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Vandelanotte S, De Meyer SF. Acute Ischemic Stroke Thrombus Composition. Neuroscience 2024; 550:11-20. [PMID: 38185279 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2023.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
Ischemic stroke is caused by a thrombus blocking one or multiple arteries in the brain, resulting in irreversible damage in the associated brain tissue. The aim of therapy is to restore the blood flow as fast as possible. Two recanalization strategies are currently available: pharmacological thrombolysis using recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) and mechanical removal of the thrombus. Despite recent advancements, achieving efficient recanalization remains a challenge. The precise causes of therapy failure are not fully understood but thrombus composition is likely a key factor in successful recanalization. This review explores acute ischemic stroke thrombus composition, its recently identified components, and how it affects stroke treatment. It also discusses how new insights could enhance current recanalization strategies for ischemic stroke patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Simon F De Meyer
- Laboratory for Thrombosis Research, KU Leuven Kulak, Kortrijk, Belgium.
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2
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Berger M, Hell T, Tobiasch A, Martini J, Lindner A, Tauber H, Bachler M, Hermann M. Analysis of fibrin networks using topological data analysis - a feasibility study. Sci Rep 2024; 14:13123. [PMID: 38849447 PMCID: PMC11161616 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-63935-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Blood clot formation, a crucial process in hemostasis and thrombosis, has garnered substantial attention for its implications in various medical conditions. Microscopic examination of blood clots provides vital insights into their composition and structure, aiding in the understanding of clot pathophysiology and the development of targeted therapeutic strategies. This study explores the use of topological data analysis (TDA) to assess plasma clot characteristics microscopically, focusing on the identification of the elements components, holes and Wasserstein distances. This approach should enable researchers to objectively classify fibrin networks based on their topologic architecture. We tested this mathematical characterization approach on plasma clots formed in static conditions from porcine and human citrated plasma samples, where the effect of dilution and direct thrombin inhibition was explored. Confocal microscopy images showing fluorescence labeled fibrin networks were analyzed. Both treatments resulted in visual differences in plasma clot architecture, which could be quantified using TDA. Significant differences between baseline and diluted samples, as well as blood anticoagulated with argatroban, were detected mathematically. Therefore, TDA could be indicative of clots with compromised stability, providing a valuable tool for thrombosis risk assessment. In conclusion, microscopic examination of plasma clots, coupled with Topological Data Analysis, offers a promising avenue for comprehensive characterization of clot microstructure. This method could contribute to a deeper understanding of clot pathophysiology and thereby refine our ability to assess clot characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tobias Hell
- Data Lab Hell, Europastraße 2a, Zirl, Austria
| | - Anna Tobiasch
- organLife Laboratory, Department of Visceral, Transplant and Thoracic Surgery, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
| | - Judith Martini
- Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Andrea Lindner
- Department of Urology and Andrology, District Hospital Hall, Hall in Tirol, Austria
| | - Helmuth Tauber
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Sanatorium Kettenbruecke der Barmherzigen Schwestern GmbH, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Mirjam Bachler
- Institute for Sports Medicine, Alpine Medicine and Health Tourism, UMIT - University for Health Sciences, Medical Informatics and Technology, Austria, Hall in Tirol, Austria
| | - Martin Hermann
- Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
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3
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Xiong Y, Li S, Zhang Y, Chen Q, Xing M, Zhang Y, Wang Q. MechanoBase: a comprehensive database for the mechanics of tissues and cells. Database (Oxford) 2024; 2024:baae040. [PMID: 38805752 PMCID: PMC11131424 DOI: 10.1093/database/baae040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024]
Abstract
Mechanical aspects of tissues and cells critically influence a myriad of biological processes and can substantially alter the course of diverse diseases. The emergence of diverse methodologies adapted from physical science now permits the precise quantification of the cellular forces and the mechanical properties of tissues and cells. Despite the rising interest in tissue and cellular mechanics across fields like biology, bioengineering and medicine, there remains a noticeable absence of a comprehensive and readily accessible repository of this pertinent information. To fill this gap, we present MechanoBase, a comprehensive tissue and cellular mechanics database, curating 57 480 records from 5634 PubMed articles. The records archived in MechanoBase encompass a range of mechanical properties and forces, such as modulus and tractions, which have been measured utilizing various technical approaches. These measurements span hundreds of biosamples across more than 400 species studied under diverse conditions. Aiming for broad applicability, we design MechanoBase with user-friendly search, browsing and data download features, making it a versatile tool for exploring biomechanical attributes in various biological contexts. Moreover, we add complementary resources, including the principles of popular techniques, the concepts of mechanobiology terms and the cellular and tissue-level expression of related genes, offering scientists unprecedented access to a wealth of knowledge in this field of research. Database URL: https://zhanglab-web.tongji.edu.cn/mechanobase/ and https://compbio-zhanglab.org/mechanobase/.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanhong Xiong
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease Research, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
- Frontier Science Center for Stem Cell Research, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Shiyu Li
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease Research, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
- Frontier Science Center for Stem Cell Research, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Yuxuan Zhang
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease Research, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
- Frontier Science Center for Stem Cell Research, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Qianqian Chen
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease Research, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
- Frontier Science Center for Stem Cell Research, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Mengtan Xing
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease Research, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
- Frontier Science Center for Stem Cell Research, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Yong Zhang
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease Research, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
- Frontier Science Center for Stem Cell Research, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Qi Wang
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease Research, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
- Frontier Science Center for Stem Cell Research, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
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4
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Mohammed RDS, Piell KM, Maurer MC. Identification of Factor XIII β-Sandwich Residues Mediating Glutamine Substrate Binding and Activation Peptide Cleavage. Thromb Haemost 2024; 124:408-422. [PMID: 38040030 DOI: 10.1055/a-2220-7544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Factor XIII (FXIII) forms covalent crosslinks across plasma and cellular substrates and has roles in hemostasis, wound healing, and bone metabolism. FXIII activity is implicated in venous thromboembolism (VTE) and is a target for developing pharmaceuticals, which requires understanding FXIII - substrate interactions. Previous studies proposed the β-sandwich domain of the FXIII A subunit (FXIII-A) exhibits substrate recognition sites. MATERIAL AND METHODS Recombinant FXIII-A proteins (WT, K156E, F157L, R158Q/E, R171Q, and R174E) were generated to identify FXIII-A residues mediating substrate recognition. Proteolytic (FXIII-A*) and non-proteolytic (FXIII-A°) forms were analyzed for activation and crosslinking activities toward physiological substrates using SDS-PAGE and MALDI-TOF MS. RESULTS All FXIII-A* variants displayed reduced crosslinking abilities compared to WT for Fbg αC (233 - 425), fibrin, and actin. FXIII-A* WT activity was greater than A°, suggesting the binding site is more exposed in FXIII-A*. With Fbg αC (233 - 425), FXIII-A* variants R158Q/E, R171Q, and R174E exhibited decreased activities approaching those of FXIII-A°. However, with a peptide substrate, FXIII-A* WT and variants showed similar crosslinking suggesting the recognition site is distant from the catalytic site. Surprisingly, FXIII-A R158E and R171Q displayed slower thrombin activation than WT, potentially due to loss of crucial H-bonding with neighboring activation peptide (AP) residues. CONCLUSION In conclusion, FXIII-A residues K156, F157, R158, R171, and R174 are part of a binding site for physiological substrates [fibrin (α and γ) and actin]. Moreover, R158 and R171 control AP cleavage during thrombin activation. These investigations provide new molecular details on FXIII - substrate interactions that control crosslinking abilities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kellianne M Piell
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, Kentucky, United States
| | - Muriel C Maurer
- Department of Chemistry, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, United States
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Martinez-Torres C, Grimbergen J, Koopman J, Koenderink GH. Interplay of fibrinogen α EC globular domains and factor XIIIa cross-linking dictates the extensibility and strain stiffening of fibrin networks. J Thromb Haemost 2024; 22:715-726. [PMID: 37940047 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtha.2023.10.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fibrinogen is a plasma protein forming the fibrin scaffold of blood clots. Its mechanical properties therefore affect the risk of bleeding as well as thrombosis. There has been much recent interest in the biophysical mechanisms controlling fibrin mechanics; however, the role of molecular heterogeneity of the circulating fibrinogen in determining clot mechanical function remains poorly characterized. OBJECTIVES By comparing 2 fibrinogen variants where the only difference is the Aα-chain length, with one variant having a globular domain at its C-terminus, this study aimed to reveal how the molecular structure impacts the structure and mechanics of fibrin networks. METHODS We characterized the mechanical response to large shear for networks formed from 2 recombinant fibrinogen variants: the most prevalent variant in circulation with a molecular weight of 340 kDa (recombinant human fibrinogen [rFib] 340) and a minor variant with a molecular weight of 420 kDa (rFib420). RESULTS We show that the elastic properties of the 2 variants are identical when fibrin is cross-linked with factor XIIIa but differ strongly in its absence. Uncross-linked rFib420 networks are softer and up to 3-fold more extensible than rFib340 networks. Electron microscopy imaging showed that the 2 variants formed networks with a comparable structure, except at 4 mg/mL, where rFib420 formed denser networks. CONCLUSION We propose that the αEC domains of rFib420 increase the extensibility of uncross-linked fibrin networks by promoting protofibril sliding, which is blocked by FXIIIa cross-linking. Our findings can help explain the functional role of different circulating fibrinogen variants in blood clot mechanics and tissue repair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Martinez-Torres
- AMOLF, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands
| | | | | | - Gijsje H Koenderink
- AMOLF, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands.
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6
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Wolberg AS. Fibrinogen and fibrin: synthesis, structure, and function in health and disease. J Thromb Haemost 2023; 21:3005-3015. [PMID: 37625698 PMCID: PMC10592048 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtha.2023.08.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023]
Abstract
Fibrinogen is an extraordinary molecule by any estimation. It is large, structurally intricate, and circulates at high concentrations. Its biological end product, insoluble fibrin(ogen) or fibrin, can assume a diverse array of conformations with the ability to interact with numerous plasma proteins and cells and withstand biochemical and biomechanical disruption to facilitate wound healing. Quantitative and qualitative defects in fibrinogen or fibrin are associated with bleeding, thrombosis, inflammation, and diseases affected by these processes. Numerous studies investigating mechanisms by which fibrin(ogen) and fibrin contribute to health and disease have been published. This review for the 20th-anniversary series in the Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis summarizes interesting aspects of fibrin(ogen) biology, biochemistry, biophysics, and physiology and highlights exciting findings published in the past 2 decades.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alisa S Wolberg
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UNC Blood Research Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
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7
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Syed Mohammed RD, Ablan FDO, McCann NM, Hindi MM, Maurer MC. Transglutaminase Activities of Blood Coagulant Factor XIII Are Dependent on the Activation Pathways and on the Substrates. Thromb Haemost 2023; 123:380-392. [PMID: 36473493 PMCID: PMC10719020 DOI: 10.1055/a-1993-4193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Factor XIII (FXIII) catalyzes formation of γ-glutamyl-ε-lysyl crosslinks between reactive glutamines (Q) and lysines (K). In plasma, FXIII is activated proteolytically (FXIII-A*) by the concerted action of thrombin and Ca2+. Cellular FXIII is activated nonproteolytically (FXIII-A°) by elevation of physiological Ca2+ concentrations. FXIII-A targets plasmatic and cellular substrates, but questions remain on correlating FXIII activation, resultant conformational changes, and crosslinking function to different physiological substrates. To address these issues, the characteristics of FXIII-A* versus FXIII-A° that contribute to transglutaminase activity and substrate specificities were investigated. Crosslinking of lysine mimics into a series of Q-containing substrates were measured using in-gel fluorescence, mass spectrometry, and UV-Vis spectroscopy. Covalent incorporation of fluorescent monodansylcadaverine revealed that FXIII-A* exhibits greater activity than FXIII-A° toward Q residues within Fbg αC (233-425 WT, Q328P Seoul II, and Q328PQ366N) and actin. FXIII-A* and FXIII-A° displayed similar activities toward α2-antiplasmin (α2AP), fibronectin, and Fbg αC (233-388, missing FXIII-binding site αC 389-402). Furthermore, the N-terminal α2AP peptide (1-15) exhibited similar kinetic properties for FXIII-A* and FXIII-A°. MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry assays with glycine ethyl ester and Fbg αC (233-425 WT, αC E396A, and truncated αC (233-388) further documented that FXIII-A* exerts greater benefit from the αC 389-402 binding site than FXIII-A°. Conformational properties of FXIII-A* versus A° are proposed to help promote transglutaminase function toward different substrates. A combination of protein substrate disorder and secondary FXIII-binding site exposure are utilized to control activity and specificity. From these studies, greater understandings of how FXIII-A targets different substrates are achieved.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Mohammed M. Hindi
- Department of Chemistry, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA
| | - Muriel C. Maurer
- Department of Chemistry, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA
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8
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Jeyagaran A, Lu CE, Zbinden A, Birkenfeld AL, Brucker SY, Layland SL. Type 1 diabetes and engineering enhanced islet transplantation. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2022; 189:114481. [PMID: 36002043 PMCID: PMC9531713 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2022.114481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
The development of new therapeutic approaches to treat type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D) relies on the precise understanding and deciphering of insulin-secreting β-cell biology, as well as the mechanisms responsible for their autoimmune destruction. β-cell or islet transplantation is viewed as a potential long-term therapy for the millions of patients with diabetes. To advance the field of insulin-secreting cell transplantation, two main research areas are currently investigated by the scientific community: (1) the identification of the developmental pathways that drive the differentiation of stem cells into insulin-producing cells, providing an inexhaustible source of cells; and (2) transplantation strategies and engineered transplants to provide protection and enhance the functionality of transplanted cells. In this review, we discuss the biology of pancreatic β-cells, pathology of T1D and current state of β-cell differentiation. We give a comprehensive view and discuss the different possibilities to engineer enhanced insulin-secreting cell/islet transplantation from a translational perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abiramy Jeyagaran
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Department for Medical Technologies and Regenerative Medicine, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; NMI Natural and Medical Sciences Institute at the University Tübingen, 72770 Reutlingen, Germany
| | - Chuan-En Lu
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Department for Medical Technologies and Regenerative Medicine, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Aline Zbinden
- Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Andreas L Birkenfeld
- Department of Internal Medicine IV, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; Institute for Diabetes Research and Metabolic Diseases (IDM) of the Helmholtz Center Munich at the University of Tübingen, German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD e.V.), Munich, Germany
| | - Sara Y Brucker
- Department of Women's Health, Eberhard Karls University, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Shannon L Layland
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Department for Medical Technologies and Regenerative Medicine, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Department of Women's Health, Eberhard Karls University, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.
