Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: EC:3.4.21.69 (APC)
 16,337 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Thrombomodulin plays a role as a cofactor for thrombin-catalyzed activation of protein C on endothelial cells. We examined the effect of homocysteine, a stimulant of atherosclerosis and thrombotic disease, on the cofactor activity and protein level of thrombomodulin and also on the expression of thrombomodulin in endothelial cells. Homocysteine inhibited the cofactor activity of thrombomodulin both on the surface of endothelial cells and in the whole cells dose- and time-dependently, and maximal inhibition of the cofactor activity occurred after a 3- to 6-hour incubation with 10 mmol/L homocysteine (10% of initial activity). Homocysteine also decreased the amount of intact (unreduced) thrombomodulin in endothelial cells. However, at the same condition the total protein level (reduced and unreduced form) of thrombomodulin, determined by dot immunoblot analysis using the monoclonal antibody that recognized both reduced and unreduced thrombomodulin, decreased slightly, and the mRNA level of thrombomodulin showed a twofold to three-fold increase. After 24 hours of incubation, the cofactor activity and total protein level of thrombomodulin were 60% and 165% of the initial values, respectively. When purified thrombomodulin fixed to a microwell plate was treated with homocysteine, both cofactor activity and thrombin-binding ability to the thrombomodulin were decreased in proportion to the concentration of homocysteine. These findings suggest that homocysteine directly inhibited the cofactor activity of thrombomodulin on endothelial cells by reducing the disulfide-bond rich epidermal growth factor-like structures of thrombomodulin. This would a result in the decrease of the antithrombotic property of endothelium and may also trigger off the synthesis of mRNA and protein of thrombomodulin to maintain the antithrombotic properties of the cells.
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PMID:An atherogenic stimulus homocysteine inhibits cofactor activity of thrombomodulin and enhances thrombomodulin expression in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. 131 88

Protein C is a plasma, vitamin K-dependent zymogen of a serine protease that can inhibit blood coagulation. Protein C is regulated by a series of reactions known as the protein C pathway. The importance of this pathway is seen in the occurrence of thrombosis in individuals with deficiencies in elements of the pathway like protein C and protein S. Work on several steps in this pathway has revealed that mechanisms involved in activation of protein C and the expression of its anticoagulant activity have features that allow for the expression of the anticoagulant activity away from sites in which procoagulant reactions occur, but not systemically. Thrombin, the principal procoagulant enzyme at the site of an injury, is converted to an anticoagulant enzyme at distant sites through its interaction with the endothelial cell protein thrombomodulin. Structural and functional studies have revealed the importance of several domain structures in the modulation of thrombin activity. Structural features of both activated protein C and its substrates (coagulation factors V and VIII) are such that they require the localization of enzyme and substrate on the surface of phosphatidyl serine containing membranes for optimum activity.
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PMID:Regulation of blood coagulation by the protein C system. 131 8

