Specific heteromeric association of four transmembrane peptides derived from platelet glycoprotein Ib-IX complex

The GPIb-IX complex on platelets: insight into its novel physiological functions affecting immune surveillance, hepatic thrombopoietin generation, platelet clearance and its relevance for cancer development and metastasis

The glycoprotein (GP) Ib-IX complex is a platelet receptor that mediates the initial interaction with subendothelial von Willebrand factor (VWF) causing platelet arrest at sites of vascular injury even under conditions of high shear. GPIb-IX dysfunction or deficiency is the reason for the rare but severe Bernard-Soulier syndrome (BSS), a congenital bleeding disorder. Although knowledge on GPIb-IX structure, its basic functions, ligands, and intracellular signaling cascades have been well established, several advances in GPIb-IX biology have been made in the recent years. Thus, two mechanosensitive domains and a trigger sequence in GPIb were characterized and its role as a thrombin receptor was deciphered. Furthermore, it became clear that GPIb-IX is involved in the regulation of platelet production, clearance and thrombopoietin secretion. GPIb is deemed to contribute to liver cancer development and metastasis. This review recapitulates these novel findings highlighting GPIb-IX in its multiple functions as a key for immune regulation, host defense, and liver cancer development.

Differential regulation of the platelet GPIb-IX complex by anti-GPIbβ antibodies

BACKGROUND

Platelets' initial recognition of endothelial damage proceeds through the interaction between collagen, plasma von Willebrand factor (VWF), and the platelet glycoprotein (GP)Ib-IX complex (CD42). The GPIb-IX complex consists of one GPIbα, one GPIX, and two GPIbβ subunits. Once platelets are immobilized to the subendothelial matrix, shear generated by blood flow unfolds a membrane-proximal mechanosensory domain (MSD) in GPIbα, exposing a conserved trigger sequence and activating the receptor. Currently, GPIbα appears to solely facilitate ligand-induced activation because it contains both the MSD and the binding sites for all known ligands to GPIb-IX. Despite being positioned directly adjacent to the MSD, the roles of GPIbβ and GPIX in signal transduction remain murky.

OBJECTIVES

To characterize a novel rat monoclonal antibody 3G6 that binds GPIbβ.

METHODS

Effects of 3G6 on activation of GPIb-IX are characterized in platelets and Chinese hamster ovary cells expressing GPIb-IX (CHO-Ib-IX) and compared with those of an inhibitory anti-GPIbβ antibody, RAM.1.

RESULTS

Both RAM.1 and 3G6 bind to purified GPIbβ and GPIb-IX with high affinity. 3G6 potentiates GPIb-IX-associated filopodia formation in platelets or CHO-Ib-IX when they adhere VWF or antibodies against the ligand-binding domain (LBD) of GPIbα. Pretreatment with 3G6 also increased anti-LBD antibody-induced GPIb-IX activation. Conversely, RAM.1 inhibits nearly all GPIb-IX-related signaling in platelets and CHO-Ib-IX cells.

CONCLUSIONS

These data represent the first report of a positive modulator of GPIb-IX activation. The divergent modulatory effects of 3G6 and RAM.1, both targeting GPIbβ, strongly suggest that changes in the conformation of GPIbβ underlie outside-in activation via GPIb-IX.

Structure-function of platelet glycoprotein Ib-IX

The glycoprotein (GP)Ib-IX receptor complex plays a critical role in platelet physiology and pathology. Its interaction with von Willebrand factor (VWF) on the subendothelial matrix instigates platelet arrest at the site of vascular injury and is vital to primary hemostasis. Its reception to other ligands and counter-receptors in the bloodstream also contribute to various processes of platelet biology that are still being discovered. While its basic composition and its link to congenital bleeding disorders were well documented and firmly established more than 25 years ago, recent years have witnessed critical advances in the organization, dynamics, activation, regulation, and functions of the GPIb-IX complex. This review summarizes important findings and identifies questions that remain about this unique platelet mechanoreceptor complex.