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Morrow GB, Feller T, McQuilten Z, Wake E, Ariëns RAS, Winearls J, Mutch NJ, Laffan MA, Curry N. Cryoprecipitate transfusion in trauma patients attenuates hyperfibrinolysis and restores normal clot structure and stability: Results from a laboratory sub-study of the FEISTY trial. Crit Care 2022; 26:290. [PMID: 36163263 PMCID: PMC9511733 DOI: 10.1186/s13054-022-04167-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fibrinogen is the first coagulation protein to reach critical levels during traumatic haemorrhage. This laboratory study compares paired plasma samples pre- and post-fibrinogen replacement from the Fibrinogen Early In Severe Trauma studY (FEISTY; NCT02745041). FEISTY is the first randomised controlled trial to compare the time to administration of cryoprecipitate (cryo) and fibrinogen concentrate (Fg-C; Riastap) in trauma patients. This study will determine differences in clot strength and fibrinolytic stability within individuals and between treatment arms. METHODS Clot lysis, plasmin generation, atomic force microscopy and confocal microscopy were utilised to investigate clot strength and structure in FEISTY patient plasma. RESULTS Fibrinogen concentration was significantly increased post-transfusion in both groups. The rate of plasmin generation was reduced 1.5-fold post-transfusion of cryo but remained unchanged with Fg-C transfusion. Plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 activity and antigen levels and Factor XIII antigen were increased post-treatment with cryo, but not Fg-C. Confocal microscopy analysis of fibrin clots revealed that cryo transfusion restored fibrin structure similar to those observed in control clots. In contrast, clots remained porous with stunted fibres after infusion with Fg-C. Cryo but not Fg-C treatment increased individual fibre toughness and stiffness. CONCLUSIONS In summary, our data indicate that cryo transfusion restores key fibrinolytic regulators and limits plasmin generation to form stronger clots in an ex vivo laboratory study. This is the first study to investigate differences in clot stability and structure between cryo and Fg-C and demonstrates that the additional factors in cryo allow formation of a stronger and more stable clot.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gael B Morrow
- Nuffield Division of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK.
- Aberdeen Cardiovascular and Diabetes Centre, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.
| | - Timea Feller
- Leeds Thrombosis Collective, Discovery and Translational Science Department, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Zoe McQuilten
- Transfusion Research Unit, Melbourne and Monash Health, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Elizabeth Wake
- Trauma Service, Gold Coast University Hospital, Southport, Australia
- School of Medicine and Dentistry, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, Southport, Australia
| | - Robert A S Ariëns
- Leeds Thrombosis Collective, Discovery and Translational Science Department, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - James Winearls
- School of Medicine and Dentistry, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, Southport, Australia
| | - Nicola J Mutch
- Aberdeen Cardiovascular and Diabetes Centre, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Mike A Laffan
- Centre for Haematology, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Oxford Haemophilia and Thrombosis Centre, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
| | - Nicola Curry
- Nuffield Division of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
- Oxford Haemophilia and Thrombosis Centre, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
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10
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Rojas-Murillo JA, Simental-Mendía MA, Moncada-Saucedo NK, Delgado-Gonzalez P, Islas JF, Roacho-Pérez JA, Garza-Treviño EN. Physical, Mechanical, and Biological Properties of Fibrin Scaffolds for Cartilage Repair. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23179879. [PMID: 36077276 PMCID: PMC9456199 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23179879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Articular cartilage is a highly organized tissue that provides remarkable load-bearing and low friction properties, allowing for smooth movement of diarthrodial joints; however, due to the avascular, aneural, and non-lymphatic characteristics of cartilage, joint cartilage has self-regeneration and repair limitations. Cartilage tissue engineering is a promising alternative for chondral defect repair. It proposes models that mimic natural tissue structure through the use of cells, scaffolds, and signaling factors to repair, replace, maintain, or improve the specific function of the tissue. In chondral tissue engineering, fibrin is a biocompatible biomaterial suitable for cell growth and differentiation with adequate properties to regenerate damaged cartilage. Additionally, its mechanical, biological, and physical properties can be enhanced by combining it with other materials or biological components. This review addresses the biological, physical, and mechanical properties of fibrin as a biomaterial for cartilage tissue engineering and as an element to enhance the regeneration or repair of chondral lesions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Antonio Rojas-Murillo
- Laboratorio de Terapia Celular, Departamento de Bioquímica y Medicina Molecular, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey 64460, NL, Mexico
| | - Mario A. Simental-Mendía
- Servicio de Ortopedia y Traumatología, Hospital Universitario “Dr. José Eleuterio González”, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey 64460, NL, Mexico
| | - Nidia K. Moncada-Saucedo
- Departamento de Hematología, Hospital Universitario “Dr. José Eleuterio González”, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey 64460, NL, Mexico
| | - Paulina Delgado-Gonzalez
- Laboratorio de Terapia Celular, Departamento de Bioquímica y Medicina Molecular, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey 64460, NL, Mexico
| | - José Francisco Islas
- Laboratorio de Terapia Celular, Departamento de Bioquímica y Medicina Molecular, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey 64460, NL, Mexico
| | - Jorge A. Roacho-Pérez
- Laboratorio de Terapia Celular, Departamento de Bioquímica y Medicina Molecular, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey 64460, NL, Mexico
| | - Elsa N. Garza-Treviño
- Laboratorio de Terapia Celular, Departamento de Bioquímica y Medicina Molecular, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey 64460, NL, Mexico
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +52-81-83294173
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11
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Medved L, Weisel JW. The Story of the Fibrin(ogen) αC-Domains: Evolution of Our View on Their Structure and Interactions. Thromb Haemost 2022; 122:1265-1278. [PMID: 34902868 PMCID: PMC10658776 DOI: 10.1055/a-1719-5584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Although much has been established concerning the overall structure and function of fibrinogen, much less has been known about its two αC regions, each consisting of an αC-connector and an αC-domain, but new information has been accumulating. This review summarizes the state of our current knowledge of the structure and interactions of fibrinogen's αC regions. A series of studies with isolated αC regions and their fragments demonstrated that the αC-domain forms compact ordered structures consisting of N- and C-terminal subdomains including β sheets and suggested that the αC-connector has a poly(L-proline) type II structure. Functionally, the αC-domains interact intramolecularly with each other and with the central region of the molecule, first demonstrated by electron microscopy and then quantified by optical trap force spectroscopy. Upon conversion of fibrinogen into fibrin, the αC-domains switch from intra- to intermolecular interactions to form ordered αC polymers. The formation of αC polymers occurs mainly through the homophilic interaction between the N-terminal subdomains; interaction between the C-terminal subdomains and the αC-connectors also contributes to this process. Considerable evidence supports the idea that the αC-regions accelerate fibrin polymerization and affect the final structure of fibrin clots. The interactions between αC-regions are important for the mechanical properties of clots, increasing their stiffness and extensibility. Conversion of fibrinogen into fibrin results in exposure of multiple binding sites in its αC regions, providing interaction of fibrin with different proteins and cell types during hemostasis and wound healing. This heretofore mysterious part of the fibrinogen molecule is finally giving up its secrets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonid Medved
- Center for Vascular and Inflammatory Diseases and the Department of Biochemistry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, United States
| | - John W. Weisel
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
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12
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Congenital (hypo-)dysfibrinogenemia and bleeding: A systematic literature review. Thromb Res 2022; 217:36-47. [PMID: 35853369 DOI: 10.1016/j.thromres.2022.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Revised: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Ranging from bleeding to thrombosis, the clinical features of congenital fibrinogen qualitative disorders, including dysfibrinogenemia and hypodysfibrinogenemia, are highly heterogeneous. Although the associations between some specific fibrinogen mutations and the thrombotic phenotypes have been well elucidated, the underlying mechanism between fibrinogen variants and bleeding events remains underestimated. After systematically reviewing the literature of (hypo-)dysfibrinogenemia patients with bleeding phenotypes, we identified several well-characterized bleeding-related fibrinogen variants in those patients. Several possible pathomechanisms are proposed to explain the genotype-phenotype associations: 1, mutations in the NH2-terminal portion of the Aα chain hamper fibrinogen fitting into the active site cleft of thrombin and drastically slow the conversion of fibrinogen into monomeric fibrin; 2, mutations adding new N-linked glycosylation sites introduce bulky and negatively charged carbohydrate side chains and undermine the alignment of fibrin monomers during polymerization; 3, mutations generating unpaired cysteine form extra disulfide bonds between the abnormal fibrinogen chains and produce highly branched and fragile fibrin networks; 4, truncation mutations in the fibrinogen αC regions impair the lateral fibril aggregation, as well as factor XIII crosslinking, endothelial cell and platelet binding. These established relationships between specific variants and the bleeding tendency will help manage (hypo-)dysfibrinogenemia patients to avoid adverse bleeding outcomes.
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13
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Advances in Fibrin-Based Materials in Wound Repair: A Review. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27144504. [PMID: 35889381 PMCID: PMC9322155 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27144504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Revised: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The first bioprocess that occurs in response to wounding is the deterrence of local hemorrhage. This is accomplished by platelet aggregation and initiation of the hemostasis cascade. The resulting blood clot immediately enables the cessation of bleeding and then functions as a provisional matrix for wound healing, which begins a few days after injury. Here, fibrinogen and fibrin fibers are the key players, because they literally serve as scaffolds for tissue regeneration and promote the migration of cells, as well as the ingrowth of tissues. Fibrin is also an important modulator of healing and a host defense system against microbes that effectively maintains incoming leukocytes and acts as reservoir for growth factors. This review presents recent advances in the understanding and applications of fibrin and fibrin-fiber-incorporated biomedical materials applied to wound healing and subsequent tissue repair. It also discusses how fibrin-based materials function through several wound healing stages including physical barrier formation, the entrapment of bacteria, drug and cell delivery, and eventual degradation. Pure fibrin is not mechanically strong and stable enough to act as a singular wound repair material. To alleviate this problem, this paper will demonstrate recent advances in the modification of fibrin with next-generation materials exhibiting enhanced stability and medical efficacy, along with a detailed look at the mechanical properties of fibrin and fibrin-laden materials. Specifically, fibrin-based nanocomposites and their role in wound repair, sustained drug release, cell delivery to wound sites, skin reconstruction, and biomedical applications of drug-loaded fibrin-based materials will be demonstrated and discussed.