The domain of thrombomodulin that binds to the anion-binding exosite of thrombin was identified by comparing the binding of fragments of thrombomodulin to thrombin with that of Hirugen, a 12-residue peptide of hirudin that is known to bind to the anion-binding exosite of thrombin. Three soluble fragments of thrombomodulin, containing (i) the six repeated growth factor-like domains of thrombomodulin (GF1-6), (ii) one-half of the second through the sixth growth factor-like repeats (GF2.5-6), or (iii) the fifth and sixth such domains (GF5-6), were examined. Hirugen was a competitive inhibitor for either GF1-6 or GF2.5-6 stimulation of thrombin activation of protein C. GF5-6, which binds to thrombin without altering its ability to activate protein C, competed with fluorescein-labeled Hirugen for binding to thrombin. Therefore, all three thrombomodulin fragments, each of which lacked the chondroitin sulfate moiety, competed with Hirugen for binding to thrombin. To determine whether GF5-6 and Hirugen were binding to overlapping sites on thrombin or were interfering allosterically with each other's binding to thrombin, the effects of each thrombomodulin fragment and of Hirugen on the active site conformation of thrombin were compared using two different approaches: fluorescence-detected changes in the structure of the active site and the hydrolysis of chromogenic substrates. The GF5-6 and Hirugen peptides affected these measures of active site conformation very similarly, and hence GF5-6 and Hirugen contact residues on the surface of thrombin that allosterically alter the active site structure to a similar extent. Full-length thrombomodulin and GF1-6 alter the active site structure to comparable extents, but the amidolytic activity of thrombin complexed to thrombomodulin or GF1-6 differs significantly from that of thrombin complexed to GF5-6 or Hirugen. Taken together, these results indicate that the GF5-6 domain of thrombomodulin binds to the anion-binding exosite of thrombin. Furthermore, the binding of GF5-6 to the anion-binding exosite alters thrombin specificity, as evidenced by GF5-6-dependent changes in both the kcat and Km of synthetic substrate hydrolysis by thrombin. The contact sites on thrombin for the GF4 domain and the chondroitin sulfate moiety of thrombomodulin are still unknown.
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PMID:The fifth and sixth growth factor-like domains of thrombomodulin bind to the anion-binding exosite of thrombin and alter its specificity. 131 50

The objectives of this study were to determine the genetic basis of the electrophoretic differences of human plasma protein C inhibitors (PCI) from 977 individuals. Three discrete antibodies were produced against the PCI purified from human plasma and peptides that corresponded to the N-terminal 15 amino acid residues and the C-terminal 15 residues of human PCI, the chemical structures of which were determined by cDNA sequence analysis. The combined techniques of polyacrylamide gel isoelectric focusing and immunoblotting with these three different antibodies resolved the plasma PCI into several isoprotein bands, with a pH range of 6-7. These PCI isoproteins, however, were not stained by anti-human kallikrein, anti-human protein C or anti-human urokinase antibodies. Therefore, each of the PCI bands, which were detected by immunoblotting with the anti-PCI antibody and the two different anti-peptide antibodies, were derived from free PCI, and not an inactive PCI species. Two common phenotypes, designated PCI 1 and 1-2, were recognized, and family studies showed that they represented homozygosity or heterozygosity for two autosomal codominant alleles, PCI*1 and PCI*2. A population study of plasma samples collected from 977 Japanese individuals indicated that the frequencies of the PCI*1 and PCI*2 alleles were 0.988 and 0.012, respectively.
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PMID:Discovery of a genetic polymorphism of human plasma protein C inhibitor (PCI): genetic survey utilizing isoelectric focusing followed by immunoblotting, immunological and biochemical characterization. 131 61

Pulmonary cancer patients are known to have an elevated risk to suffer from thromboembolic complications. Because hereditary deficiencies of coagulation inhibitors antithrombin III, protein C and protein S are known to cause thromboembolic events it was the aim of our study to search for acquired alterations of these proteins in pulmonary cancer patients. We could demonstrate antithrombin III and protein C to be within the normal range in patients suffering from pulmonary carcinoma. In contrast, in patients suffering from metastatic pulmonary carcinoma bound protein S was increased, while free protein S was significantly reduced. In some patients the decrease of free protein S was comparable to the diminution observed in hereditary protein S deficient patients. A high positive correlation was observed between C4b-binding protein and bound protein S, indicating C4b-binding protein to be a regulatory protein for the shift from free and anticoagulatory active to bound and anticoagulatory inactive protein S. In conclusion, the decrease of free protein S is one source for thromboembolic complications in pulmonary cancer patients. For interpretation of altered free protein S levels it is useful to measure C4b-binding protein.
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PMID:Coagulation inhibitors in pulmonary cancer patients. 131 86