Force-Regulated Refolding of the Mechanosensory Domain in the Platelet Glycoprotein Ib-IX Complex

In platelets, the glycoprotein (GP) Ib-IX receptor complex senses blood shear flow and transmits the mechanical signals into platelets. Recently, we have discovered a juxtamembrane mechanosensory domain (MSD) within the GPIbα subunit of GPIb-IX. Mechanical unfolding of the MSD activates GPIb-IX signaling into platelets, leading to their activation and clearance. Using optical tweezer-based single-molecule force measurement, we herein report a systematic biomechanical characterization of the MSD in its native, full-length receptor complex and a recombinant, unglycosylated MSD in isolation. The native MSD unfolds at a resting rate of 9 × 10^-3 s^-1. Upon exposure to pulling forces, MSD unfolding accelerates exponentially over a force scale of 2.0 pN. Importantly, the unfolded MSD can refold with or without applied forces. The unstressed refolding rate of MSD is ∼17 s^-1 and slows exponentially over a force scale of 3.7 pN. Our measurements confirm that the MSD is relatively unstable, with a folding free energy of 7.5 k_BT. Because MSD refolding may turn off GPIb-IX's mechanosensory signals, our results provide a mechanism for the requirement of a continuous pulling force of >15 pN to fully activate GPIb-IX.

The dimerization of PSGL-1 is driven by the transmembrane domain via a leucine zipper motif

P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1 (PSGL-1) is a homodimeric mucin ligand that is important to mediate the earliest adhesive event during an inflammatory response by rapidly forming and dissociating the selectin-ligand adhesive bonds. Recent research indicates that the noncovalent associations between the PSGL-1 transmembrane domains (TMDs) can substitute for the C320-dependent covalent bond to mediate the dimerization of PSGL-1. In this article, we combined TOXCAT assays and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to probe the mechanism of PSGL-1 dimerization. The results of TOXCAT assays and Martini coarse-grained molecular dynamics (CG MD) simulations demonstrated that PSGL-1 TMDs strongly dimerized in a natural membrane and a leucine zipper motif was responsible for the noncovalent dimerization of PSGL-1 TMD since mutations of the residues that occupied a or d positions in an (abcdefg)n leucine heptad repeat motif significantly reduced the dimer activity. Furthermore, we studied the effects of the disulfide bond on the PSGL-1 dimer using MD simulations. The disulfide bond was critical to form the leucine zipper structure, by which the disulfide bond further improved the stability of the PSGL-1 dimer. These findings provide insights to understand the transmembrane association of PSGL-1 that is an important structural basis for PSGL-1 preferentially binding to P-selectin to achieve its biochemical and biophysical functions.

Juxtamembrane contribution to transmembrane signaling

Signaling across the cell membrane mediated by transmembrane receptors plays an important role in diverse biological processes. Recent studies have indicated that, in a number of single-span transmembrane receptors, the intracellular juxtamembrane (JM) sequence linking the transmembrane helix with the rest of the cytoplasmic domain participates directly in the signaling process via several novel mechanisms. This review briefly highlights several modes of JM dynamics in the context of signal transduction that are shared by different types of transmembrane receptors.

Screening for transmembrane association in divisome proteins using TOXGREEN, a high-throughput variant of the TOXCAT assay