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14
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Labeling fibrin fibers with beads alter single fibrin fiber lysis, external clot lysis, and produce large fibrin aggregates upon lysis. Blood Coagul Fibrinolysis 2022; 33:364-371. [PMID: 35834714 DOI: 10.1097/mbc.0000000000001150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Fluorescent beads are often used as a tool for visualizing fibrin fibers in single fiber mechanics studies and studies of single fiber lysis. Here we investigate the effect of beads on fibrin fiber lysis and extensibility to enhance understanding of this common research technique. We selected beads of the same diameter as those used in previous studies, as well as, beads of similar size to microparticles in the bloodstream. We used fluorescence microscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to quantify changes in fiber lysis, fiber extensibility, and clot structure in the presence and absence of beads. Fibrin clot structure and lysis were altered in the presence of beads. Fibrin clots formed with beads had a higher fiber density, smaller diameter fibers, and smaller pores. The rate of lysis for clots was reduced when beads were present. Lysis studies of bead-labeled individual fibers showed that beads, at concentrations similar to those reported for microparticles in the blood, cause a subset of fibers to resist lysis. In the absence of beads, all fibers lyse. These results demonstrate that beads alter fiber lysis through both a change in fibrin clot structure as well as changes to individual fiber lysis behavior. Additionally, the lysis of clots with beads produced large fibrin aggregates. This data encourages researchers to use careful consideration when labeling fibrin fibers with fluorescent beads and suggests that particles binding fibrin(ogen) in the bloodstream may be an underappreciated mechanism increasing the risk of thrombosis.
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15
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Guo Y, Calve S, Tepole AB. Multiscale mechanobiology: Coupling models of adhesion kinetics and nonlinear tissue mechanics. Biophys J 2022; 121:525-539. [PMID: 35074393 PMCID: PMC8874030 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2022.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The mechanical behavior of tissues at the macroscale is tightly coupled to cellular activity at the microscale. Dermal wound healing is a prominent example of a complex system in which multiscale mechanics regulate restoration of tissue form and function. In cutaneous wound healing, a fibrin matrix is populated by fibroblasts migrating in from a surrounding tissue made mostly out of collagen. Fibroblasts both respond to mechanical cues, such as fiber alignment and stiffness, as well as exert active stresses needed for wound closure. Here, we develop a multiscale model with a two-way coupling between a microscale cell adhesion model and a macroscale tissue mechanics model. Starting from the well-known model of adhesion kinetics proposed by Bell, we extend the formulation to account for nonlinear mechanics of fibrin and collagen and show how this nonlinear response naturally captures stretch-driven mechanosensing. We then embed the new nonlinear adhesion model into a custom finite element implementation of tissue mechanical equilibrium. Strains and stresses at the tissue level are coupled with the solution of the microscale adhesion model at each integration point of the finite element mesh. In addition, solution of the adhesion model is coupled with the active contractile stress of the cell population. The multiscale model successfully captures the mechanical response of biopolymer fibers and gels, contractile stresses generated by fibroblasts, and stress-strain contours observed during wound healing. We anticipate that this framework will not only increase our understanding of how mechanical cues guide cellular behavior in cutaneous wound healing, but will also be helpful in the study of mechanobiology, growth, and remodeling in other tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifan Guo
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette
| | - Sarah Calve
- Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette,Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado - Boulder, Boulder
| | - Adrian Buganza Tepole
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette; Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette.
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16
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Abstract
Mechanical properties have been extensively studied in pure elastic or viscous materials; however, most biomaterials possess both physical properties in a viscoelastic component. How the biomechanics of a fibrin clot is related to its composition and the microenvironment where it is formed is not yet fully understood. This review gives an outline of the building mechanisms for blood clot mechanical properties and how they relate to clot function. The formation of a blood clot in health conditions or the formation of a dangerous thrombus go beyond the mere polymerization of fibrinogen into a fibrin network. The complex composition and localization of in vivo fibrin clots demonstrate the interplay between fibrin and/or fibrinogen and blood cells. Studying these protein–cell interactions and clot mechanical properties may represent new methods for the evaluation of cardiovascular diseases (the leading cause of death worldwide), creating new possibilities for clinical diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Biophysics, Volume 51 is May 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco M. Domingues
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Filomena A. Carvalho
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Nuno C. Santos
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
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17
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Feller T, Connell SDA, Ariёns RAS. Why fibrin biomechanical properties matter for hemostasis and thrombosis. J Thromb Haemost 2022; 20:6-16. [PMID: 34528378 DOI: 10.1111/jth.15531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Revised: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Polymeric fibrin displays unique structural and biomechanical properties that contribute to its essential role of generating blood clots that stem bleeds. The aim of this review is to discuss how the fibrin clot is formed, how protofibrils make up individual fibrin fibers, what the relationship is between the molecular structure and fibrin biomechanical properties, and how fibrin biomechanical properties relate to the risk of thromboembolic disease. Fibrin polymerization is driven by different types of bonds, including knob-hole interactions displaying catch-slip characteristics, and covalent crosslinking of fibrin polypeptides by activated factor XIII. Key biophysical properties of fibrin polymer are its visco-elasticity, extensibility and resistance to rupture. The internal packing of protofibrils within fibers changes fibrin biomechanical behavior. There are several methods to analyze fibrin biomechanical properties at different scales, including AFM force spectroscopy, magnetic or optical tweezers and rheometry, amongst others. Clinically, fibrin biomechanical characteristics are key for the prevention of thromboembolic disorders such as pulmonary embolism. Future studies are needed to address unanswered questions regarding internal molecular structure of the fibrin polymer, the structural and molecular basis of its remarkable mechanical properties and the relationship of fibrin biomechanical characteristics with thromboembolism in patients with deep vein thrombosis and ischemic stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tímea Feller
- Discovery and Translational Science Department, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
- Molecular and Nanoscale Physics Group, School of Physics, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Simon D A Connell
- Molecular and Nanoscale Physics Group, School of Physics, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Robert A S Ariёns
- Discovery and Translational Science Department, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
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18
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Maksudov F, Daraei A, Sesha A, Marx KA, Guthold M, Barsegov V. Strength, deformability and toughness of uncrosslinked fibrin fibers from theoretical reconstruction of stress-strain curves. Acta Biomater 2021; 136:327-342. [PMID: 34606991 PMCID: PMC8627496 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2021.09.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Revised: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Structural mechanisms underlying the mechanical properties of fibrin fibers are elusive. We combined tensile testing of uncrosslinked fibrin polymers in vitro and in silico to explore their material properties. The experimental stress (σ) - strain (ε) curves for fibrin fibers are characterized by elastic deformations with a weaker elastic response for ε<160% due to unraveling of αC tethers and straightening of fibrin protofibrils, and a stronger response for ε>160% owing to unfolding of the coiled coils and γ nodules in fibrin monomers. Fiber rupture for strains ε>212% is due to dissociation of the knob-hole bonds and rupture of D:D interfaces. We developed the Fluctuating Bilinear Spring model to interpret the σ-ε profiles in terms of the free energy for protofibril alignment ΔG0 = 10.1-11.5 kBT, Young's moduli for protofibril alignment Yu = 1.9-3.2 MPa and stretching Ya = 5.7-9.7 MPa, strain scale ε˜≈ 12-40% for fiber rupture, and protofibril cooperativity m= 3.6-8. We applied the model to characterize the fiber strength σcr≈ 12-13 MPa, deformability εcr≈ 222%, and rupture toughness U≈ 9 MJ/m3, and to resolve thermodynamic state functions, 96.9 GJ/mol entropy change for protofibril alignment (at room temperature) and 113.6 GJ/mol enthalpy change for protofibril stretching, which add up to 210.5 GJ/mol free-energy change. Fiber elongation is associated with protofibril dehydration and sliding mechanism to create an ordered protofibril array. Fibrin fibers behave like a hydrogel; protofibril dehydration and water expulsion account for ∼94-98% of the total free-energy changes for fiber elongation and rupture. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Structural mechanisms underlying the mechanical properties of fibrin fibers, major components of blood clots and obstructive thrombi, are elusive. We performed tensile testing of uncrosslinked fibrin polymers in vitro and in silico to explore their material properties. Fluctuating Bilinear Spring theory was developed to interpret the stress-strain profiles in terms of the energy for protofibril alignment, elastic moduli for protofibril alignment and stretching, and strain scale for fiber rupture, and to probe the limits of fiber strength, extensibility and toughness. Fibrin fibers behave like a hydrogel. Fiber elongation is defined by the protofibril dehydration and sliding. Structural rearrangements in water matrix control fiber elasticity. These results contribute to fundamental understanding of blood clot breakage that underlies thrombotic embolization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farkhad Maksudov
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, MA 01854, United States
| | - Ali Daraei
- Department of Physics, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC 27109, United States
| | - Anuj Sesha
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, MA 01854, United States
| | - Kenneth A Marx
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, MA 01854, United States
| | - Martin Guthold
- Department of Physics, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC 27109, United States.
| | - Valeri Barsegov
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, MA 01854, United States.
