Factor VIII procoagulant activity, factor VIII related antigen and von Willebrand factor in newborn cord blood

The mean level of factor VIII procoagulant acitivity (VIII:C) and factor VIII related antigen (VIIIR:AG) was normal in 100 newborn cord plasmas, whereas that of von Willebrand factor (VIIIR:WF) activity was slightly lower than normal. On crossed immunoelectrophoresis, 20 of 50 newborn infants had an increased anodal mobility of VIIIR:AG. When the cord plasma showing an abnormal electrophoretic pattern was mixed with normal plasma, two precipitation peaks with a broad base were found. Similar mixing experiments with the abnormal cord plasma and plasma from a patient with atypical von Willebrand's disease did not normalize the electrophoretic mobility of VIIIR:AG. Gel filtration of the cord plasma with an abnormal electrophoretic pattern of VIII:AG, showed that the three activities were all detected at the position corresponding to a molecular weight of about 800 000. The results suggest the presence of qualitative abnormalities of the factor VIII molecule in half of full-term newborn cord plasma.

Demonstration of somatomedin activity of "multiplication-stimulating activity" in rabbit costal chondrocytes in culture

Multiplication-stimulating activity (MSA), a substance obtained from conditioned medium of Buffalo rat liver cells, stimulated replication of rabbit costal chondrocytes in culture and their DNA synthesis, sulfation of glycosaminoglycans, protein synthesis, and collagen synthesis. These stimulatory effects of MSA were dose-dependent in serum-free medium, indicating that MSA has intrinsic somatomedin activity. Even after several successive passages, cultured chondrocytes were more responsive to MSA than other organ- and cell-culture systems reported. Therefore, cultured rabbit costal chondrocytes proved a good in vitro system for analysis of somatomedin actions.

Studies of von Willebrand factor: effects of different kinds of carbohydrate oxidases, SH-inhibitors and some other chemical reagents

The effects of several kinds of carbohydrate oxidase, SH-inhibitors and some other chemical reagents on the activities of von Willebrand factor, factor VIII procoagulant and factor VIII-related antigen were studied. Factor VIII procoagulant and von Willebrand factor activities were both inhibited by galactose oxidase, p-hydroxymercuribenzoic acid, 2,4,6-trinitrobenzensulfonic acid and sodium periodate, alpha-Mannosidase, N-ethylmaleimide and phospholipase C inactivated factor VIII procoagulant but not von Willebrand factor activity. Dithiothreitol had little effect on factor VIII procoagulant activity but reduced significantly that of von Willebrand factor. It is suggested that galactose and the thiol and epsilon-aminogroup groups of lysine may play an important role in both factor VIII procoagulant and von Willebrand factor activity. Mannose may be responsible for the factor VIII procoagulant activity but not for the von Willebrand factor activity. The Laurell rocket heights of factor VIII-related antigen rose with increasing concentration of galactose oxidase, 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid or sodium periodate. Gel filtration experiments showed that factor VIII-related antigen may be dissociated into subunits by galactose oxidase but not by 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid or sodium periodate.