TOXCAT is a widely used genetic assay to study interactions of transmembrane helices within the inner membrane of the bacterium Escherichia coli. TOXCAT is based on a fusion construct that links a transmembrane domain of interest with a cytoplasmic DNA-binding domain from the Vibrio cholerae ToxR protein. Interaction driven by the transmembrane domain results in dimerization of the ToxR domain, which, in turn, activates the expression of the reporter gene chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT). Quantification of CAT is used as a measure of the ability of the transmembrane domain to self-associate. Because the quantification of CAT is relatively laborious, we developed a high-throughput variant of the assay, TOXGREEN, based on the expression of super-folded GFP and detection of fluorescence directly in unprocessed cell cultures. Careful side-by-side comparison of TOXCAT and TOXGREEN demonstrates that the methods have comparable response, dynamic range, sensitivity and intrinsic variability both in LB and minimal media. The greatly enhanced workflow makes TOXGREEN much more scalable and ideal for screening, since hundreds of constructs can be rapidly assessed in 96 well plates. Even for small scale investigations, TOXGREEN significantly reduces time, labor and cost associated with the procedure. We demonstrate applicability with a large screening for self-association among the transmembrane domains of bitopic proteins of the divisome (FtsL, FtsB, FtsQ, FtsI, FtsN, ZipA and EzrA) belonging to 11 bacterial species. The analysis confirms a previously reported tendency for FtsB to self-associate, and suggests that the transmembrane domains of ZipA, EzrA and FtsN may also possibly oligomerize.

First molecular cloning and gene expression analysis of teleost CD42 (glycoprotein Ib beta chain) GPIb-IX-V subunit from rock bream, Oplegnathus fasciatus

CD42 is a platelet membrane glycoprotein Ib that plays a key role in haemostasis and thrombin-induced platelet activation. Here, we report the molecular cloning and sequence analysis of the CD42c gene from rock bream (Oplegnathus fasciatus). Rock bream CD42 (RbCD42c) gene expression profiles were determined after infection with Streptococcus iniae, Edwardsiella tarda and red seabream iridovirus (RSIV). The full-length RbCD42c cDNA contained an open reading frame of 624 bp encoding 207 amino acids. The deduced amino acid sequences of the leucine-rich repeat (LRR)-N terminal and LRR-C terminal were conserved between fish and mammals. RbCD42c was highly expressed in red blood cells, spleen, gill, liver and kidney of healthy rock bream. The RbCD42c gene was not significantly up- or downregulated after E. tarda exposure. However, RbCD42c gene expression was upregulated in kidney, spleen and gill after S. iniae infection. RbCD42c was upregulated in spleen, liver and gill, but downregulated in kidney 24 and 48 h after RSIV infection. These results suggest that RbCD42c has different expression patterns after infection with bacterial or viral pathogens. This gene may be directly involved in haemostasis.

Identification of a juxtamembrane mechanosensitive domain in the platelet mechanosensor glycoprotein Ib-IX complex

How glycoprotein (GP)Ib-IX complex on the platelet surface senses the blood flow through its binding to the plasma protein von Willebrand factor (VWF) and transmits a signal into the platelet remains unclear. Here we show that optical tweezer-controlled pulling of the A1 domain of VWF (VWF-A1) on GPIb-IX captured by its cytoplasmic domain induced unfolding of a hitherto unidentified structural domain before the dissociation of VWF-A1 from GPIb-IX. Additional studies using recombinant proteins and mutant complexes confirmed its existence in GPIb-IX and enabled localization of this quasi-stable mechanosensitive domain of ∼60 residues between the macroglycopeptide region and the transmembrane helix of the GPIbα subunit. These results suggest that VWF-mediated pulling under fluid shear induces unfolding of the mechanosensitive domain in GPIb-IX, which may possibly contribute to platelet mechanosensing and/or shear resistance of VWF-platelet interaction. The identification of the mechanosensitive domain in GPIb-IX has significant implications for the pathogenesis and treatment of related blood diseases.

Membrane-enabled dimerization of the intrinsically disordered cytoplasmic domain of ADAM10