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19
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McPherson HR, Duval C, Baker SR, Hindle MS, Cheah LT, Asquith NL, Domingues MM, Ridger VC, Connell SDA, Naseem KM, Philippou H, Ajjan RA, Ariëns RAS. Fibrinogen αC-subregions critically contribute blood clot fibre growth, mechanical stability, and resistance to fibrinolysis. eLife 2021; 10:e68761. [PMID: 34633287 PMCID: PMC8553339 DOI: 10.7554/elife.68761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Fibrinogen is essential for blood coagulation. The C-terminus of the fibrinogen α-chain (αC-region) is composed of an αC-domain and αC-connector. Two recombinant fibrinogen variants (α390 and α220) were produced to investigate the role of subregions in modulating clot stability and resistance to lysis. The α390 variant, truncated before the αC-domain, produced clots with a denser structure and thinner fibres. In contrast, the α220 variant, truncated at the start of the αC-connector, produced clots that were porous with short, stunted fibres and visible fibre ends. These clots were mechanically weak and susceptible to lysis. Our data demonstrate differential effects for the αC-subregions in fibrin polymerisation, clot mechanical strength, and fibrinolytic susceptibility. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the αC-subregions are key for promoting longitudinal fibre growth. Together, these findings highlight critical functions of the αC-subregions in relation to clot structure and stability, with future implications for development of novel therapeutics for thrombosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen R McPherson
- Discovery and Translational Science Department, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, University of LeedsLeedsUnited Kingdom
| | - Cedric Duval
- Discovery and Translational Science Department, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, University of LeedsLeedsUnited Kingdom
| | - Stephen R Baker
- Department of Physics, Wake Forest UniversityWinston SalemUnited States
| | - Matthew S Hindle
- Discovery and Translational Science Department, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, University of LeedsLeedsUnited Kingdom
| | - Lih T Cheah
- Discovery and Translational Science Department, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, University of LeedsLeedsUnited Kingdom
| | - Nathan L Asquith
- Division of Hematology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonUnited States
| | - Marco M Domingues
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular - João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de LisboaLisbonPortugal
| | - Victoria C Ridger
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of SheffieldSheffieldUnited Kingdom
| | - Simon DA Connell
- Molecular and Nanoscale Physics Group, University of LeedsLeedsUnited Kingdom
| | - Khalid M Naseem
- Discovery and Translational Science Department, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, University of LeedsLeedsUnited Kingdom
| | - Helen Philippou
- Discovery and Translational Science Department, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, University of LeedsLeedsUnited Kingdom
| | - Ramzi A Ajjan
- Discovery and Translational Science Department, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, University of LeedsLeedsUnited Kingdom
| | - Robert AS Ariëns
- Discovery and Translational Science Department, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, University of LeedsLeedsUnited Kingdom
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20
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Rausch MK, Parekh SH, Dortdivanlioglu B, Rosales AM. Synthetic hydrogels as blood clot mimicking wound healing materials. PROGRESS IN BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING (BRISTOL, ENGLAND) 2021; 3:042006. [PMID: 35822083 PMCID: PMC9273113 DOI: 10.1088/2516-1091/ac23a4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Excessive bleeding-or hemorrhage-causes millions of civilian and non-civilian casualties every year. Additionally, wound sequelae, such as infections, are a significant source of chronic morbidity, even if the initial bleeding is successfully stopped. To treat acute and chronic wounds, numerous wound healing materials have been identified, tested, and adopted. Among them are topical dressings, such as gauzes, as well as natural and biomimetic materials. However, none of these materials successfully mimic the complex and dynamic properties of the body's own wound healing material: the blood clot. Specifically, blood clots exhibit complex mechanical and biochemical properties that vary across spatial and temporal scales to guide the wound healing response, which make them the ideal wound healing material. In this manuscript, we review blood clots' complex mechanical and biochemical properties, review current wound healing materials, and identify opportunities where new materials can provide additional functionality, with a specific focus on hydrogels. We highlight recent developments in synthetic hydrogels that make them capable of mimicking a larger subset of blood clot features: as plugs and as stimuli for tissue repair. We conclude that future hydrogel materials designed to mimic blood clot biochemistry, mechanics, and architecture can be combined with exciting platelet-like particles to serve as hemostats that also promote the biological wound healing response. Thus, we believe synthetic hydrogels are ideal candidates to address the clear need for better wound healing materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel K. Rausch
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States of America
- Department of Aerospace Engineering & Engineering Mechanics, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States of America
- Oden Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States of America
| | - Sapun H. Parekh
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States of America
| | - Berkin Dortdivanlioglu
- Oden Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States of America
- Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States of America
| | - Adrianne M. Rosales
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States of America
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21
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Nair PM, Meledeo MA, Wells AR, Wu X, Bynum JA, Leung KP, Liu B, Cheeniyil A, Ramasubramanian AK, Weisel JW, Cap AP. Cold-stored platelets have better preserved contractile function in comparison with room temperature-stored platelets over 21 days. Transfusion 2021; 61 Suppl 1:S68-S79. [PMID: 34269433 DOI: 10.1111/trf.16530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Revised: 03/06/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Although it is well established that transfusion of platelets in cases of severe bleeding reduces mortality, the availability of platelets is hampered by harsh restrictions on shelf life due to elevated risks of microbial contamination and functional losses with room temperature-stored platelets (RTP) kept at 22°C. In contrast, many recent studies have shown that 4°C cold-stored platelets (CSP) are able to overcome these shortcomings leading to the recent Food and Drug Administration licensure for 14-day stored CSP when conventional platelets are unavailable. This work expands the evidence supporting superiority of CSP function by assaying the less explored platelet-mediated clot retraction of RTP and CSP in either autologous plasma (AP) or platelet additive solution (PAS) for up to 21 days. The results demonstrate that CSP have better preservation of contractile function, exhibiting retraction for up to 21 days in both AP and PAS and forming highly ordered fibrin scaffolds similar to those of fresh platelets. In contrast, RTP stored in AP showed impaired contractile function by Day 5 with no retraction after 10 days, whereas PAS-stored RTP retained contractile function for up to 21 days. Collectively, these findings support extended storage of CSP and suggest that storage in PAS can mitigate functional losses in RTP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prajeeda M Nair
- Blood and Coagulation Research Department, Combat Mortality Prevention Division, United States Army Institute of Surgical Research, JBSA Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Michael A Meledeo
- Blood and Coagulation Research Department, Combat Mortality Prevention Division, United States Army Institute of Surgical Research, JBSA Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Adrienne R Wells
- Severe Burns Research Department, Combat Wound Repair Division, United States Army Institute of Surgical Research, JBSA Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Xiaowu Wu
- Blood and Coagulation Research Department, Combat Mortality Prevention Division, United States Army Institute of Surgical Research, JBSA Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - James A Bynum
- Blood and Coagulation Research Department, Combat Mortality Prevention Division, United States Army Institute of Surgical Research, JBSA Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Kai P Leung
- Severe Burns Research Department, Combat Wound Repair Division, United States Army Institute of Surgical Research, JBSA Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Bin Liu
- Blood and Coagulation Research Department, Combat Mortality Prevention Division, United States Army Institute of Surgical Research, JBSA Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Aswathi Cheeniyil
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Anand K Ramasubramanian
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA.,Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, San Jose State University, San Jose, California, USA
| | - John W Weisel
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Andrew P Cap
- Blood and Coagulation Research Department, Combat Mortality Prevention Division, United States Army Institute of Surgical Research, JBSA Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas, USA
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22
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Duval C, Baranauskas A, Feller T, Ali M, Cheah LT, Yuldasheva NY, Baker SR, McPherson HR, Raslan Z, Bailey MA, Cubbon RM, Connell SD, Ajjan RA, Philippou H, Naseem KM, Ridger VC, Ariëns RAS. Elimination of fibrin γ-chain cross-linking by FXIIIa increases pulmonary embolism arising from murine inferior vena cava thrombi. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2103226118. [PMID: 34183396 PMCID: PMC8271579 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2103226118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The onset of venous thromboembolism, including pulmonary embolism, represents a significant health burden affecting more than 1 million people annually worldwide. Current treatment options are based on anticoagulation, which is suboptimal for preventing further embolic events. In order to develop better treatments for thromboembolism, we sought to understand the structural and mechanical properties of blood clots and how this influences embolism in vivo. We developed a murine model in which fibrin γ-chain cross-linking by activated Factor XIII is eliminated (FGG3X) and applied methods to study thromboembolism at whole-body and organ levels. We show that FGG3X mice have a normal phenotype, with overall coagulation parameters and platelet aggregation and function largely unaffected, except for total inhibition of fibrin γ-chain cross-linking. Elimination of fibrin γ-chain cross-linking resulted in thrombi with reduced strength that were prone to fragmentation. Analysis of embolism in vivo using Xtreme optical imaging and light sheet microscopy demonstrated that the elimination of fibrin γ-chain cross-linking resulted in increased embolization without affecting clot size or lysis. Our findings point to a central previously unrecognized role for fibrin γ-chain cross-linking in clot stability. They also indirectly indicate mechanistic targets for the prevention of thrombosis through selective modulation of fibrin α-chain but not γ-chain cross-linking by activated Factor XIII to reduce thrombus size and burden, while maintaining clot stability and preventing embolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cédric Duval
- Leeds Thrombosis Collective, Discovery & Translational Science Department, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9NL, United Kingdom
| | - Adomas Baranauskas
- Leeds Thrombosis Collective, Discovery & Translational Science Department, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9NL, United Kingdom
| | - Tímea Feller
- Leeds Thrombosis Collective, Discovery & Translational Science Department, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9NL, United Kingdom
| | - Majid Ali
- Leeds Thrombosis Collective, Discovery & Translational Science Department, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9NL, United Kingdom
| | - Lih T Cheah
- Leeds Thrombosis Collective, Discovery & Translational Science Department, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9NL, United Kingdom
| | - Nadira Y Yuldasheva
- Leeds Thrombosis Collective, Discovery & Translational Science Department, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9NL, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen R Baker
- Leeds Thrombosis Collective, Discovery & Translational Science Department, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9NL, United Kingdom
| | - Helen R McPherson
- Leeds Thrombosis Collective, Discovery & Translational Science Department, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9NL, United Kingdom
| | - Zaher Raslan
- Leeds Thrombosis Collective, Discovery & Translational Science Department, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9NL, United Kingdom
| | - Marc A Bailey
- Leeds Thrombosis Collective, Discovery & Translational Science Department, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9NL, United Kingdom
| | - Richard M Cubbon
- Leeds Thrombosis Collective, Discovery & Translational Science Department, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9NL, United Kingdom
| | - Simon D Connell
- School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 3AR, United Kingdom
| | - Ramzi A Ajjan
- Leeds Thrombosis Collective, Discovery & Translational Science Department, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9NL, United Kingdom
| | - Helen Philippou
- Leeds Thrombosis Collective, Discovery & Translational Science Department, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9NL, United Kingdom
| | - Khalid M Naseem
- Leeds Thrombosis Collective, Discovery & Translational Science Department, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9NL, United Kingdom
| | - Victoria C Ridger
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, The Medical School, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2RX, United Kingdom
| | - Robert A S Ariëns
- Leeds Thrombosis Collective, Discovery & Translational Science Department, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9NL, United Kingdom;
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23
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Fibrin(ogen) as a Therapeutic Target: Opportunities and Challenges. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22136916. [PMID: 34203139 PMCID: PMC8268464 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22136916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2021] [Revised: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Fibrinogen is one of the key molecular players in haemostasis. Thrombin-mediated release of fibrinopeptides from fibrinogen converts this soluble protein into a network of fibrin fibres that form a building block for blood clots. Thrombin-activated factor XIII further crosslinks the fibrin fibres and incorporates antifibrinolytic proteins into the network, thus stabilising the clot. The conversion of fibrinogen to fibrin also exposes binding sites for fibrinolytic proteins to limit clot formation and avoid unwanted extension of the fibrin fibres. Altered clot structure and/or incorporation of antifibrinolytic proteins into fibrin networks disturbs the delicate equilibrium between clot formation and lysis, resulting in either unstable clots (predisposing to bleeding events) or persistent clots that are resistant to lysis (increasing risk of thrombosis). In this review, we discuss the factors responsible for alterations in fibrin(ogen) that can modulate clot stability, in turn predisposing to abnormal haemostasis. We also explore the mechanistic pathways that may allow the use of fibrinogen as a potential therapeutic target to treat vascular thrombosis or bleeding disorders. Better understanding of fibrinogen function will help to devise future effective and safe therapies to modulate thrombosis and bleeding risk, while maintaining the fine balance between clot formation and lysis.
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24
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Kitano T, Hori Y, Okazaki S, Shimada Y, Iwamoto T, Kanki H, Sugiyama S, Sasaki T, Nakamura H, Oyama N, Hoshi T, Beck G, Takai H, Matsubara S, Mizuno H, Nishimura H, Tamaki R, Iida J, Iba J, Uno M, Kishima H, Fushimi H, Hattori S, Murayama S, Morii E, Sakaguchi M, Yagita Y, Shimazu T, Mochizuki H, Todo K. An Older Thrombus Delays Reperfusion after Mechanical Thrombectomy for Ischemic Stroke. Thromb Haemost 2021; 122:415-426. [PMID: 34077976 PMCID: PMC8899314 DOI: 10.1055/a-1522-4507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Background
Thrombosis is a dynamic process, and a thrombus undergoes physical and biochemical changes that may alter its response to reperfusion therapy. This study assessed whether thrombus age influenced reperfusion quality and outcomes after mechanical thrombectomy for cerebral embolism.
Methods
We retrospectively evaluated 185 stroke patients and thrombi that were collected during mechanical thrombectomy at three stroke centers. Thrombi were pathologically classified as fresh or older based on their granulocytes' nuclear morphology and organization. Thrombus components were quantified, and the extent of NETosis (the process of neutrophil extracellular trap formation) was assessed using the density of citrullinated histone H3-positive cells. Baseline patient characteristics, thrombus features, endovascular procedures, and functional outcomes were compared according to thrombus age.
Results
Fresh thrombi were acquired from 43 patients, and older thrombi were acquired from 142 patients. Older thrombi had a lower erythrocyte content (
p
< 0.001) and higher extent of NETosis (
p
= 0.006). Restricted mean survival time analysis revealed that older thrombi were associated with longer puncture-to-reperfusion times (difference: 15.6 minutes longer for older thrombi,
p
= 0.002). This association remained significant even after adjustment for erythrocyte content and the extent of NETosis (adjusted difference: 10.8 minutes, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.6–21.1 minutes,
p
= 0.039). Compared with fresh thrombi, older thrombi required more device passes before reperfusion (
p
< 0.001) and were associated with poorer functional outcomes (adjusted common odds ratio: 0.49; 95% CI: 0.24–0.99).
