent amounts of P-selectin. The lower limits of the molar ratio of phosphate to P-selectin in activated platelets is about 0.52 +/- 0.08. Other platelet agonists, including the thrombin receptor peptide (SFLLR), epinephrine, ADP, and collagen, similarly stimulated phosphorylation of P-selectin. The kinetics of P-selectin phosphorylation following thrombin stimulation was rapid, with maximum phosphorylation observed at 15-30 s. Phosphoamino acid analysis of the phosphorylated P-selectin revealed the rapid synthesis of phosphoserine, phosphothreonine, and phosphotyrosine, but 80-90% of the phosphotyrosine and phosphothreonine disappeared within 5 min of platelet activation while the maximal level of phosphoserine remained stable. The rapid phosphorylation and selective dephosphorylation of specific amino acids in P-selectin following platelet activation may be important for P-selectin function and signal transduction within platelets.

In vitro and in vivo functional characterization of bovine vitamin K-dependent gamma-carboxylase expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells

Coagulation factor IX is a serine protease for which high-level expression of biologically active protein in heterologous cells is limited due to inefficient proteolytic removal of the propeptide as well as vitamin K-dependent carboxylation of multiple amino-terminal glutamic acid residues. We have overexpressed the vitamin K-dependent gamma-carboxylase cDNA and monitored its ability to improve factor IX processing in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. From amino acid sequence analysis of bovine liver vitamin K-dependent gamma-carboxylase, degenerate oligonucleotides were used to isolate a 3.5-kbp bovine cDNA that encoded a 758-residue open reading frame. Expression of the cDNA in COS-1 and CHO cells yielded 17- and 16-fold increases in the in vitro gamma-carboxylase activity of microsomal preparations, respectively. Anti-serum raised against a predicted peptide sequence reacted with a 94-kDa polypeptide in the partially purified bovine liver preparation as well as in stably transfected CHO cells. The amount of antibody reactivity correlated with the increased ability to carboxylate a peptide substrate in vitro. These results strongly support the conclusion that the cDNA encodes the vitamin K-dependent gamma-carboxylase. Transient transfection of the gamma-carboxylase expression vector into factor IX-expressing CHO cells did not improve the specific procoagulant activity of secreted factor IX. In contrast, transfection of an expression vector encoding the propeptide processing enzyme PACE (paired basic amino acid cleaving enzyme) did improve the specific activity of secreted factor IX by 3-fold. These results demonstrate that the ability of CHO cells to modify glutamic acid residues to gamma-carboxyglutamic acid in secreted factor IX is not limited by the expression of the vitamin K-dependent gamma-carboxylase alone.

Membrane binding kinetics of factor VIII indicate a complex binding process

Factor VIII functions as a component of the tenase enzyme complex upon phospholipid membranes. Factor VIII binds to phosphatidylserine-containing membranes and apparently provides high affinity binding sites for factor IXa upon these membranes. We have characterized the binding kinetics of human factor VIII with phosphatidylserine-containing membranes and directly compared the measured properties with those of factor V. The initial phase of association was evaluated in a stopped-flow apparatus by fluorescence energy transfer from aromatic residues in the protein to dansyl-labeled phosphatidylethanolamine in the vesicles. Association proceeded at an apparent second-order rate of 0.12 microM-1 s-1 for extruded phospholipid vesicles and 0.42 microM-1 s-1 for sonicated vesicles under pseudo-first-order conditions in which the phospholipid concentration determined the rate. Increased temperature resulted in more rapid association, and the effect decreased in the order extruded vesicles > sonicated vesicles > extruded vesicles of dioleoylphospholipids, indicating that the structure of the phospholipid membrane contributes to the activation energy of binding. The binding of fluorescein-labeled factor VIII to membranes supported on glass microspheres (lipospheres) was monitored by flow cytometry. Under conditions in which the factor VIII concentration determined the rate there was rapid initial association at 6.9 microM-1 s-1, accounting for half of the bound factor VIII, and a slower component of 0.87 microM-1 s-1, accounting for the other half. Likewise, the dissociation of factor VIII from liposphere membranes was biphasic with a faster component of 0.010 s-1 and a slower component of 0.0012 s-1. Rates of association and dissociation for factor V were similar to those for factor VIII and were biphasic. These results allow estimation of the size of the phospholipid sites that interact with factors VIII and V and suggest that both proteins bind to membranes via a multistep process in which rapid association is followed by a slower step yielding higher affinity binding.

Propeptide processing during factor IX biosynthesis. Effect of point mutations adjacent to the propeptide cleavage site

Factor IX is synthesized in a precursor form with a propeptide that contains the gamma-carboxylation recognition site, an element which directs the post-translational gamma-carboxylation of adjacent glutamic acid residues. After protein synthesis, the propeptide is cleaved to yield the mature Factor IX. To study propeptide processing, anti-proFactor IX antibodies were prepared using a synthetic peptide based upon the sequence of the Factor IX propeptide. Immunoaffinity-purified anti-proFactor IX antibodies were reactive with Factor IX Cambridge, a mutant form of Factor IX containing the propeptide, but were not reactive with Factor IX. These antibodies were used to examine the proteolytic processing of forms of Factor IX containing point mutations at P6, P3, P2, P1, P1', P2', and P3' adjacent to the propeptide cleavage site in order to determine the requirement of each of these amino acids for propeptide cleavage. Furthermore, the hierarchy of different pairs of basic residues at positions P1 and P2 was analyzed. The mutated cDNA constructs were expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells. Propeptide processing was examined using intrinsically labeled Factor IX immunoprecipitated with either anti-pro-Factor IX antibodies or anti-Factor IX:total antibodies, and the Factor IX species were separated by SDS-gel electrophoresis. Under the expression conditions employed, the propeptide of wild type Factor IX was almost completely removed, whereas Factor IX mutated to threonine at P1 was not cleaved. The percentage of propeptide cleaved varied with the amino acid sequences of residues P2 and P1, respectively: Lys-Arg (93%), Arg-Arg (66%), Thr-Arg (33%), Arg-Lys (19%), Lys-Lys (10%), and Lys-Thr (< 1%). Apart from alterations of basic amino acids at P1 and P2, nonconservative mutations at P6 and P3 decreased propeptide cleavage, whereas conservative mutations at P3, P1', P2', or P3' resulted in cleavage efficiencies approximately equal to that for wild type Factor IX. These results indicate that the preference of paired basic residues at P1 and P2 is similar to other endopeptidases active toward proteins secreted through the constitutive pathway and that the propeptide residues NH2-terminal to these paired basic residues are important in defining enzyme-substrate binding.