Intrinsically disordered protein regions are widely distributed in the cytoplasmic domains of many transmembrane receptors. The cytoplasmic domain of a disintegrin and metalloprotease (ADAM)10, a transmembrane metalloprotease mediating ectodomain shedding of diverse membrane proteins, was recently suggested to mediate the homodimerization of ADAM10. Here we show that a recombinant cytoplasmic domain of ADAM10 (A10Cp) is unstructured as judged by its susceptibility to limited trypsin digestion and its circular dichroism spectrum. In comparison, recombinant transmembrane-cytoplasmic domain of ADAM10 (A10TmCp) reconstituted in dodecylphosphocholine (DPC) micelles exhibits much greater resistance to trypsin digestion, with its cytoplasmic domain taking on a significant ordered structure. FRET analysis demonstrates that, although A10Cp remains monomeric, A10TmCp forms a tight homodimer (K(d) ∼ 7 nM) in DPC micelles. Phospholipid-conjugated A10Cp dose-dependently inhibits formation of A10TmCp homodimer, whereas A10Cp achieves only limited inhibition. Placing the transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains of ADAM10, but not the transmembrane domain alone, in their native orientation in the inner membrane of Escherichia coli produces specific and strong dimerization signal in the AraC-based transcriptional reporter assay. A chimeric construct containing the otherwise monomeric transmembrane domain of L-selectin and the cytoplasmic domain of ADAM10 produces a similar dimerization signal. Overall, these results demonstrate that a transmembrane domain imparts a stable structure to the adjacent and intrinsically disordered cytoplasmic domain of ADAM10 to form a homodimer in the membrane. This finding advances our understanding of the regulatory mechanism of ADAMs and has general implications for membrane-protein interactions in the process of transmembrane signaling.

Analysis of inter-subunit contacts reveals the structural malleability of extracellular domains in platelet glycoprotein Ib-IX complex

BACKGROUND

The glycoprotein (GP)Ib-IX complex is critical to hemostasis and thrombosis. Its proper assembly is closely correlated with its surface expression level and requires cooperative interactions among extracellular and transmembrane domains of Ibα, Ibβ and IX subunits. Two interfaces have been previously identified between the extracellular domains of Ibβ and IX.

OBJECTIVE

To understand how extracellular domains interact in GPIb-IX.

METHODS

The Ibβ extracellular domain (IbβE ) or the IX counterpart (IXE ) in GPIb-IX was replaced with a well-folded IbβE /IXE chimera called IbβEabc , and the effect of domain replacement on assembly and expression of the receptor complex in transiently transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells was analyzed.

RESULTS

Replacing IXE with IbβEabc in GPIb-IX retained interface 1 but not interface 2 between the extracellular domains. While this domain replacement preserved complex integrity, the expression levels of Ibβ and Ibα were significantly reduced. Additional domain replacement with IbβEabc or IbβE in GPIb-IX produced the complex at disparate expression levels that cannot be simply explained by two separate interfaces. In particular, when IbβE in GPIb-IX was replaced by IbβEabc , Ibα and IX were expressed at approximately 70% of the wild-type level. Their levels were not reduced when IXE was changed further to IbβE .

CONCLUSIONS

Our results demonstrate the importance of the association between Ibβ and IX extracellular domains for complex assembly and efficient expression, and provide evidence for the structural malleability of these domains that may accommodate and propagate conformational changes therein.

Specific inhibition of ectodomain shedding of glycoprotein Ibα by targeting its juxtamembrane shedding cleavage site

BACKGROUND

Ectodomain shedding of glycoprotein Ibα (GPIbα), a proteolytic event in which metalloprotease ADAM17 cleaves the Gly464-Val465 bond and releases glycocalicin to the plasma, is considered a critical step in mediating clearance of stored platelets. Supporting evidence has largely come from studies using ADAM17 inhibitors. However, the definitive proof is lacking due to the broad substrate specificity of ADAM17.

AIM

To achieve substrate-specific inhibition of GPIbα shedding.

METHODS

Development of monoclonal antibodies that directly bind the sequence around the GPIbα shedding cleavage site and inhibit GPIbα shedding by blocking ADAM17 access to the cleavage site.