Conclusion
An older thrombus delays reperfusion after mechanical thrombectomy for ischemic stroke. Adding therapies targeting thrombus maturation may improve the efficacy of mechanical thrombectomy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takaya Kitano
- Department of Neurology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan.,Department of Stroke Medicine, Kawasaki Medical School, Okayama, Japan
| | - Yumiko Hori
- Department of Pathology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Shuhei Okazaki
- Department of Neurology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yuki Shimada
- Department of Neurology, Osaka General Medical Center, Osaka, Japan
| | - Takanori Iwamoto
- Department of Stroke Medicine, Kawasaki Medical School, Okayama, Japan
| | - Hideaki Kanki
- Department of Neurology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Shintaro Sugiyama
- Department of Neurology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Tsutomu Sasaki
- Department of Neurology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Hajime Nakamura
- Department of Neurosurgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Naoki Oyama
- Department of Stroke Medicine, Kawasaki Medical School, Okayama, Japan
| | - Taku Hoshi
- Department of Neurology, Osaka General Medical Center, Osaka, Japan
| | - Goichi Beck
- Department of Neurology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Hiroki Takai
- Department of Neurosurgery, Kawasaki Medical School, Okayama, Japan
| | - Shunji Matsubara
- Department of Neurosurgery, Kawasaki Medical School, Okayama, Japan
| | - Hiroya Mizuno
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | | | - Ryo Tamaki
- Department of Neurosurgery, Osaka General Medical Center, Osaka, Japan
| | - Junichi Iida
- Department of Neurosurgery, Osaka General Medical Center, Osaka, Japan
| | - Jiro Iba
- Department of Traumatology and Acute Critical Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Masaaki Uno
- Department of Neurosurgery, Kawasaki Medical School, Okayama, Japan
| | - Haruhiko Kishima
- Department of Neurosurgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Fushimi
- Department of Pathology, Osaka General Medical Center, Osaka, Japan
| | - Satoshi Hattori
- Department of Integrated Medicine, Biomedical Statistics, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan.,Institute for Open and Transdisciplinary Research Initiatives, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Shigeo Murayama
- Brain Bank for Neurodevelopmental, Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan.,Department of Neurology and Neuropathology (the Brain Bank for Aging Research), Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Hospital and Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Eiichi Morii
- Department of Pathology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Manabu Sakaguchi
- Department of Neurology, Osaka General Medical Center, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yoshiki Yagita
- Department of Stroke Medicine, Kawasaki Medical School, Okayama, Japan
| | - Takeshi Shimazu
- Department of Traumatology and Acute Critical Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Hideki Mochizuki
- Department of Neurology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Kenichi Todo
- Department of Neurology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
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25
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Wang K, Mosser G, Haye B, Baccile N, Le Griel P, Pernot P, Cathala B, Trichet L, Coradin T. Cellulose Nanocrystal-Fibrin Nanocomposite Hydrogels Promoting Myotube Formation. Biomacromolecules 2021; 22:2740-2753. [PMID: 34027656 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.1c00422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) have been widely studied as fillers to form reinforced nanocomposites with a wide range of applications, including the biomedical field. Here, we evaluated the possibility to combine them with fibrinogen and obtain fibrin hydrogels with improved mechanical stability as potential cellular scaffolds. In diluted conditions at a neutral pH, it was evidenced that fibrinogen could adsorb on CNCs in a two-step process, favoring their alignment under flow. Composite hydrogels could be prepared from concentrated fibrinogen solutions and nanocrystals in amounts up to 0.3 wt %. CNCs induced a significant modification of the initial fibrin fibrillogenesis and final fibrin network structure, and storage moduli of all nanocomposites were larger than those of pure fibrin hydrogels. Moreover, optimal conditions were found that promoted muscle cell differentiation and formation of long myotubes. These results provide original insights into the interactions of CNCs with proteins with key physiological functions and offer new perspectives for the design of injectable fibrin-based formulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kun Wang
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Laboratoire de Chimie de la Matière Condensée de Paris, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Gervaise Mosser
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Laboratoire de Chimie de la Matière Condensée de Paris, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Bernard Haye
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Laboratoire de Chimie de la Matière Condensée de Paris, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Niki Baccile
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Laboratoire de Chimie de la Matière Condensée de Paris, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Patrick Le Griel
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Laboratoire de Chimie de la Matière Condensée de Paris, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Petra Pernot
- ESRF-The European Synchrotron, CS40220, 38043 Grenoble, France
| | | | - Léa Trichet
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Laboratoire de Chimie de la Matière Condensée de Paris, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Thibaud Coradin
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Laboratoire de Chimie de la Matière Condensée de Paris, 75005 Paris, France
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26
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Yesudasan S, Averett RD. Fracture mechanics analysis of fibrin fibers using mesoscale and continuum level methods. INFORMATICS IN MEDICINE UNLOCKED 2021; 23. [PMID: 33981824 PMCID: PMC8112576 DOI: 10.1016/j.imu.2021.100524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Computational models for simulating and predicting fibrin fiber fracture are important tools for studying bulk mechanical properties and mechanobiological response of fibrin networks in physiological conditions. In this work, we employed a new strategy to model the mechanical response of a single fibrin fiber using a collection of bundled protofibrils and modeled the time-dependent properties using discrete particle simulations. Using a systematic characterization of the parameters, this model can be used to mimic the elastic behavior of fibrin fibers accurately and also to simulate fibrin fiber fracture. In addition, a continuum model was modified and used to obtain the individual fibrin fiber fracture toughness properties. Using this model and the experimentally available fibrin mechanical properties, we predicted the range of fracture toughness (1 to k P a m ) values of a typical fibrin fiber of diameter 100 nm and its critical flaw size to rupture (~4 nm), both of which are not currently available in the literature. The models can be collectively used as a foundation for simulating the mechanical behavior of fibrin clots. Moreover, the tunable discrete mesoscopic model that was employed can be extended to simulate and estimate the mechanical properties of other biological or synthetic fibers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumith Yesudasan
- Department of Engineering Technology, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX, 77341, USA
| | - Rodney D Averett
- School of Chemical, Materials, and Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
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27
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Probing fibrin's molecular response to shear and tensile deformation with coherent Raman microscopy. Acta Biomater 2021; 121:383-392. [PMID: 33321217 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2020.12.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2020] [Revised: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Blood clots are essential biomaterials that prevent blood loss and provide a temporary scaffold for tissue repair. In their function, these materials must be capable of resisting mechanical forces from hemodynamic shear and contractile tension without rupture. Fibrin networks, the primary load-bearing element in blood clots, have unique nonlinear mechanical properties resulting from fibrin's hierarchical structure. This structure provides multiscale load bearing from fiber deformation to protein unfolding. Here, we study the fiber and molecular scale response of fibrin under shear and tensile loads in situ using a combination of fluorescence and vibrational (molecular) microscopy. Imaging protein fiber orientation and molecular vibrations, we find that fiber alignment and molecular unfolding in fibrin appear at much larger strains under shear compared to uniaxial tension. Alignment levels reached at 150% shear strain were reached already at 60% tensile strain, and molecular unfolding of fibrin was only detected at shear strains above 300%, whereas fibrin unfolding began already at 20% tensile strain. Moreover, shear deformation caused progressive changes in vibrational modes consistent with increased protofibril and fiber packing that were already present even at very low tensile deformation. Together with a bioinformatic analysis of the primary fibrinogen structure, we propose a scheme for the molecular response of fibrin from low to high deformation, which may relate to the teleological origin of fibrin's resistance to shear and tensile forces.
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28
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Jansen KA, Zhmurov A, Vos BE, Portale G, Hermida-Merino D, Litvinov RI, Tutwiler V, Kurniawan NA, Bras W, Weisel JW, Barsegov V, Koenderink GH. Molecular packing structure of fibrin fibers resolved by X-ray scattering and molecular modeling. SOFT MATTER 2020; 16:8272-8283. [PMID: 32935715 DOI: 10.1039/d0sm00916d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Fibrin is the major extracellular component of blood clots and a proteinaceous hydrogel used as a versatile biomaterial. Fibrin forms branched networks built of laterally associated double-stranded protofibrils. This multiscale hierarchical structure is crucial for the extraordinary mechanical resilience of blood clots, yet the structural basis of clot mechanical properties remains largely unclear due, in part, to the unresolved molecular packing of fibrin fibers. Here the packing structure of fibrin fibers is quantitatively assessed by combining Small Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS) measurements of fibrin reconstituted under a wide range of conditions with computational molecular modeling of fibrin protofibrils. The number, positions, and intensities of the Bragg peaks observed in the SAXS experiments were reproduced computationally based on the all-atom molecular structure of reconstructed fibrin protofibrils. Specifically, the model correctly predicts the intensities of the reflections of the 22.5 nm axial repeat, corresponding to the half-staggered longitudinal arrangement of fibrin molecules. In addition, the SAXS measurements showed that protofibrils within fibrin fibers have a partially ordered lateral arrangement with a characteristic transverse repeat distance of 13 nm, irrespective of the fiber thickness. These findings provide fundamental insights into the molecular structure of fibrin clots that underlies their biological and physical properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karin A Jansen
- AMOLF, Biological Soft Matter Group, Amsterdam, The Netherlands and UMC Utrecht, Department of Pathology, 3508 GA Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Artem Zhmurov
- KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden and Sechenov University, Moscow 119991, Russian Federation
| | - Bart E Vos
- AMOLF, Biological Soft Matter Group, Amsterdam, The Netherlands and Institute of Cell Biology, Center of Molecular Biology of Inflammation, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Giuseppe Portale
- Macromolecular Chemistry and New Polymeric Materials, Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Daniel Hermida-Merino
- Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO), DUBBLE CRG at the ESRF, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble Cedex, France
| | - Rustem I Litvinov
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA and Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, 18 Kremlyovskaya St., Kazan 420008, Russian Federation
| | - Valerie Tutwiler
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Nicholas A Kurniawan
- AMOLF, Biological Soft Matter Group, Amsterdam, The Netherlands and Department of Biomedical Engineering and Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Wim Bras
- Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO), DUBBLE CRG at the ESRF, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble Cedex, France and Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, One Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge Tennessee, 37831, USA
| | - John W Weisel
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Valeri Barsegov
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, 1 University Ave., Lowell, MA, 01854, USA.
| | - Gijsje H Koenderink
- AMOLF, Biological Soft Matter Group, Amsterdam, The Netherlands and Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft University of Technology, Van der Maasweg 9, Delft, 2629 HZ, The Netherlands.
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29
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Domínguez-García P, Dietler G, Forró L, Jeney S. Filamentous and step-like behavior of gelling coarse fibrin networks revealed by high-frequency microrheology. SOFT MATTER 2020; 16:4234-4242. [PMID: 32297892 DOI: 10.1039/c9sm02228g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
By a micro-experimental methodology, we study the ongoing molecular process inside coarse fibrin networks by means of microrheology. We made these networks gelate around a probe microbead, allowing us to observe a temporal evolution compatible with the well-known molecular formation of fibrin networks in four steps: monomer, protofibril, fiber and network. Thanks to the access that optical-trapping interferometry provides to the short-time scale on the bead's Brownian motion, we observe a Kelvin-Voigt mechanical behavior from low to high frequencies, range not available in conventional rheometry. We exploit that mechanical model for obtaining the characteristic lengths of the filamentous structures composing these fibrin networks, whose obtained values are compatible with a non-affine behavior characterized by bending modes. At very long gelation times, a ω7/8 power-law is observed in the loss modulus, theoretically related with the longitudinal response of the molecular structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Domínguez-García
- Dep. Física Interdisciplinar, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED), Madrid 28040, Spain.
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30
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Inhibitors of blood coagulation factor XIII. Anal Biochem 2020; 605:113708. [PMID: 32335064 DOI: 10.1016/j.ab.2020.113708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2020] [Revised: 03/11/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The blood coagulation factor XIII (FXIII) plays an essential role in the stabilization of fibrin clots. This factor, belonging to the class of transglutaminases, catalyzes the final step of secondary hemostasis, i.e. the crosslinking of fibrin polymers. These crosslinks protect the clots against premature fibrinolysis. Consequently, FXIII is an interesting target for the therapeutic treatment of cardiovascular diseases. In this context, inhibitors can influence FXIII in the activation process of the enzyme itself or in its catalytic activity. To date, there is no FXIII inhibitor in medical application, but several studies have been conducted in the past. These studies provided a better understanding of FXIII and identified new lead structures for FXIII inhibitors. Next to small molecule inhibitors, the most promising candidates for the development of clinically applicable FXIII inhibitors are the peptide inhibitors tridegin and transglutaminase-inhibiting Michael acceptors (TIMAs) due to their selectivity towards activated FXIII (FXIIIa). In this review, select FXIII inhibitors and their pharmacological potential are discussed.
