The inactivation of thrombin and plasmin by antithrombin III in the presence of sepharose-heparin

Inhibition of esterase and amidase activities of alpha- and beta-thrombin in the presence of antithrombin III and heparin

Inhibition of the esterase and amidase activities of bovine alpha- and beta-thrombin in the presence of antithrombin III and heparin has been studied. It was found that both the esterase and amidase activities of alpha-thrombin were inhibited by antithrombin III and the reactions were accelerated by heparin. The inhibition of amidase and esterase activities of beta-thrombin by antithrombin III has also been demonstrated. Heparin however did not increase the rate of inactivation of the enzyme.

Effect of heparin on thrombin inactivation by antithrombin-III

The inactivation of thrombin by heat and by its physiological inhibitor, antithrombin-III, shows quite different dependence on heparin concentration. Heparin at 250 microgram/ml protects thrombin against heat inactivation, and thrombin behaves heterogeneously in this reaction. In the absence of heparin, the thermodynamic activation parameters change with temperature (deltaH+ = 733 kJ/mol and 210 kJ/mol at 50 and 58 degrees C respectively). When heparin is present, heat inactivation of the protected thrombin species proceeds with deltaH+ = 88 kJ/mol and is independent of temperature in the same range. On the other hand, heparin at 0.125-2.5 microgram/ml accelerates the thrombin-antithrombin-III reaction. Thrombin does not show heterogeneity in this reaction and the time courses at any heparin concentration and any temperature between 0 and 37 degrees C appear to follow first-order kinetics. Activation enthalpy is independent of heparin concentration or temperature, deltaH+ = 82-101 kJ/mol, varying slightly with antithrombin-III concentration and thrombin specific activity. Heparin seems to exert its effect by increasing activation entropy. On the basis of these data we suggest a mechanism of action of heparin in the thrombin-antithrombin-III reaction which accounts for all the important features of the latter and seems to unify the different hypotheses that have been advanced.

Decreased heparin sensitivity of cycholhexanedione-modified thrombin

Modification of 5--6 arginine residues of thrombin with 1,2-cyclohexanedione has resulted in the selective abolition of the heparin sensitivity of the enzyme's reaction with antithrombin-III, whereas the antithrombin-III sensitivity of native and modified thrombin was indistinguishable. It is suggested that heparin accelerates the thrombin antithrombin-III reaction by interacting with thrombin.