RESULTS

Six anti-GPIbα monoclonal antibodies with varying binding affinities were obtained. The prototypic clone, designated 5G6, and its monomeric Fab fragment bind specifically purified GPIb-IX complex, human platelets, and transgenic murine platelets expressing human GPIbα. The clone 5G6 showed similar inhibitory potency as a widely used shedding inhibitor GM6001 in both constitutive and induced GPIbα shedding in human platelets. It does not recognize mouse GPIbα or inhibit shedding of other platelet receptors. Finally, 5G6 binding displays no detectable effect on platelet activation and aggregation.

CONCLUSIONS

The clone 5G6 specifically inhibits GPIbα shedding with no detectable effect on platelet functions. The method of substrate-specific shedding inhibition by macromolecular binding of the shedding cleavage site can be applicable to many other transmembrane receptors undergoing ectodomain shedding.

The association of polar residues in the DAP12 homodimer: TOXCAT and molecular dynamics simulation studies

Dimerization of the transmembrane (TM) adaptor protein DAP12 plays a key role in mediating activation signals through TM-TM association with cell-surface receptors. Herein, we apply the TOXCAT assay and molecular dynamics simulation to analyze dynamics and dimerization of the TM helix of DAP12 in the membrane bilayer. In the TOXCAT assay, we performed site-specific mutagenesis of potential dimerization motifs in the DAP12 TM domain. Instead of the common GxxxG dimerization motif, mutating either of the polar residues Asp-50 and Thr-54 significantly decreased the TOXCAT signal for the dimerization of DAP12 TM domain. Furthermore, through the conformational difference between wild-type and mutant DAP12 TM homodimers, a combined coarse-grained and atomistic molecular dynamics simulation has identified both Asp-50 and Thr-54 at the dimerization interface. The experimental and computational results of the DAP12 TM dimer are in excellent agreement with the previously reported NMR structure obtained in detergent micelles. Such a combination of dynamics simulation and cell-based experiments can be applied to produce insights at the molecular level into the TM-TM association of many other transmembrane proteins.

FERM domain of moesin desorbs the basic-rich cytoplasmic domain of l-selectin from the anionic membrane surface

Moesin and calmodulin (CaM) jointly associate with the cytoplasmic domain of l-selectin in the cell to modulate the function and ectodomain shedding of l-selectin. Using fluorescence spectroscopy, we have examined the association of moesin FERM domain with the recombinant transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains of l-selectin (CLS) reconstituted in model phospholipid liposomes. The dissociation constant of moesin FERM domain to CLS in the phosphatidylcholine liposome is about 300nM. In contrast to disrupting the CaM association with CLS, inclusion of anionic phosphatidylserine lipids in the phosphatidylcholine liposome increased the apparent binding affinity of moesin FERM domain for CLS. Using the environmentally sensitive fluorescent probe attached to the cytoplasmic domain of CLS and the nitroxide quencher attached to the lipid bilayer, we showed that the association of moesin FERM domain induced the desorption of the basic-rich cytoplasmic domain of CLS from the anionic membrane surface, which enabled subsequent association of CaM to the cytoplasmic domain of CLS. These results have elucidated the molecular basis for the moesin/l-selectin/CaM ternary complex and suggested an important role of phospholipids in modulating l-selectin function and shedding.

The organizing principle of the platelet glycoprotein Ib-IX-V complex

The glycoprotein (GP)Ib-IX-V complex is the platelet receptor for von Willebrand factor and many other molecules that are critically involved in hemostasis and thrombosis. The lack of functional GPIb-IX-V complexes on the platelet surface is the cause of Bernard-Soulier syndrome, a rare hereditary bleeding disorder that is also associated with macrothrombocytopenia. GPIb-IX-V contains GPIbα, GPIbβ, GPIX and GPV subunits, all of which are type I transmembrane proteins containing leucine-rich repeat domains. Although all of the subunits were identified decades ago, not until recently did the mechanism of complex assembly begin to emerge from a systematic characterization of inter-subunit interactions. This review summarizes the forces driving the assembly of GPIb-IX-V, discusses their implications for the pathogenesis of Bernard-Soulier syndrome, and identifies questions that remain about the structure and organization of GPIb-IX-V.

