A rapid method for the isolation of coagulation factor XII from human plasma

New ligand, N-(2-pyridylmethyl)aminoacetate, for use in the immobilised metal ion affinity chromatographic separation of proteins

A new chelating compound has been developed for use in the immobilised metal ion affinity chromatographic separation of proteins. The tridentate ligand, sodium N-(2-pyridylmethyl)aminoacetate (carbpyr), 1, was prepared via a one-step synthesis from 2-picolylamine, 3 and then immobilised onto Sepharose CL-4B through the epoxide coupling procedure. The binding behaviour of the resulting IMAC sorbent, following chelation with Cu2+ ions to a density of 152 micromol Cu2+ ions/g gel was characterised by frontal analysis experiments using horse heart myoglobin (HMYO) at pH 7.0 and pH 9.0. From the derived isotherms, the adsorption capacity, q(m), for the binding of HMYO to immobilised Cu2+-N-(2-pyridylmethyl)aminoacetate (im-Cu2+-carbpyr)-Sepharose CL-4B at these pH values was found to be 1.92 and 1.91 micromol/g sorbent, respectively, whilst the dissociation constants K(D) were 0.0092 x 10(-6) M and 0.0062 x 10(-6) M at pH 7.0 and pH 9.0, respectively, indicating that the HMYO-im-Cu2+-N-(2-pyridylmethyl)aminoacetate complex was more stable under alkaline conditions, although the binding capacity in terms of micromol protein/g gel remained essentially unchanged. The selectivity features of the im-Cu2+-carbpyr-Sepharose CL-4B sorbent were further characterised in terms of the binding properties with several human serum proteins at pH 5.0, pH 7.0 and pH 9.0.

Prekallikrein activation in human, bovine, and rabbit plasmas: presence of an inhibitor in bovine plasma

Contact of human plasma with a negatively charged surface such as dextran sulfate activates prekallikrein to kallikrein, which releases the vasoactive peptide bradykinin from high-molecular-weight kininogen. The dextran sulfate-induced activation of prekallikrein at 0 degree C (assayed by its amidolytic activity on the chromogenic substate S-2302) could not be observed in either bovine or rabbit plasmas when compared to human plasma. Neither bovine nor rabbit plasma inhibited the amidolytic activity of contact-activated human plasma at 0 degrees C. The activation of prekallikrein in human plasma was significantly inhibited by the addition of bovine plasma but not by rabbit plasma. Bovine plasma (0.025 units, 1 unit = 1 ml of plasma) caused 68.8% inhibition of prekallikrein activation. Eighty percent of the inhibitory property of bovine plasma was present in the greater than 30,000-molecular-weight fraction. These results indicate the presence of an inhibitor(s) of prekallikrein activation in bovine plasma.

Zinc ions promote the binding of factor XII/factor XIIA to acidic phospholipids but have no effect on the binding of high-Mr kininogen

Binding of high-Mr kininogen and factor XII/factor XIIa to phospholipids coated on to polystyrene microtiter plates was investigated by ELISA. Both high-Mr kininogen and factor XII/factor XIIa bound specifically to the phospholipid surface. Binding was observed to negatively charged phospholipids only. The binding of high-Mr kininogen was not affected by the presence of zinc ions. At a surface concentration of 20% phosphatidylinositol phosphate in phosphatidylcholine a dissociation constant (kD) of 10 nM for the binding of high-Mr kininogen was calculated. The amount of bound purified alpha-factor XIIa could be increased 4-5-fold in the presence of zinc ions. The lowest zinc ion concentration giving maximal binding was 0.1 mM. The binding of alpha-factor XIIa was inhibited by high-Mr kininogen. Independent of the presence of zinc ions or high-Mr kininogen, a kD of 7.9 nM was calculated for alpha-factor XIIa binding. The binding of prekallikrein was dependent upon the presence and the concentration of high-Mr kininogen. In plasma containing aprotinin, the binding of high-Mr kininogen was apparently inhibited in the presence of zinc ions, which was a prerequisite for the binding of factor XII. This apparently inhibitory effect of zinc ions on the binding of high-Mr kininogen was probably due to the increased binding of factor XII, which displaced high-Mr kininogen.

The inositol-phospholipid-accelerated activation of prekallikrein by activated factor XII at physiological ionic strength requires zinc ions and high-Mr kininogen

In a system consisting of purified proteins inositol-phospholipid-accelerated activation of prekallikrein by alpha-factor XIIa was determined by measuring the appearance of kallikrein amidolytic activity towards the chromogenic substrate, H-D-Pro-Phe-Arg-NH-PhNO2 (PhNO2, 4-nitrophenyl). The activation reaction was ionic-strength dependent. In the absence of high-Mr kininogen optimal activity was recorded at I = 50 mM. Searching for conditions, which could change this optimum towards physiological values, high-Mr kininogen was added. This resulted in an inhibition of the activity, with no change in ionic strength optimum. If, however, Zn2+ were added concomitant with high-Mr kininogen, the inhibition was abolished and optimal activity recorded at physiological ionic strength. The optimal Zn2+ concentration was found to be 0.1 mM. Kinetic analysis of the reaction demonstrated that the kcat/Km was 1.2 x 10(5) M-1 s-1 in the absence and 1.1 x 10(6) M-1 s-1 in the presence of Zn2+. Zn2+ were also required for inositol-phospholipid-accelerated initiation of the contact activation in whole plasma.

Inositolphospholipid-accelerated activation of prekallikrein by activated factor XII and its inhibition by beta 2-glycoprotein I

Inositolphospholipid-accelerated activation of prekallikrein by alpha-factor XIIa was determined by measuring the appearance of kallikrein amidolytic activity towards the chromogenic substrate, D-prolyl-phenylalanyl-arginyl p-nitroanilide (S-2302). The activation reaction did not exhibit normal Michaelis-Menten kinetics. The Hill coefficient was found to be 1.6 indicating that the activation followed an allosteric reaction mechanism. The temperature dependence of the reaction showed a thermal transition at 30 degrees C, which in addition to the allosteric reaction mechanism is indicative of a conformational change of prekallikrein following binding to the inositolphospholipid. The reaction exhibited pH optimum at pH 7.2 and ionic strength optimum at 50 mM NaCl. At optimal conditions the apparent KA value and the kcat/KA value for factor XIIa on prekallikrein were calculated to be 73 nM and 9.3 x 10(6) s-1 M-1, respectively. Kinetic constants could not be calculated at salt concentrations higher than the optimal concentrations, as Lineweaver-Burk plots were curvilinear in agreement with the Hill coefficient greater than unity. The activation was inhibited competitively by beta 2-glycoprotein I with a Ki value of 77 nM as determined by the Dixon plot.

Purification of human factor XII from plasma using zinc chelate affinity chromatography

Human factor XII (Hageman Factor) was isolated from human plasma to apparent homogeneity using a four step procedure with yields up to 30%. The method, which is more rapid than the current conventional procedures, consists of a 25-50% ammonium sulfate fractionation, two affinity chromatography steps using Zinc Chelate Sepharose, followed by gel filtration. The isolated zymogen factor XII was a single protein component when examined by SDS PAGE with a Mr of 80,000. Activation of zymogen factor XII to its active enzymatic forms by kallikrein resulted in factor XIIa and factor XIIf as observed with factor XII purified by other procedures.