Human follicular fluid heparan sulfate contains abundant 3-O-sulfated chains with anticoagulant activity

Anticoagulant heparan sulfate proteoglycans bind and activate antithrombin by virtue of a specific 3-O-sulfated pentasaccharide. They not only occur in the vascular wall but also in extravascular tissues, such as the ovary, where their functions remain unknown. The rupture of the ovarian follicle at ovulation is one of the most striking examples of tissue remodeling in adult mammals. It involves tightly controlled inflammation, proteolysis, and fibrin deposition. We hypothesized that ovarian heparan sulfates may modulate these processes through interactions with effector proteins. Our previous work has shown that anticoagulant heparan sulfates are synthesized by rodent ovarian granulosa cells, and we now have set out to characterize heparan sulfates from human follicular fluid. Here we report the first anticoagulant heparan sulfate purified from a natural human extravascular source. Heparan sulfate chains were fractionated according to their affinity for antithrombin, and their structure was analyzed by 1H NMR and MS/MS. We find that human follicular fluid is a rich source of anticoagulant heparan sulfate, comprising 50.4% of total heparan sulfate. These antithrombin-binding chains contain more than 6% 3-O-sulfated glucosamine residues, convey an anticoagulant activity of 2.5 IU/ml to human follicular fluid, and have an anti-Factor Xa specific activity of 167 IU/mg. The heparan sulfate chains that do not bind antithrombin surprisingly exhibit an extremely high content in 3-O-sulfated glucosamine residues, which suggest that they may exhibit biological activities through interactions with other proteins.

Synthesis of anticoagulantly active heparan sulfate proteoglycans by glomerular epithelial cells involves multiple 3-O-sulfotransferase isoforms and a limiting precursor pool

Endothelial and other select cell types synthesize a subpopulation of heparan sulfate (HS) proteoglycans (HSPGs), anticoagulant HSPGs (aHSPGs) that bear aHS-HS chains with the cognate 3-O-sulfated pentasaccharide motif that can bind and activate anti-thrombin (AT). Endothelial cells regulate aHSPG production by limiting levels of HS 3-O-sulfotransferase-1 (3-OST-1), which modifies a non-limiting pool of aHS-precursors. By probing kidney cryosections with (125)I-AT and fluorescently tagged AT we found that the glomerular basement membrane contains aHSPGs, with the staining pattern implicating synthesis by glomerular epithelial cells (GECs). Indeed, cultured GECs synthesized aHS with high AT affinity that was comparable with the endothelial product. Disaccharide analyses of human GEC (hGEC) HS in conjunction with transcript analyses revealed that hGECs express predominantly 3-OST-1 and 3-OST-3(A). aHS production has not been previously examined in cells expressing multiple 3-OST isoforms. This unusual situation appears to involve novel mechanisms to regulate aHS production, as HS structural analyses suggest hGECs exhibit excess levels of 3-OST-1 and an extremely limiting pool of aHS-precursor. A limiting aHS-precursor pool may serve to minimize aHS synthesis by non-3-OST-1 isoforms. Indeed, we show that high in vitro levels of 3-OST-3(A) can efficiently generate aHS. Non-3-OST-1 isoforms can generate aHS in vivo, as the probing of kidney sections from 3-OST-1-deficient mice revealed GEC synthesis of aHSPGs. Surprisingly, Hs3st1(-/-) kidney only expresses 3-OST isoforms having a low specificity for aHS synthesis. Thus, our analyses reveal a cell type that expresses multiple 3-OST isoforms and produces minimal amounts of aHS-precursor. In part, this mechanism should prevent aHS overproduction by non-3-OST-1 isoforms. Such a role may be essential, as 3-OST isoforms that have a low specificity for aHS synthesis can generate substantial levels of aHSPGs in vivo.

