Letter: 8-related antigen and von Willebrand factor

[A variant of the von Willebrand-Jürgens-syndrome with abnormalities of the factor VIII/von Willebrand factor protein (author's transl)]

A family is reported with a variant of von Willebrand's disease. The members of this family showed a qualitative defect of the factor VII/von Willebrand factor protein. The qualitative defect was characterized by an abnormal electrophoretical mobility of factor VIII-related antigen and an abnormal elution pattern as demonstrated by gelfiltration on Sepharose 4 B. Factor VIII-subunits in these patients were found to be normal by polyacrylamidgelelektrophoresis.

[Von Willebrand-Jürgens syndrome with a variant of factor VIII-associated antigen]

A family is described in which 5 out of 8 children had a marked bleeding disorder. The children showed prolonged bleeding times, abnormal platelet retention upon passage of blood through a glass bead column, the Willebrand factor activity as measured by ristocetin in a washed platelet system was low. Factor VIII/von Willebrand factor protein levels were normal even so the factor VIII-procoagulant activity. Even the parents and one child without any bleeding tendency and normal bleeding times had a reduced Willebrand factor activity. In all these patients evidence of an abnormal protein was observed on crossed antigen-antibody electrophoresis indicating a qualitative defect of the factor VIII/von Willebrand factor protein.