Structure-function relationships in the 6 epidermal growth factor-like domains of human thrombomodulin (TME, residues 227-462) were studied by deletion mutagenesis. Purified and characterised proteins were used for kinetic studies. Deletion of EGF1, EGF2 and residues 310-332 in EGF3 had no effect on thrombin binding (Kd) or on kcat/KM for protein C activation by the thrombin-thrombomodulin complex. Deletion of the rest of EGF3 and the interdomain loop between EGF3 and EGF4 had no effect on Kd but decreased kcat/KM to 10% of TME. Deletion of residues 447-462 of EGF6 had no effect on kcat/KM but increased Kd for thrombin approximately 6-fold. Thus, the region 333-350 in EGF3-4 is critical for protein C activation by the thrombin-thrombomodulin complex and the region 447-462 in EGF6 is critical for thrombin binding.
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PMID:Structure-function studies of the epidermal growth factor domains of human thrombomodulin. 131 40

Procoagulant, anticoagulant, and fibrinolytic activities are associated with endothelial cells and involve the production, secretion, and receptor mediated binding of proteins involved in these processes. The procoagulant aspect of endothelial cells function involves the production and release of von Willebrand Factor(vWF), the production of tissue factor, and the presence of Factor IX/IXa receptors on the cell surface. Secretion of vWf will promote the initial steps in thrombus formation by supporting platelet-platelet interaction and platelet-subendothelial matrix adhesion. Tissue factor which is undetectable in resting cells appears after exposure to various cytokines and initiates factor VIIa activation of factors IX and X. Receptors of Factor IX/IXa are also present and mediate the assembly of the prothrombinase complex on the endothelial cell surface. The anticoagulant pathway involves the cell surface protein thrombomodulin, protein C and its cofactor protein S. Thrombomodulin binds thrombin which activates protein C which in the presence of protein S cleaves and inactivates Factors V and VIII. Inactivation of these two coagulation cofactors halts the coagulation. Finally, endothelial cells also play a pivotal role in the fibrinolytic system. Production and regulated secretion of tissue plasminogen activator creates a profibrinolytic state in the endothelial cell environment. In addition, receptors for plasminogen and urokinase are also present, constituting a cell surface mediated fibrinolytic pathway. Plasminogen activator inhibitor type I, the primary inhibitor of tPA, is also produced by endothelial cells. Thus endothelial cells can promote and inhibit fibrinolysis, depending on the prevailing environmental conditions.
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PMID:[Endothelial cells and vascular hemostasis]. 131 12

Thrombomodulin (TM), the endothelial cell surface receptor for thrombin-mediated activation of protein C and of its anticoagulant system, is involved in maintaining vascular nonthrombogenicity, and depressed TM activity may induce intravascular fibrin formation. TM antigen was previously found by immunohistochemical methods in rabbit glomeruli. We therefore attempted to identify the corresponding TM activity in isolated detergent-solubilized rat and human glomeruli. Like purified lung TM, rat glomeruli extracts accelerated the hydrolysis by activated protein C of the chromogenic substrate S-2238 in the presence of 10 nM thrombin, as determined by spectrophotometry. One mg glomerular protein promoted the formation of 681 +/- 115 nmol activated protein C, the equivalent of the amount generated by 845 ng of purified rabbit TM. TM activity correlated with the protein content of the glomerular extracts (r = 0.94). These extracts prolonged rat plasma activated partial thromboplastin time. Incubation of glomeruli with tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) or E. coli lipopolysaccharide depressed their TM-like activity in a dose and time dependent manner. Incubation with TNF suppressed their anticoagulant activity. In human glomeruli, TM activity was also found at a level which corresponded to their TM antigen content, and was determined by ELISA with mouse monoclonal antibody. These results indicate that measurement of glomerular TM activity might help to clarify the mechanisms of intraglomerular fibrin deposition in renal diseases.
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PMID:Quantification and modulation of thrombomodulin activity in isolated rat and human glomeruli. 131 19