Transmembrane domains are critical to the interaction between platelet glycoprotein V and glycoprotein Ib-IX complex

BACKGROUND

The glycoprotein (GP) Ib-IX-V complex, the von Willebrand factor receptor on the platelet surface, is critically involved in hemostasis and thrombosis. The GPV subunit interacts with GPIb-IX to form the GPIb-IX-V complex, but the underlying molecular basis remains unclear. It was observed earlier that efficient expression of GPV in the plasma membrane requires co-expression of GPIb-IX.

OBJECTIVES AND METHODS

Hypothesizing that GPIb-IX stabilizes GPV through direct interaction and consequently enhances GPV surface expression, we aim in this study to identify structural elements in the complex that mediate the interaction between GPV and GPIb-IX by analyzing mutational effects on GPV surface expression in transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells.

RESULTS

Enhancement of GPV surface expression by GPIb-IX requires transmembrane domains of both GPV and GPIbα, as replacing the GPV transmembrane domain with an unrelated poly-leucine-alanine sequence abolished the enhancing effect of GPIb-IX. Additional mutagenesis analysis of the GPV transmembrane helix identified three helical sides containing conserved polar residues as critical to efficient GPV surface expression. Similarly, replacing residues in three sides (Gly495/Ala502/Leu509, Phe491/Trp498/Val505, and Y492/L499/L506) of the GPIbα transmembrane domain with leucines preserved the surface expression level of GPIb-IX but significantly altered that of GPV.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results demonstrate for the first time the importance of transmembrane domains for efficient surface expression of GPV and suggest that GPV and GPIbα transmembrane domains interact with each other, contributing to assembly of the GPIb-IX-V complex.

Reconstitution of the platelet glycoprotein Ib-IX complex in phospholipid bilayer Nanodiscs

The glycoprotein Ib-IX (GPIb-IX) complex expressed on platelet plasma membrane is involved in thrombosis and hemostasis via the initiation of adhesion of platelets to von Willebrand factor (VWF) exposed at the injured vessel wall. While most of the knowledge of the GPIb-IX complex was obtained from studies on platelets and transfected mammalian cells expressing the GPIb-IX complex, there is not an in vitro membrane system that allows systematic analysis of this receptor. The phospholipid bilayer Nanodisc composed of a patch of phospholipid surrounded by membrane scaffold protein is an attractive tool for membrane protein study. We show here that the GPIb-IX complex purified from human platelets has been reconstituted into the Nanodisc. The Nanodisc-reconstituted GPIb-IX complex was able to bind various conformation-sensitive monoclonal antibodies. Furthermore, it bound to VWF in the presence of botrocetin with an apparent K(d) of 0.73 ± 0.07 nM. The binding to VWF was inhibited by anti-GPIbα antibodies with epitopes overlapping with the VWF-binding site, but not by anti-GPIbβ monoclonal antibody RAM.1. Finally, the Nanodisc-reconstituted GPIb-IX complex exhibited ligand binding activity similar to that of the isolated extracellular domain of GPIbα. In conclusion, the GPIb-IX complex in Nanodiscs adopts a native-like conformation and possesses the ability to bind its natural ligands, thus making a Nanodisc a suitable in vitro platform for further investigation of this hemostatically important receptor complex.

The dimerization interface of the glycoprotein Ibβ transmembrane domain corresponds to polar residues within a leucine zipper motif