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31
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de Villiers S, Bester J, Kell DB, Pretorius E. A Possible Role of Amyloidogenic Blood Clotting in the Evolving Haemodynamics of Female Migraine-With-Aura: Results From a Pilot Study. Front Neurol 2019; 10:1262. [PMID: 31849822 PMCID: PMC6887655 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2019.01262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2019] [Accepted: 11/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Migraine is a debilitating primary headache disorder with a poorly understood aetiology. An extensive body of literature supports the theory of migraine as a systemic vascular inflammatory disorder characterised by endothelial dysfunction. It is also well-known that chronic inflammation results in an excessive burden of oxidative stress and therefore cellular dysfunction. In this study the effects of excessive oxidative stress through the phases of female migraine-with-aura (FMA) were evaluated by examining the health of the systems of haemostasis. Methods: Blood was obtained from 11 FMA patients at baseline and during the headache phase of migraine, as well as from 8 healthy age-matched female controls. Samples were analysed using thromboelastography (TEG) to evaluate viscoelastic profiles, light microscopy for erythrocyte morphology, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) for erythrocyte and fibrin clot structure, confocal microscopy for β-amyloid detection in fibrin clots. Results: Viscoelastic profiles from platelet poor plasma showed decreased clot reaction times in FMA at baseline (95% CI [5.56, 8.41]) vs. control (95% CI [7.22, 11.68]); as well as decreased time to maximum thrombus generation for the same comparison (95% CI [6.78, 10.20] vs. [8.90, 12.96]). Morphological analysis of erythrocytes indicated widespread macrocytosis, poikilocytosis and eryptosis in the migraineurs. Analysis of fibrin networks indicated that this hypercoagulability may be a result of aberrant fibrin polymerisation kinetics caused by the adoption of a β-amyloid conformation of fibrin(ogen). Conclusion: The results reaffirm the hypercoagulable state in migraine, and would suggest that this state is most likely a result of a systemic inflammatory state which induces oxidative damage to both erythrocytes and fibrin(ogen) in female episodic migraine-with-aura. Furthermore, if the amylodogenic changes to fibrin(ogen) were observed in a larger cohort, this would support theories of micro-embolisation in migraine-with-aura.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sulette de Villiers
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Janette Bester
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Douglas B Kell
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Etheresia Pretorius
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
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32
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Mouapi KN, Wagner LJ, Stephens CA, Hindi MM, Wilkey DW, Merchant ML, Maurer MC. Evaluating the Effects of Fibrinogen αC Mutations on the Ability of Factor XIII to Crosslink the Reactive αC Glutamines (Q237, Q328, Q366). Thromb Haemost 2019; 119:1048-1057. [PMID: 31055797 DOI: 10.1055/s-0039-1687875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Fibrinogen (Fbg) levels and extent of fibrin polymerization have been associated with various pathological conditions such as cardiovascular disease, arteriosclerosis, and coagulation disorders. Activated factor XIII (FXIIIa) introduces γ-glutamyl-ε-lysinyl isopeptide bonds between reactive glutamines and lysines in the fibrin network to form a blood clot resistant to fibrinolysis. FXIIIa crosslinks the γ-chains and at multiple sites in the αC region of Fbg. Fbg αC contains a FXIII binding site involving αC (389-402) that is located near three glutamines whose reactivities rank Q237 >> Q366 ≈ Q328. Mass spectrometry and two-dimensional heteronuclear single-quantum correlation nuclear magnetic resonance assays were used to probe the anchoring role that αC E396 may play in controlling FXIII function and characterize the effects of Q237 on the reactivities of Q328 and Q366. Studies with αC (233-425) revealed that the E396A mutation does not prevent the transglutaminase function of FXIII A2 or A2B2. Other residues must play a compensatory role in targeting FXIII to αC. Unlike full Fbg, Fbg αC (233-425) did not promote thrombin cleavage of FXIII, an event contributing to activation. With the αC (233-425) E396A mutant, Q237 exhibited slower reactivities compared with αC wild-type (WT) consistent with difficulties in directing this N-terminal segment toward an anchored FXIII interacting at a weaker binding region. Q328 and Q366 became less reactive when Q237 was replaced with inactive N237. Q237 crosslinking is proposed to promote targeting of Q328 and Q366 to the FXIII active site. FXIII thus uses Fbg αC anchoring sites and distinct Q environments to regulate substrate specificity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly Njine Mouapi
- Chemistry Department, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, United States
| | - Lucille J Wagner
- Chemistry Department, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, United States
| | - Chad A Stephens
- Chemistry Department, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, United States
| | - Mohammed M Hindi
- Chemistry Department, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, United States
| | - Daniel W Wilkey
- Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Department of Medicine, University of Louisville, Kentucky, United States
| | - Michael L Merchant
- Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Department of Medicine, University of Louisville, Kentucky, United States
| | - Muriel C Maurer
- Chemistry Department, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, United States
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33
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Protopopova AD, Ramirez A, Klinov DV, Litvinov RI, Weisel JW. Factor XIII topology: organization of B subunits and changes with activation studied with single-molecule atomic force microscopy. J Thromb Haemost 2019; 17:737-748. [PMID: 30773828 PMCID: PMC6917434 DOI: 10.1111/jth.14412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2018] [Accepted: 02/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Essentials Factor XIII is a heterotetramer with 2 catalytic A subunits and 2 non-catalytic B subunits. Structure of active and inactive factor XIII was studied with atomic force microscopy. Inactive factor XIII is made of an A2 globule and 2 flexible B subunits extending from it. Activated factor XIII separates into a B2 homodimer and 2 monomeric active A subunits. SUMMARY: Background Factor XIII (FXIII) is a precursor of the blood plasma transglutaminase (FXIIIa) that is generated by thrombin and Ca2+ and covalently crosslinks fibrin to strengthen blood clots. Inactive plasma FXIII is a heterotetramer with two catalytic A subunits and two non-catalytic B subunits. Inactive A subunits have been characterized crystallographically, whereas the atomic structure of the entire FXIII and B subunits is unknown and the oligomerization state of activated A subunits remains controversial. Objectives Our goal was to characterize the (sub)molecular structure of inactive FXIII and changes upon activation. Methods Plasma FXIII, non-activated or activated with thrombin and Ca2+ , was studied by single-molecule atomic force microscopy. Additionally, recombinant separate A and B subunits were visualized and compared with their conformations and dimensions in FXIII and FXIIIa. Results and Conclusions We showed that heterotetrameric FXIII forms a globule composed of two catalytic A subunits with two flexible strands comprising individual non-catalytic B subunits that protrude on one side of the globule. Each strand corresponds to seven to eight out of 10 tandem repeats building each B subunit, called sushi domains. The remainder were not seen, presumably because they were tightly bound to the globular A2 dimer. Some FXIII molecules had one or no visible strands, suggesting dissociation of the B subunits from the globular core. After activation of FXIII with thrombin and Ca2+ , B subunits dissociated and formed B2 homodimers, whereas the activated globular A subunits dissociated into monomers. These results characterize the molecular organization of FXIII and changes with activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna D Protopopova
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Andrea Ramirez
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Border Biomedical Research Center, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA
| | - Dmitry V Klinov
- Federal Research and Clinical Center of Physical-Chemical Medicine, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Rustem I Litvinov
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russian Federation
| | - John W Weisel
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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34
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Pieters M, Wolberg AS. Fibrinogen and fibrin: An illustrated review. Res Pract Thromb Haemost 2019; 3:161-172. [PMID: 31011700 PMCID: PMC6462751 DOI: 10.1002/rth2.12191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 149] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2019] [Accepted: 01/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Since its discovery over 350 years ago, studies of fibrinogen have revealed remarkable characteristics. Its complex structure as a large (340 kDa) hexameric homodimer supports complex roles in hemostasis and homeostasis. Fibrinogen synthesis is regulated at the transcriptional and translational levels, undergoing both constitutive (basal) secretion from liver, and inducible upregulation in response to inflammatory events. In addition, alternative splicing yields fibrinogen variants with unique properties and contributions to coagulation biochemistry. During coagulation, fibrinogen conversion to fibrin occurs via thrombin‐mediated proteolytic cleavage that produces intermediate protofibrils and then mature fibers that provide remarkable biochemical and mechanical stability to clots. Fibrin formation, structure, and stability are regulated by various genetic, biochemical, and environmental factors, allowing for dynamic kinetics of fibrin formation and structure. Interactions between fibrinogen and/or fibrin and plasma proteins and receptors on platelets, leukocytes, endothelial cells, and other cells enable complex functions in hemostasis, thrombosis, pregnancy, inflammation, infection, cancer, and other pathologies. Disorders in fibrinogen concentration and/or function increase risk of bleeding, thrombosis, and infection. This illustrated review covers fundamental aspects of fibrinogen and fibrin biology, biochemistry, biophysics, epidemiology, and clinical applications. Continued efforts to enhance our understanding of fibrinogen and fibrin in these processes are likely to advance treatment and prevention of many human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlien Pieters
- Center of Excellence for Nutrition North-West University Potchefstroom South Africa
| | - Alisa S Wolberg
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine University of North Carolina Chapel Hill North Carolina
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Wolberg AS. Fibrinogen and factor XIII: newly recognized roles in venous thrombus formation and composition. Curr Opin Hematol 2018; 25:358-364. [PMID: 29994896 PMCID: PMC6215450 DOI: 10.1097/moh.0000000000000445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW In spite of significant morbidity and mortality associated with venous thromboembolism, the underlying pathogenesis remains poorly understood. RECENT FINDINGS Clues to operant pathogenic mechanisms are found in the unique morphology and composition of these thrombi, which have substantial red blood cell and fibrin content. Recent studies have revealed biochemical and biophysical mechanisms that dictate fibrin structure in venous thrombi and promote retention of red blood cells within the contracted clots. These mechanisms include newly recognized contributions of fibrin network structure and factor XIII(a)-mediated fibrin crosslinking to venous thrombus composition, size, and stability. SUMMARY Continued work to elucidate mechanisms by which fibrin(ogen), factor XIII, and red blood cells contribute to venous thrombus formation, structure, and stability may expose novel molecular targets and strategies for reducing thrombosis and thrombotic complications in certain at-risk patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alisa S Wolberg
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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Leon-Valdivieso CY, Wedgwood J, Lallana E, Donno R, Roberts I, Ghibaudi M, Tirella A, Tirelli N. Fibroblast migration correlates with matrix softness. A study in knob-hole engineered fibrin. APL Bioeng 2018; 2:036102. [PMID: 31069320 PMCID: PMC6481723 DOI: 10.1063/1.5022841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2018] [Accepted: 06/21/2018] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The invasion of a matrix by migrating cells is a key step in its remodelling. At least in 2D migration models, cells tend to localize in stiffer areas (durotaxis). Here, we show that mechanical properties affect differently the 3D migration rate: non-proteolytic 3D cell migration is facilitated in softer matrices. In these gels, the modulus was varied by introducing defects in fibres, leaving largely intact the nanostructure. The matrices derive from fibrin via functionalization with a bioinert polymer [poly(ethylene glycol), PEG] through an affinity mechanism identical to that presiding to fibrin own self-assembly. Peptidic end groups on PEG were used to bind fibrinogen globular D regions [GPRP (glycine-proline-arginine-proline) for a holes, GHRP (glycine-histidine-arginine-proline) for b holes; Kd evaluated via isothermal titration calorimetry or fluorescence anisotropy]. In a dose-dependent manner, both PEGylated peptides decreased gel stiffness, but most other properties at a macroscopic [e.g., overall elastic character, strain hardening, and high (>0.5) Poisson ratio] or nano/micro level (fibre dimension and pore size) were largely unaffected, suggesting that the softening effect was due to the introduction of defects within fibres, rather than to differences in the network architecture. In these matrices, the key determinant of fibroblast migration was found to be the elastic modulus, rather than the identity or the dose of the PEGylated peptide; softer materials allowed a faster invasion, even if this meant a higher content of non-adhesive PEG. This does not conflict with fibroblast durotaxis (where stiffness controls accumulation but not necessarily the speed of migration) and indicates a way to fine tune the speed of cell colonization.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jennifer Wedgwood
- Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, School of Health Science, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, United Kingdom
| | - Enrique Lallana
- Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, School of Health Science, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, United Kingdom
| | - Roberto Donno
- Laboratory of Polymers and Biomaterials, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego 30, 16163 Genova, Italy
| | - Iwan Roberts
- Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, School of Health Science, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, United Kingdom
| | | | - Annalisa Tirella
- Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, School of Health Science, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, United Kingdom
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Macrae FL, Duval C, Papareddy P, Baker SR, Yuldasheva N, Kearney KJ, McPherson HR, Asquith N, Konings J, Casini A, Degen JL, Connell SD, Philippou H, Wolberg AS, Herwald H, Ariëns RA. A fibrin biofilm covers blood clots and protects from microbial invasion. J Clin Invest 2018; 128:3356-3368. [PMID: 29723163 PMCID: PMC6063501 DOI: 10.1172/jci98734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2017] [Accepted: 05/01/2018] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Hemostasis requires conversion of fibrinogen to fibrin fibers that generate a characteristic network, interact with blood cells, and initiate tissue repair. The fibrin network is porous and highly permeable, but the spatial arrangement of the external clot face is unknown. Here we show that fibrin transitioned to the blood-air interface through Langmuir film formation, producing a protective film confining clots in human and mouse models. We demonstrated that only fibrin is required for formation of the film, and that it occurred in vitro and in vivo. The fibrin film connected to the underlying clot network through tethering fibers. It was digested by plasmin, and formation of the film was prevented with surfactants. Functionally, the film retained blood cells and protected against penetration by bacterial pathogens in a murine model of dermal infection. Our data show a remarkable aspect of blood clotting in which fibrin forms a protective film covering the external surface of the clot, defending the organism against microbial invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fraser L Macrae
- Thrombosis and Tissue Repair Group, Discovery and Translational Science Department, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Cédric Duval
- Thrombosis and Tissue Repair Group, Discovery and Translational Science Department, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Praveen Papareddy
- Division of Infection Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Stephen R Baker
- Thrombosis and Tissue Repair Group, Discovery and Translational Science Department, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Nadira Yuldasheva
- Thrombosis and Tissue Repair Group, Discovery and Translational Science Department, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Katherine J Kearney
- Population and Clinical Sciences Department, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Helen R McPherson
- Thrombosis and Tissue Repair Group, Discovery and Translational Science Department, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Nathan Asquith
- Thrombosis and Tissue Repair Group, Discovery and Translational Science Department, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Joke Konings
- Department of Biochemistry, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, School of Medicine, and.,Synapse Research Institute, CARIM, University of Maastricht, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Alessandro Casini
- Division of Angiology and Haemostasis, Faculty of Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Jay L Degen
- Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Simon D Connell
- Molecular and Nanoscale Physics Group, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Helen Philippou
- Thrombosis and Tissue Repair Group, Discovery and Translational Science Department, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Alisa S Wolberg
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Heiko Herwald
- Division of Infection Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Robert As Ariëns
- Thrombosis and Tissue Repair Group, Discovery and Translational Science Department, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom.,Department of Biochemistry, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, School of Medicine, and
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Exposure of fibrinogen and thrombin to nitric oxide donor ProliNONOate affects fibrin clot properties. Blood Coagul Fibrinolysis 2018; 28:356-364. [PMID: 27755019 DOI: 10.1097/mbc.0000000000000602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
: Fibrin fibers form the structural backbone of blood clots. The structural properties of fibrin clots are highly dependent on formation kinetics. Environmental factors such as protein concentration, pH, salt, and protein modification, to name a few, can affect fiber kinetics through altered fibrinopeptide release, monomer association, and/or lateral aggregation. The objective of our study was to determine the effect of thrombin and fibrinogen exposed to nitric oxide on fibrin clot properties. ProliNONOate (5 μmol/l) was added to fibrinogen and thrombin before clot initiation and immediately following the addition of thrombin to the fibrinogen solution. Resulting fibrin fibers were probed with an atomic force microscope to determine their diameter and extensibility and fibrin clots were analyzed for clot density using confocal microscopy. Fiber diameters were also determined by confocal microscopy and the rate of clot formation was recorded using UV-vis spectrophotometry. Protein oxidation and S-nitrosation was determined by UV-vis, ELISA, and chemiluminescence. The addition of ProliNONOate to fibrinogen or thrombin resulted in a change in clot structure. ProliNONOate exposure produced clots with lower fiber density, thicker fibers, and increased time to maximum turbidity. The effect of the exposure of nitric oxide to thrombin and fibrinogen were measured independently and indicated that each plays a role in altering clot properties. We detected thrombin S-nitrosation and protein carbonyl formation after nitric oxide exposure. Our study reveals a regulation of fibrin clot properties by nitric oxide exposure and suggests a role of peroxynitrite in oxidative modifications of the proteins. These results relate nitric oxide bioavailability and oxidative stress to altered clot properties.
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Nonuniform Internal Structure of Fibrin Fibers: Protein Density and Bond Density Strongly Decrease with Increasing Diameter. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2017; 2017:6385628. [PMID: 29130043 PMCID: PMC5654258 DOI: 10.1155/2017/6385628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2017] [Revised: 05/05/2017] [Accepted: 08/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The major structural component of a blood clot is a meshwork of fibrin fibers. It has long been thought that the internal structure of fibrin fibers is homogeneous; that is, the protein density and the bond density between protofibrils are uniform and do not depend on fiber diameter. We performed experiments to investigate the internal structure of fibrin fibers. We formed fibrin fibers with fluorescently labeled fibrinogen and determined the light intensity of a fiber, I, as a function of fiber diameter, D. The intensity and, thus, the total number of fibrin molecules in a cross-section scaled as D1.4. This means that the protein density (fibrin per cross-sectional area), ρp , is not homogeneous but instead strongly decreases with fiber diameter as D-0.6. Thinner fibers are denser than thicker fibers. We also determined Young's modulus, Y, as a function of fiber diameter. Y decreased strongly with increasing D; Y scaled as D-1.5. This implies that the bond density, ρb , also scales as D-1.5. Thinner fibers are stiffer than thicker fibers. Our data suggest that fibrin fibers have a dense, well-connected core and a sparse, loosely connected periphery. In contrast, electrospun fibrinogen fibers, used as a control, have a homogeneous cross-section.
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40
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Protopopova AD, Litvinov RI, Galanakis DK, Nagaswami C, Barinov NA, Mukhitov AR, Klinov DV, Weisel JW. Morphometric characterization of fibrinogen's αC regions and their role in fibrin self-assembly and molecular organization. NANOSCALE 2017; 9:13707-13716. [PMID: 28884176 PMCID: PMC6501582 DOI: 10.1039/c7nr04413e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The flexible C-terminal parts of fibrinogen's Aα chains named the αC regions have been shown to play a role in fibrin self-assembly, although many aspects of their structure and functions remain unknown. To examine the involvement of the αC regions in the early stages of fibrin formation, we used high-resolution atomic force microscopy to image fibrinogen and oligomeric fibrin. Plasma-purified full-length human fibrinogen or des-αC fibrinogen lacking most of the αC regions, untreated or treated with thrombin, was imaged. Up to 80% of the potentially existing αC regions were visualized and quantified; they were highly heterogeneous in their length and configurations. Conversion of fibrinogen to fibrin was accompanied by an increase in the incidence and length of the αC regions as well as transitions from more compact conformations, such as a globule on a string, to extended and more flexible offshoots. Concurrent dynamic turbidimetry, confocal microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy revealed that trimming of the αC regions slowed down fibrin formation, which correlated with longer protofibrils, thinner fibers, and a denser network. No structural distinctions, except for the incidence of the αC regions, were revealed in the laterally aggregated protofibrils made of the full-length or des-αC fibrinogens, suggesting a pure kinetic effect of the αC regions on the fibrin architecture. This work provides a structural molecular basis for the promoting role of the αC regions in the early stages of fibrin self-assembly and reveals this stage of fibrin formation as a potential therapeutic target to modulate the structure and mechanical properties of blood clots.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna D Protopopova
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
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Li W, Lucioni T, Li R, Bonin K, Cho SS, Guthold M. Stretching single fibrin fibers hampers their lysis. Acta Biomater 2017; 60:264-274. [PMID: 28754649 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2017.07.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2015] [Revised: 07/23/2017] [Accepted: 07/24/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Blood clots, whose main structural component is a mesh of microscopic fibrin fibers, experience mechanical strain from blood flow, clot retraction and interactions with platelets and other cells. We developed a transparent, striated and highly stretchable substrate made from fugitive glue (a styrenic block copolymer) to investigate how mechanical strain affects lysis of single, suspended fibrin fibers. In this suspended fiber assay, lysis manifested itself by fiber elongation, thickening (disassembly), fraying and collapse. Stretching single fibrin fibers significantly hampered their lysis. This effect was seen in uncrosslinked and crosslinked fibers. Crosslinking (without stretching) also hampered single fiber lysis. Our data suggest that strain is a novel mechanosensitive factor that regulates blood clot dissolution (fibrinolysis) at the single fiber level. At the molecular level of single fibrin molecules, strain may distort, or hinder access to, plasmin cleavage sites and thereby hamper lysis. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE Fibrin fibers are the major structural component of a blood clot. We developed a highly stretchable substrate made from fugitive glue and a suspended fibrin fiber lysis assay to investigate the effect of stretching on single fibrin fibers lysis. The key findings from our experiments are: 1) Fibers thicken and elongate upon lysis; 2) stretching strongly reduces lysis; 3) this effect is more pronounced for uncrosslinked fibers; and 4) stretching fibers has a similar effect on reducing lysis as crosslinking fibers. At the molecular level, strain may distort plasmin cleavage sites, or restrict access to those sites. Our results suggest that strain may be a novel mechanobiological factor that regulates fibrinolysis.