Normal levels of anticoagulant heparan sulfate are not essential for normal hemostasis

Endothelial cell production of anticoagulant heparan sulfate (HS(act)) is controlled by the Hs3st1 gene, which encodes the rate-limiting enzyme heparan sulfate 3-O-sulfotransferase-1 (3-OST-1). In vitro, HS(act) dramatically enhances the neutralization of coagulation proteases by antithrombin. The in vivo role of HS(act) was evaluated by generating Hs3st1(-/-) knockout mice. Hs3st1(-/-) animals were devoid of 3-OST-1 enzyme activity in plasma and tissue extracts. Nulls showed dramatic reductions in tissue levels of HS(act) but maintained wild-type levels of tissue fibrin accumulation under both normoxic and hypoxic conditions. Given that vascular HS(act) predominantly occurs in the subendothelial matrix, mice were subjected to a carotid artery injury assay in which ferric chloride administration induces de-endothelialization and occlusive thrombosis. Hs3st1(-/-) and Hs3st1(+/+) mice yielded indistinguishable occlusion times and comparable levels of thrombin.antithrombin complexes. Thus, Hs3st1(-/-) mice did not show an obvious procoagulant phenotype. Instead, Hs3st1(-/-) mice exhibited genetic background-specific lethality and intrauterine growth retardation, without evidence of a gross coagulopathy. Our results demonstrate that the 3-OST-1 enzyme produces the majority of tissue HS(act). Surprisingly, this bulk of HS(act) is not essential for normal hemostasis in mice. Instead, 3-OST-1-deficient mice exhibited unanticipated phenotypes suggesting that HS(act) or additional 3-OST-1-derived structures may serve alternate biologic roles.

Mice deficient in heparan sulfate 3-O-sulfotransferase-1: normal hemostasis with unexpected perinatal phenotypes

Heparan sulfate that contains antithrombin binding sites is designated as anticoagulant heparan sulfate (HS(act)) since, in vitro, it dramatically enhances the neutralization of coagulation proteases by antithrombin. Endothelial cell production of HS(act) is controlled by the Hs3st1 gene, which encodes the rate limiting enzyme-heparan sulfate 3-O-sulfotransferase-1 (Hs3st1). It has long been proposed that levels of endothelial HS(act) may tightly regulate hemostatic tone. This potential in vivo role of HS(act) was assessed by generating Hs3st1(-/-) knockout mice. Hs3st1(-/-) and Hs3st1(+/+) mice were evaluated with a variety of methods, capable of detecting altered hemostatic tone. However, both genotypes were indistinguishable. Instead, Hs3st1(-/-) mice exhibited lethality on a specific genetic background and also showed intrauterine growth retardation. Neither phenotypes result from a gross coagulopathy. So although this enzyme produces the majority of tissue HS(act), Hs3st1(-/-) mice do not show an obvious procoagulant phenotype. These results suggest that the bulk of HS(act) is not essential for normal hemostasis and that hemostatic tone is not tightly regulated by total levels of HS(act). Moreover, the unanticipated non-thrombotic phenotypes suggest structure(s) derived from this enzyme might serve additional/alternative biologic roles.

Coordinate expression of anticoagulant heparan sulfate proteoglycans and serine protease inhibitors in the rat ovary: a potent system of proteolysis control

During the reproductive cycle, ovarian follicles undergo major tissue-remodeling involving vascular changes and proteolysis. Anticoagulant heparan sulfate proteoglycans (aHSPGs) are expressed by granulosa cells during the development of the ovarian follicle. The function of aHSPGs in the ovary is unknown, but they might be involved in proteolysis control through binding and activation of serine protease inhibitors. To identify functional interactions between aHSPGs and heparin-binding protease inhibitors in the follicle, we have coordinately localized aHSPGs, antithrombin III, protease nexin-1, and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 in the rat ovary during natural and gonadotropin-stimulated cycles. Anticoagulant HSPGs were visualized by autoradiography of cryosections incubated with 125I-antithrombin III, and protease inhibitors were assessed by immunohistochemistry and Northern blot hybridization. Anticoagulant HSPGs were expressed in follicles before ovulation, were transiently decreased in postovulatory follicles, and were abundant in the corpus luteum, mainly on capillaries. Anticoagulant HSPGs were colocalized with protease nexin-1 in follicles from the early antral stage until ovulation, with antithrombin III in the preovulatory stage and after ovulation, and with plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 in the corpus luteum. These data demonstrate that aHSPGs are critically expressed in the ovary to interact sequentially with protease nexin-1, antithrombin III, and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 during the cycle. The specificity of these inhibitors is shifted toward thrombin inhibition in the presence of heparin, suggesting that aHSPGs direct their action to control fibrin deposition in the follicle. The occupation of aHSPGs antithrombin-binding sites by mutant R393C antithrombin III, injected in the ovarian bursa, decreased ovulation efficiency, further supporting the involvement of aHSPGs in the ovulation process.