Experiments with the transmembrane (TM) domains of the glycoprotein (GP) Ib-IX complex have indicated that the associations between the TM domains of these subunits play an important role in the proper assembly of the complex. As a first step toward understanding these associations, we previously found that the Ibβ TM domain dimerized strongly in Escherichia coli cell membranes and led to Ibβ TM-CYTO (cytoplasmic domain) dimerization in the SDS-PAGE assay, while neither Ibα nor IX TM-CYTO was able to dimerize. In this study, we used the TOXCAT assay to probe the Ibβ TM domain dimerization interface by Ala- and Leu-scanning mutagenesis. Our results show that this interface is based on a leucine zipper-like heptad repeat pattern of amino acids. Mutating either one of polar residues Gln129 or His139 to Leu or Ala disrupted Ibβ TM dimerization dramatically, indicating that polar residues might form part of the leucine zipper-based dimerization interface. Furthermore, these specific mutational effects in the TOXCAT assay were confirmed in the thiol-disulfide exchange and SDS-PAGE assays. The computational modeling studies further revealed that the most likely leucine zipper interface involves hydrogen bonding of Gln129 and electrostatic interaction of the His139 side chain. Correlation of computer modeling results with experimental mutagenesis studies on the Ibβ TM domain may provide insights for understanding the role of the association of TM domains on the assembly of GP Ib-IX complex.

Quaternary organization of GPIb-IX complex and insights into Bernard-Soulier syndrome revealed by the structures of GPIbβ and a GPIbβ/GPIX chimera

Platelet GPIb-IX receptor complex has 3 subunits GPIbα, GPIbβ, and GPIX, which assemble with a ratio of 1:2:1. Dysfunction in surface expression of the complex leads to Bernard-Soulier syndrome. We have crystallized the GPIbβ ectodomain (GPIbβ(E)) and determined the structure to show a single leucine-rich repeat with N- and C-terminal disulphide-bonded capping regions. The structure of a chimera of GPIbβ(E) and 3 loops (a,b,c) taken from the GPIX ectodomain sequence was also determined. The chimera (GPIbβ(Eabc)), but not GPIbβ(E), forms a tetramer in the crystal, showing a quaternary interface between GPIbβ and GPIX. Central to this interface is residue Tyr106 from GPIbβ, which inserts into a pocket generated by 2 loops (b,c) from GPIX. Mutagenesis studies confirmed this interface as a valid representation of interactions between GPIbβ and GPIX in the full-length complex. Eight GPIbβ missense mutations identified from patients with Bernard-Soulier syndrome were examined for changes to GPIb-IX complex surface expression. Two mutations, A108P and P74R, were found to maintain normal secretion/folding of GPIbβ(E) but were unable to support GPIX surface expression. The close structural proximity of these mutations to Tyr106 and the GPIbβ(E) interface with GPIX indicates they disrupt the quaternary organization of the GPIb-IX complex.

L-selectin transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains are monomeric in membranes

A recombinant protein termed CLS, which corresponds to the C-terminal portion of human L-selectin and contains its entire transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains (residues Ser473-Arg542), has been produced and its oligomeric state in detergents characterized. CLS migrates in the SDS polyacrylamide gel at a pace that is typically expected from a complex twice of its molecular weight. Additional studies revealed, however, that this is due to residues in the cytoplasmic domain, as mutations in this region or its deletion significantly increased the electrophoretic rate of CLS. Analytical ultracentrifugation and fluorescence resonance energy transfer studies indicated that CLS reconstituted in dodecylphosphocholine detergent micelles is monomeric. When the transmembrane domain of L-selectin is inserted into the inner membrane of Escherichia coli as a part of a chimeric protein in the TOXCAT assay, little oligomerization of the chimeric protein is observed. Overall, these results suggest that transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains of L-selectin lack the propensity to self-associate in membranes, in contrast to the previously documented dimerization of the transmembrane domain of closely related P-selectin. This study will provide constraints for future investigations on the interaction of L-selectin and its associating proteins.

