Von Willebrand factor: molecular size and functional activity

SummaryFive plasma preparations (11 lots) used in the treatment of von Willebrand’s disease (vWD) were evaluated. The collagen binding function of von Willebrand factor (vWF) containing preparations was compared with the ristocetin cofactor activity and the vWF antigen. Some preparations have higher ratio of functional activity (ristocetin cofactor and collagen binding) relative to the antigen than is found in normal plasma. The ristocetin cofactor activity and the collagen binding activity are tightly correlated (r = .95). Ultracentrifugal (UCF) analysis was used to compare the size distribution of vWf antigen, ristocetin cofactor and collagen binding activity. The sedimentation of all of the vWF parameters in the plasma products was slower than in plasma. In plasma products the ristocetin cofactor activity sediments the most rapidly, the collagen binding activity is slower and the antigen the slowest. The collagen/antigen ratio decreases with decreasing vWF size. Assignment of potency to vWF containing preparations utilizing the collagen binding activity may be more precise and as accurate as with the traditional ristocetin cofactor assay.

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VON WILLEBRAND FACTOR (VWF) ANTIGENS IN URINE

10.1055/s-0038-1644083 ◽

1987 ◽

Author(s):

A M V Silveira ◽

B Hessel ◽

B Blombäck

Keyword(s):

Monoclonal Antibodies ◽

Von Willebrand Factor ◽

High Performance ◽

Molecular Size ◽

Von Willebrand Disease ◽

Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay ◽

Normal Urine ◽

Von Willebrand ◽

Willebrand Factor

Human urine was analyzed using a sensitive enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for von Willebrand factor (VWF) antigen. Urine of healthy persons contained VWF immunoreactivity. In the urine of a patient with severe von Willebrand disease, the VWF antigen was only detectable after intravenous infusion of VWF-Factor VIII concentrate. The VWF antigen in normal urine was analyzed by gel permeation high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gel electrophoresis combined with immunoblotting. These analyses revealed three immunoreactive components of Mr 350 kDa, 60 kDa, and 20 kDa, respectively, the 60 kDa being the major component. Monoclonal antibodies of known specificity to VWF molecule were used in ELISA and immunoblotting to analyze urinary VWF. The three components reacted with an antibody to the central part of VWF, which is called fragment I, and contains the binding site for collagen. No significant immunoreac-tion was observed with monoclonal antibodies to the Nor C-terminal portions of VWF.VWF derivatives of molecular size similar to the largest urinary antigens were also observed in normal plasma. However, there is not an obvious relationship between these plasma forms and the products in urine since reduction of plasma and urine yields different products.These results indicate that VWF antigens excreted in normal urine are most likely fragments of VWF produced by limited degradation in vivo. This degradation preserves the central part of VWF molecule, the one which reacts with the antibody that blocks the binding of VWF to collagen.

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Cloning, expression, and functional characterization of the von Willebrand factor–cleaving protease (ADAMTS13)

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood-2002-05-1397 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 100 (10) ◽

pp. 3626-3632 ◽

Cited By ~ 161

Author(s):

Barbara Plaimauer ◽

Klaus Zimmermann ◽

Dirk Völkel ◽

Gerhard Antoine ◽

Randolf Kerschbaumer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Von Willebrand Factor ◽

Functional Activity ◽

Functional Characterization ◽

Eukaryotic Expression ◽

Gene Encoding ◽

Hek 293 ◽

293 Cells ◽

Von Willebrand ◽

Willebrand Factor

Deficient von Willebrand factor (VWF) degradation has been associated with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP). In hereditary TTP, the specific VWF-cleaving protease (VWF-cp) is absent or functionally defective, whereas in the nonfamilial, acquired form of TTP, an autoantibody inhibiting VWF-cp activity is found transiently in most patients. The gene encoding for VWF-cp has recently been identified as a member of the metalloprotease family and designatedADAMTS13, but the functional activity of the ADAMTS13 gene product has not been verified. To establish the functional activity of recombinant VWF-cp, we cloned the complete cDNA sequence in a eukaryotic expression vector and transiently expressed the encoded recombinant ADAMTS13 in HEK 293 cells. The expressed protein degraded VWF multimers and proteolytically cleaved VWF to the same fragments as those generated by plasma VWF-cp. Furthermore, recombinant ADAMTS13-mediated degradation of VWF multimers was entirely inhibited in the presence of plasma from a patient with acquired TTP. These data show that ADAMTS13 is responsible for the physiologic proteolytic degradation of VWF multimers.