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42
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Kurniawan NA, Vos BE, Biebricher A, Wuite GJL, Peterman EJG, Koenderink GH. Fibrin Networks Support Recurring Mechanical Loads by Adapting their Structure across Multiple Scales. Biophys J 2017; 111:1026-34. [PMID: 27602730 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2016.06.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2016] [Revised: 06/01/2016] [Accepted: 06/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Tissues and cells sustain recurring mechanical loads that span a wide range of loading amplitudes and timescales as a consequence of exposure to blood flow, muscle activity, and external impact. Both tissues and cells derive their mechanical strength from fibrous protein scaffolds, which typically have a complex hierarchical structure. In this study, we focus on a prototypical hierarchical biomaterial, fibrin, which is one of the most resilient naturally occurring biopolymers and forms the structural scaffold of blood clots. We show how fibrous networks composed of fibrin utilize irreversible changes in their hierarchical structure at different scales to maintain reversible stress stiffening up to large strains. To trace the origin of this paradoxical resilience, we systematically tuned the microstructural parameters of fibrin and used a combination of optical tweezers and fluorescence microscopy to measure the interactions of single fibrin fibers for the first time, to our knowledge. We demonstrate that fibrin networks adapt to moderate strains by remodeling at the network scale through the spontaneous formation of new bonds between fibers, whereas they adapt to high strains by plastic remodeling of the fibers themselves. This multiscale adaptation mechanism endows fibrin gels with the remarkable ability to sustain recurring loads due to shear flows and wound stretching. Our findings therefore reveal a microscopic mechanism by which tissues and cells can balance elastic nonlinearity and plasticity, and thus can provide microstructural insights into cell-driven remodeling of tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas A Kurniawan
- Department of Systems Biophysics, FOM Institute AMOLF, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands; Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Bart E Vos
- Department of Systems Biophysics, FOM Institute AMOLF, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Andreas Biebricher
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Gijs J L Wuite
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Erwin J G Peterman
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Gijsje H Koenderink
- Department of Systems Biophysics, FOM Institute AMOLF, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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Amri Y, Jouini H, Becheur M, Dabboubi R, Mahjoub B, Messaoud T, Sfar MT, Casini A, de Moerloose P, Toumi NEH. Fibrinogen Mahdia: A congenitally abnormal fibrinogen characterized by defective fibrin polymerization. Haemophilia 2017; 23:e340-e347. [DOI: 10.1111/hae.13268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Y. Amri
- Hematology Laboratory; Bechir Hamza Children's Hospital; Tunis Tunisia
| | - H. Jouini
- Hematology Laboratory; Bechir Hamza Children's Hospital; Tunis Tunisia
| | - M. Becheur
- Hematology Laboratory; Bechir Hamza Children's Hospital; Tunis Tunisia
| | - R. Dabboubi
- Biochemistry Laboratory; Bechir Hamza Children's Hospital; Tunis Tunisia
| | - B. Mahjoub
- Department of Pediatrics; Tahar Sfar University Hospital; Mahdia Tunisia
| | - T. Messaoud
- Biochemistry Laboratory; Bechir Hamza Children's Hospital; Tunis Tunisia
| | - M. T. Sfar
- Department of Pediatrics; Tahar Sfar University Hospital; Mahdia Tunisia
| | - A. Casini
- Division of Angiology and Haemostasis; University Hospitals and Faculty of Medicine of Geneva; Geneva Switzerland
| | - P. de Moerloose
- Division of Angiology and Haemostasis; University Hospitals and Faculty of Medicine of Geneva; Geneva Switzerland
| | - N. E. H. Toumi
- Hematology Laboratory; Bechir Hamza Children's Hospital; Tunis Tunisia
- Department of Clinical Biology A; Faculty of Pharmacy; Monastir Tunisia
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Nair PM, Pandya SG, Dallo SF, Reddoch KM, Montgomery RK, Pidcoke HF, Cap AP, Ramasubramanian AK. Platelets stored at 4°C contribute to superior clot properties compared to current standard-of-care through fibrin-crosslinking. Br J Haematol 2017; 178:119-129. [PMID: 28580719 DOI: 10.1111/bjh.14751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2017] [Accepted: 03/20/2017] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Currently, platelets for transfusion are stored at room temperature (RT) for 5-7 days with gentle agitation, but this is less than optimal because of loss of function and risk of bacterial contamination. We have previously demonstrated that cold (4°C) storage is an attractive alternative because it preserves platelet metabolic reserves, in vitro responses to agonists of activation, aggregation and physiological inhibitors, as well as adhesion to thrombogenic surfaces better than RT storage. Recently, the US Food and Drug Administration clarified that apheresis platelets stored at 4°C for up to 72 h may be used for treating active haemorrhage. In this work, we tested the hypothesis that cold-stored platelets contribute to generating clots with superior mechanical properties compared to RT-stored platelets. Rheological studies demonstrate that the clots formed from platelets stored at 4°C for 5 days are significantly stiffer (higher elastic modulus) and stronger (higher critical stress) than those formed from RT-stored platelets. Morphological analysis shows that clot fibres from cold-stored platelets were denser, thinner, straighter and with more branch points or crosslinks than those from RT-stored platelets. Our results also show that the enhanced clot strength and packed structure is due to cold-induced plasma factor XIII binding to platelet surfaces, and the consequent increase in crosslinking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prajeeda M Nair
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA.,Blood Research Program, U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research, Fort Sam Houston, TX, USA
| | - Shaunak G Pandya
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Shatha F Dallo
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Kristin M Reddoch
- Blood Research Program, U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research, Fort Sam Houston, TX, USA
| | - Robbie K Montgomery
- Blood Research Program, U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research, Fort Sam Houston, TX, USA
| | - Heather F Pidcoke
- Blood Research Program, U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research, Fort Sam Houston, TX, USA
| | - Andrew P Cap
- Blood Research Program, U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research, Fort Sam Houston, TX, USA
| | - Anand K Ramasubramanian
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA.,Department of Biomedical, Chemical and Materials Engineering, San José State University, San José, CA, USA
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45
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Hudson NE. Biophysical Mechanisms Mediating Fibrin Fiber Lysis. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2017; 2017:2748340. [PMID: 28630861 PMCID: PMC5467299 DOI: 10.1155/2017/2748340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2017] [Accepted: 04/30/2017] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
The formation and dissolution of blood clots is both a biochemical and a biomechanical process. While much of the chemistry has been worked out for both processes, the influence of biophysical properties is less well understood. This review considers the impact of several structural and mechanical parameters on lytic rates of fibrin fibers. The influences of fiber and network architecture, fiber strain, FXIIIa cross-linking, and particle transport phenomena will be assessed. The importance of the mechanical aspects of fibrinolysis is emphasized, and future research avenues are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan E. Hudson
- Department of Physics, East Carolina University, N304 Howell Science Complex, Greenville, NC 27858, USA
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46
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Piechocka IK, Kurniawan NA, Grimbergen J, Koopman J, Koenderink GH. Recombinant fibrinogen reveals the differential roles of α- and γ-chain cross-linking and molecular heterogeneity in fibrin clot strain-stiffening. J Thromb Haemost 2017; 15:938-949. [PMID: 28166607 DOI: 10.1111/jth.13650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2016] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Essentials Fibrinogen circulates in human plasma as a complex mixture of heterogeneous molecular variants. We measured strain-stiffening of recombinantly produced fibrinogen upon clotting. Factor XIII and molecular heterogeneity alter clot elasticity at the protofibril and fiber level. This highlights the hitherto unknown role of molecular composition in fibrin clot mechanics. SUMMARY Background Fibrin plays a crucial role in haemostasis and wound healing by forming strain-stiffening fibrous networks that reinforce blood clots. The molecular origin of fibrin's strain-stiffening behavior remains poorly understood, primarily because plasma fibrinogen is a complex mixture of heterogeneous molecular variants and is often contaminated by plasma factors that affect clot properties. Objectives and methods To facilitate mechanistic dissection of fibrin nonlinear elasticity, we produced a homogeneous recombinant fibrinogen corresponding to the main variant in human plasma, termed rFib610. We characterized the structure of rFib610 clots using turbidimetry, microscopy and X-ray scattering. We used rheology to measure the strain-stiffening behavior of the clots and determined the fiber properties by modeling the clots as semi-flexible polymer networks. Results We show that addition of FXIII to rFib610 clots causes a dose-dependent stiffness increase at small deformations and renders the strain-stiffening response reversible. We find that γ-chain cross-linking contributes to clot elasticity by changing the force-extension behavior of the protofibrils, whereas α-chain cross-linking stiffens the fibers, as a consequence of tighter coupling between the constituent protofibrils. Interestingly, rFib610 protofibrils have a 25% larger bending rigidity than plasma-purified fibrin protofibrils and a delayed strain-stiffening, indicating that molecular heterogeneity influences clot mechanics at the protofibril scale. Conclusions Fibrinogen molecular heterogeneity and FXIII affect the mechanical function of fibrin clots by altering the nonlinear viscoelastic properties at the protofibril and fiber scale. This work provides a starting point to investigate the role of molecular heterogeneity of plasma fibrinogen in fibrin clot mechanics and haemostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- I K Piechocka
- Department of Systems Biophysics, AMOLF, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- ICFO-Institut de Ciencies Fotoniques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - N A Kurniawan
- Department of Systems Biophysics, AMOLF, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, the Netherlands
| | | | - J Koopman
- ProFibrix BV, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - G H Koenderink
- Department of Systems Biophysics, AMOLF, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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Byrnes JR, Wolberg AS. New findings on venous thrombogenesis. Hamostaseologie 2017; 37:25-35. [PMID: 27878206 PMCID: PMC5680039 DOI: 10.5482/hamo-16-09-0034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2016] [Accepted: 11/04/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Venous thrombosis (VT) is the third most common cause of cardiovascular death worldwide. Complications from VT and pulmonary embolism are the leading cause of lost disability-adjusted life years. Risks include genetic (e.g., non-O blood group, activated protein C resistance, hyperprothrombinemia) and acquired (e.g., age, surgery, cancer, pregnancy, immobilisation, female hormone use) factors. Pathophysiologic mechanisms that promote VT are incompletely understood, but involve abnormalities in blood coagulability, vessel function, and flow (so-called Virchow's Triad). Epidemiologic studies of humans, animal models, and biochemical and biophysical investigations have revealed contributions from extrinsic, intrinsic, and common pathways of coagulation, endothelial cells, leukocytes, red blood cells, platelets, cell-derived microvesicles, stasis-induced changes in vascular cells, and blood rheology. Knowledge of these mechanisms may yield new therapeutic targets. Characterisation of mechanisms that mediate VT formation and stability, particularly in aging, are needed to advance understanding of VT.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alisa S Wolberg
- Alisa S. Wolberg, Ph. D., Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 819 Brinkhous-Bullitt Building, CB #7525, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7525, United States, Phone: (919) 962-8943, Fax: (919) 966-6718, E-Mail:
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Abstract
Fibrinogen and fibrin are essential for hemostasis and are major factors in thrombosis, wound healing, and several other biological functions and pathological conditions. The X-ray crystallographic structure of major parts of fibrin(ogen), together with computational reconstructions of missing portions and numerous biochemical and biophysical studies, have provided a wealth of data to interpret molecular mechanisms of fibrin formation, its organization, and properties. On cleavage of fibrinopeptides by thrombin, fibrinogen is converted to fibrin monomers, which interact via knobs exposed by fibrinopeptide removal in the central region, with holes always exposed at the ends of the molecules. The resulting half-staggered, double-stranded oligomers lengthen into protofibrils, which aggregate laterally to make fibers, which then branch to yield a three-dimensional network. Much is now known about the structural origins of clot mechanical properties, including changes in fiber orientation, stretching and buckling, and forced unfolding of molecular domains. Studies of congenital fibrinogen variants and post-translational modifications have increased our understanding of the structure and functions of fibrin(ogen). The fibrinolytic system, with the zymogen plasminogen binding to fibrin together with tissue-type plasminogen activator to promote activation to the active proteolytic enzyme, plasmin, results in digestion of fibrin at specific lysine residues. In spite of a great increase in our knowledge of all these interconnected processes, much about the molecular mechanisms of the biological functions of fibrin(ogen) remains unknown, including some basic aspects of clotting, fibrinolysis, and molecular origins of fibrin mechanical properties. Even less is known concerning more complex (patho)physiological implications of fibrinogen and fibrin.
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Affiliation(s)
- John W Weisel
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Rustem I Litvinov
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Fibrin Fiber Stiffness Is Strongly Affected by Fiber Diameter, but Not by Fibrinogen Glycation. Biophys J 2016; 110:1400-10. [PMID: 27028649 PMCID: PMC4816776 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2016.02.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2015] [Revised: 01/24/2016] [Accepted: 02/02/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The major structural component of a blood clot is a mesh of fibrin fibers. Our goal was to determine whether fibrinogen glycation and fibrin fiber diameter have an effect on the mechanical properties of single fibrin fibers. We used a combined atomic force microscopy/fluorescence microscopy technique to determine the mechanical properties of individual fibrin fibers formed from blood plasma. Blood samples were taken from uncontrolled diabetic patients as well as age-, gender-, and body-mass-index-matched healthy individuals. The patients then underwent treatment to control blood glucose levels before end blood samples were taken. The fibrinogen glycation of the diabetic patients was reduced from 8.8 to 5.0 mol glucose/mol fibrinogen, and the healthy individuals had a mean fibrinogen glycation of 4.0 mol glucose/mol fibrinogen. We found that fibrinogen glycation had no significant systematic effect on single-fiber modulus, extensibility, or stress relaxation times. However, we did find that the fiber modulus, Y, strongly decreases with increasing fiber diameter, D, as Y∝D−1.6. Thin fibers can be 100 times stiffer than thick fibers. This is unusual because the modulus is a material constant and should not depend on the sample dimensions (diameter) for homogeneous materials. Our finding, therefore, implies that fibrin fibers do not have a homogeneous cross section of uniformly connected protofibrils, as is commonly thought. Instead, the density of protofibril connections, ρPb, strongly decreases with increasing diameter, as ρPb∝D−1.6. Thin fibers are denser and/or have more strongly connected protofibrils than thick fibers. This implies that it is easier to dissolve clots that consist of fewer thick fibers than those that consist of many thin fibers, which is consistent with experimental and clinical observations.
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Duval C, Ariëns RAS. Fibrinogen splice variation and cross-linking: Effects on fibrin structure/function and role of fibrinogen γ' as thrombomobulin II. Matrix Biol 2016; 60-61:8-15. [PMID: 27784620 DOI: 10.1016/j.matbio.2016.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2016] [Accepted: 09/30/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Fibrin is an important matrix protein that provides the backbone to the blood clot, promoting tissue repair and wound healing. Its precursor fibrinogen is one of the most heterogeneous proteins, with an estimated 1 million different forms due to alterations in glycosylation, oxidation, single nucleotide polymorphisms, splice variation and other variations. Furthermore, ligation by transglutaminase factor XIII (cross-linking) adds to the complexity of the fibrin network. The structure and function of the fibrin network is in part determined by this natural variation in the fibrinogen molecule, with major effects from splice variation and cross-linking. This mini-review will discuss the direct effects of fibrinogen αEC and fibrinogen γ' splice variation on clot structure and function and also discuss the additional role of fibrinogen γ' as thrombomodulin II. Furthermore, the effects of cross-linking on clot function will be described. Splice variation and cross-linking are major determinants of the structure and function of fibrin and may therefore impact on diseases affecting bleeding, thrombosis and tissue repair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cédric Duval
- Thrombosis and Tissue Repair Group, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Robert A S Ariëns
- Thrombosis and Tissue Repair Group, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
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