Human blood monocytes (Mo) and monocyte-derived macrophages (M psi) possess cytotoxic effects against tumor cell lines when appropriately stimulated by various biological response modifiers, e.g., gamma interferon (gamma IFN) and muramyltripeptide (MTP). Activated Mo/M psi represent a new tool for the treatment of human malignancies, termed "adoptive cellular immunotherapy". Activated Mo/M psi express tissue factor procoagulant activity (PCA), which is a physiological trigger of blood coagulation. PCA was evaluated in vitro using a modification of the one-stage recalcification clotting time, and hemostatic changes were studied in vivo in cancer patients. Nine patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis were injected intraperitoneally with activated Mo and 11 patients with non-small cell lung carcinomas were infused intravenously with activated M psi. Hemostatic changes were followed using activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), prothrombin time (PT), thrombin time (TT), fibrinogen level, antithrombin III (ATIII) and protein C (PC) activities. Fibrinolytic activity was estimated by euglobulin lysis time and assays for plasminogen and fibrin/fibrinogen degradation products (FDP). These assays were performed before and after each autologous infusion and on days 2 and 3. Activated Mo and M psi expressed potent PCA (85.5 +/- 7.5 U/ml for MTP activated Mo and 50 +/- 5.3 U/ml for gamma IFN activated M psi suspensions). In both groups of patients, APTT, PT, and TT underwent no significant variations. There was no significant consumption of ATIII or PC, and fibrinolysis was not activated during the study period. In the group injected intraperitoneally with MTP-activated Mo, fibrinogen showed a significant and progressive increase in relation to the development of an inflammatory reaction, reaching a maximum average value of 6.1 g/l at the end of the therapy with a concomitant increase in FDP levels. This increase was not observed after intravenous therapy with gamma IFN-activated M psi. No patient suffered from hemorrhagic or thrombotic events. In our experience, repeated injections of activated Mo or M psi expressing potent tissue factor PCA did not induce significant in vivo activation of the coagulation system in cancer patients.
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PMID:Hemostatic changes in human adoptive immunotherapy with activated blood monocytes or derived macrophages. 132 42

Thrombomodulin (TM) is a surface glycoprotein that forms a 1:1 complex with thrombin, thereby interacting to form the basis of a major physiologically relevant natural anticoagulant mechanism. Although initially described as a vascular endothelial cell receptor, TM has been reported to be present in several other cells, including megakaryocytes, platelets, monocytes, and several cultured cells. Other investigators have reported that neutrophils (PMN) may play a role in the hemostatic mechanism by supporting transformation of prothrombin to thrombin. To determine whether PMN might contribute further to the regulation of the coagulation system, we have evaluated these cells for the expression of TM. Large numbers of human leukocytes were isolated by standard techniques, and the PMN fraction was extracted and shown to be free of platelets and monocytes. Membrane preparations were affinity purified on an anti-TM-Affigel-10 matrix and the eluted material was examined by Western blotting, sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and silver staining. The purified material was identical in apparent molecular weight to TM from human placenta and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). Using a sensitive and specific immunoassay, we estimated that there are a minimum of 5,220 +/- 1,658 molecules of TM per PMN, as compared with more than 50,000 in HUVEC. Northern analysis of RNA from PMN indicates that specific messenger RNA for TM, as identified by a single 3.8-kb band, is identical to that from HUVEC, and thereby confirms that PMN can also synthesize the receptor. Localization of TM in PMN was attempted by immunofluorescence, and the receptor was visualized only in permeabilized PMN, but was not seen on the surface of nonpermeabilized cells. Flow cytometry was also used, and could detect TM in 10% to 15% of nonpermeabilized PMN, whereas the antigen was present in greater than 80% of permeabilized cells. Biologic function of the PMN-derived TM, as tested by thrombin-dependent activation of protein C, was absent. Our results suggest that TM is synthesized by PMN, but under nonstimulated conditions, the protein is largely excluded from the membrane surface, and lacks the ability to promote activation of protein C by thrombin. TM from PMN may provide a further link between inflammation and thrombosis and may also be a significant source of plasma TM.
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PMID:Human neutrophils synthesize thrombomodulin that does not promote thrombin-dependent protein C activation. 132 11


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