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Association of Quantitative and Qualitative Abnormalities of Von Willebrand Factor and Risk of Death In Hemodialysis Patients

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v116.21.2217.2217 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 116 (21) ◽

pp. 2217-2217

Author(s):

Rachel Holden ◽

Angie Tuttle ◽

Francis MacLeod ◽

Toni Burbidge ◽

Carol Hegadorn ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Chronic Kidney Disease ◽

Kidney Disease ◽

Vascular Disease ◽

Von Willebrand Factor ◽

Functional Activity ◽

Conflicts Of Interest ◽

Proteolytic Processing ◽

Risk Of Death ◽

Von Willebrand ◽

Willebrand Factor

Abstract Abstract 2217 In order to evaluate the possible role of abnormalities of von Willebrand factor in the hemostatic defects seen in indivdiuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD), a cohort study was performed evaluating pre- and post-dialysis levels of von Willebrand factor (VWF), VWF multimer profiles and levels of its cleaving protease, ADAMTS-13. There were 57 subjects (31 males, 26 females) enrolled with CKD with a mean age of 75 years (range 60 – 90). Subjects with known vascular disease were recruited; 49 (86%) had documented ischemic heart disease, 16 (29%) had cerebrovascular disease and 17 (31%) had peripheral vascular disease. A little over half had diabetes mellitus (30 subjects or 54%), 37 (67%) were on antiplatelet therapy and 7 (13%) were chronically anticoagulated with warfarin. Blood samples were drawn immediately pre- and again post-dialysis and all results were compared with a group of age-matched normal controls (Table 1). As has been previously reported, VWF antigen levels (VWF:Ag) and VWF functional activity as measured by the ristocetin cofactor assay (VWF:RCo) were higher in the pre-dialysis samples compared with controls, and both levels were increased even further following dialysis. Additionally, the percentage of high molecular weight VWF multimers (% HMWM) were significantly increased in the pre-dialysis samples compared with controls. This is a novel finding, and the level of % HMWM seen in the subjects is similar to what has been reported in individuals with Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (TTP). This difference decreased following dialysis, potentially due to the effect of shear stress on VWF and the resultant proteolytic processing, however still remained significantly higher when compared with controls. ADAMTS-13 functional activity was lower in the subjects compared with controls, providing a possibly explanation for the increase in % HMWM. IL-6 levels are higher in subjects compared with controls. IL-6, which is an inflammatory cytokine known to be increased in patients with CKD, has been previously reported as a marker of inactivation of ADAMTS-13. Two years after enrollment, follow up of the subjects revealed that 22 had died, 17 from documented cardiovascular events. Higher VWF levels at the time of enrollment significantly correlated with risk of death (p=0.041) during the study period. The increase in % HMWM suggests that a “TTP-like phenotype” may also be playing a role. Taken together, these data suggest that both quantitative and qualitative abnormalities of VWF contribute to the risk of thrombotic death in chronic kidney disease. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

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Effect Of The Multimeric Structure Of The Factor VIII/Von Willebrand Factor Protein On Binding To Human Platelets

10.1055/s-0038-1652251 ◽

1981 ◽

Author(s):

H Gralnick ◽

S Williams ◽

D J Morisato

Keyword(s):

Factor Viii ◽

Von Willebrand Factor ◽

Competitive Inhibition ◽

High Capacity ◽

Molecular Size ◽

Human Platelets ◽

Affinity Binding ◽

Platelet Receptor ◽

Von Willebrand ◽

Willebrand Factor

We have studied the characteristics of binding of intact factor VIII/von Willebrand factor (f. VIII/vWf) protein and 2-mercaptoethanol (2ME) treated f. VIII/vWf protein to human platelets. The purified f. VIII/vWf was radiolabelled with tritiated 3H potassium borohydride; 4.5 × 103 molecules of the intact radiolabelled material bound per platelet. Of these some molecules bound with a high affinity/low capacity (Kd 0.21 nM and 1.5 × 103 molecules) and another with a low affinity/high capacity (Kd 2.5 nM and 3 × 103 molecules). When the material was reduced with 2ME at 0.01%, it bound with an intermediate affinity of 1.6 nM with a capacity of 4.0 × 103 and a low affinity binding of 12.5 nM and a capacity of 4.0 × 103 . The 0.1% 2ME-treated material revealed only low affinity binding with a Kd of 15 nM and the number of molecules bound 13 × 103. Studies of competitive inhibition of the intact f. VIII/vWf binding to human platelets by the reduced materials revealed that the smallest f. VIII/vWf protein (i.e., 0.1% 2ME) was the least effective while the 0.01% 2ME material was intermediate between the 0.1% and the intact material. The differences noted in the ability to displace the intact material as well as in binding to the human platelet were paralleled by decreases in the vWf activity of these proteins.These studies aid in our understanding of the binding of the f. VIII/vWf to platelets in that the binding sites on platelets may be homogeneous while the ligand is heterogenous. These studies reinforce the structure/function relationships of f. VIII/vWf proteins which have been defined using ristocetin-induced platelet aggregation (i.e., the minimum molecular size of the f. VIII/vWf protein and the penultimate galactose residues on the carbohydrate side chain). We conclude that these defects of the f. VIII/vWf protein also interfere with the protein binding to its platelet receptor and that f. VIII/vWf binding to platelets is an important primary step in hemostasis.

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