Transmembrane and trans-subunit regulation of ectodomain shedding of platelet glycoprotein Ibalpha

Ectodomain shedding of transmembrane proteins may be regulated by their cytoplasmic domains. To date, the effecting cytoplasmic domain and the shed extracellular domain have been in the same polypeptide. In this study, shedding of GPIbα, the ligand-binding subunit of the platelet GPIb-IX complex and a marker for platelet senescence and storage lesion, was assessed in Chinese hamster ovary cells with/without functional GPIbα sheddase ADAM17. Mutagenesis of the GPIb-IX complex, which contains GPIbα, GPIbβ, and GPIX subunits, revealed that the intracellular membrane-proximal calmodulin-binding region of GPIbβ is critical for ADAM17-dependent shedding of GPIbα induced by the calmodulin inhibitor, W7. Perturbing the interaction between GPIbα and GPIbβ subunits further lessened the restraint of GPIbβ on GPIbα shedding. However, contrary to the widely accepted model of calmodulin regulation of ectodomain shedding, the R152E/L153E mutation in the GPIbβ cytoplasmic domain disrupted calmodulin binding to GPIbβ but had little effect on GPIbα shedding. Analysis of induction of GPIbα shedding by membrane-permeable GPIbβ-derived peptides implicated the association of GPIbβ with an unidentified intracellular protein in mediating regulation of GPIbα shedding. Overall, these results provide evidence for a novel trans-subunit mechanism for regulating ectodomain shedding.

Binding of platelet glycoprotein Ibbeta through the convex surface of leucine-rich repeats domain of glycoprotein IX

BACKGROUND

The mechanism of assembly of the platelet glycoprotein (GP) Ib-IX complex from GPIbalpha, GPIbbeta and GPIX subunits is not entirely clear. In this complex, ectodomains of both GPIbbeta and GPIX subunits contain two leucine-rich repeats (LRR) and share high sequence similarity. However, they differ noticeably in stability, hampering further analysis of their interaction.

OBJECTIVES AND METHODS

Guided by analysis of the LRR structure, we report a well-folded Ibbeta/IX chimera and its usage in dissecting GPIX function.

RESULTS

In this chimera, three non-contiguous sequences that may constitute the putative convex surface of the GPIbbeta ectodomain are replaced by their GPIX counterparts. Like GPIbbeta but unlike GPIX ectodomain, it can secrete from transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells and fold into a stable conformation. Furthermore, replacing the ectodomain in GPIX with the Ibbeta/IX chimera, but not the GPIbbeta ectodomain, preserved its interaction with GPIbbeta as demonstrated by its native-like GPIbbeta-induced increase in surface expression and coimmunoprecipitation.

CONCLUSIONS

The putative convex surface of the LRR domain in GPIX is sufficient, in the context of full-length subunit, to mediate its association with GPIbbeta.

The membrane-proximal intermolecular disulfide bonds in glycoprotein Ib influence receptor binding to von Willebrand factor

BACKGROUND

In the platelet glycoprotein (GP)Ib-IX complex, the binding site for its ligand von Willebrand factor (VWF) is restricted to the N-terminal domain of the GPIbalpha subunit. How the other subunits in the complex, GPIbbeta and GPIX, regulate the GPIbalpha-VWF interaction is not clear.

OBJECTIVES AND METHODS

As GPIbalpha connects with two GPIbbeta subunits via disulfide bonds, we tested whether these intersubunit covalent links were important to the proper VWF-binding activity of the GPIb-IX complex by characterizing the structure and VWF-binding activity of a mutant GPIb-IX complex that lacked the GPIbalpha-GPIbbeta disulfide bonds.

RESULTS

Mutating both Cys484 and Cys485 of GPIbalpha to serine prevents GPIbalpha from forming covalent disulfide bonds with GPIbbeta, while maintaining the integrity of the complex in the membrane. The mutations cause two GPIbbeta subunits to form a disulfide bond between themselves. As compared to Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells stably expressing the wild-type GPIb-IX complex at a comparable level, CHO cells stably expressing the mutant GPIb-IX complex bind to significantly less soluble VWF in the presence of ristocetin and roll on the immobilized VWF under flow at a higher velocity.

CONCLUSIONS

The disulfide bonds between GPIbalpha and GPIbbeta are necessary for optimal GPIbalpha binding to VWF. The structural plasticity around the disulfide bonds may also help to shed light on the inside-out mechanism underlying GPIbbeta modulation of VWF binding.