Role of von Willebrand factor levels in the prognosis of stage IV colorectal cancer: Do we have enough evidence?

The binding of von Willebrand factor (vWF) to platelet membrane glycoprotein Ib (GpIb) facilitates platelet adhesion to vascular subendothelium. In this study, we provide evidence that the vWF binding site is on glycocalicin (GC), a proteolytic fragment of GpIb, and we examine the role of the carbohydrate portion of GC on that binding. The binding to platelets of 6D1, a monoclonal antibody that recognizes an epitope on GpIb and blocks ristocetin-induced vWF binding to platelets, was inhibited by purified GC. In addition, purified GC inhibited ristocetin-dependent binding of 125I-labeled vWF to platelets. Since GC contains 60% carbohydrate by weight, we assessed the role of carbohydrate sequences on its interaction with antibody 6D1 and vWF. Based on the known sequence of the major oligosaccharide chain of GC--N- acetyl neuraminic acid, galactose, N-acetyl glucosamine, N-acetyl galactosamine--we treated GC sequentially with neuraminidase, beta- galactosidase, and beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase. Removal of sialic acid and galactose residues did not affect GC binding. Removal of N-acetyl glucosamine residues did not affect GC binding to 6D1 but did decrease the ability of GC to inhibit vWF binding to platelets, increasing the concentration needed to inhibit binding by 50% (IC50) 40-fold. This suggests that a portion of the oligosaccharide chains on GC contributes to the vWF binding activity of this molecule.

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Platelet von Willebrand factor: evidence for its involvement in platelet adhesion to collagen

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v70.4.1214.bloodjournal7041214 ◽

1987 ◽

Vol 70 (4) ◽

pp. 1214-1217

Author(s):

E Fressinaud ◽

D Baruch ◽

C Rothschild ◽

HR Baumgartner ◽

D Meyer

Keyword(s):

Shear Rate ◽

Von Willebrand Factor ◽

Platelet Adhesion ◽

Von Willebrand Disease ◽

High Shear ◽

Shear Rates ◽

High Shear Rates ◽

Von Willebrand ◽

Willebrand Factor

Although it is well established that plasma von Willebrand Factor (vWF) is essential to platelet adhesion to subendothelium at high shear rates, the role of platelet vWF is less clear. We studied the respective role of both plasma and platelet vWF in mediating platelet adhesion to fibrillar collagen in a parallel-plate perfusion chamber. Reconstituted blood containing RBCs, various mixtures of labeled washed platelets and plasma from controls or five patients with severe von Willebrand disease (vWD), was perfused through the chamber for five minutes at a shear rate of 1,600 s-1. Platelet-collagen interactions were estimated by counting the radioactivity in deposited platelets and by quantitative morphometry. When the perfusate consisted of normal platelets suspended in normal plasma, platelet deposition on the collagen was 24.7 +/- 3.6 X 10(6)/cm2 (mean +/- SEM, n = 6). Significantly less deposition (16 +/- 2.3) was observed when vWD platelets were substituted for normal platelets. In mixtures containing vWD plasma, significantly greater deposition (9 +/- 2.2) was obtained with normal than with vWD platelets (1 +/- 0.4) demonstrating a role for platelet vWF in mediating the deposition of platelets on collagen. Morphometric analysis confirmed these data. Our findings indicate that platelet, as well as plasma, vWF mediates platelet-collagen interactions at a high shear rate.

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Regulation of plasma von Willebrand factor

F1000Research ◽

10.12688/f1000research.13056.1 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 7 ◽

pp. 96 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Karl C Desch

Keyword(s):

Factor Viii ◽

Von Willebrand Factor ◽

Coagulation Factor ◽

Vascular Wall ◽

Healthy Human ◽

Venous Thromboembolic ◽

Artery Disease ◽

Von Willebrand ◽

Willebrand Factor

Von Willebrand factor (VWF) is a multimeric plasma glycoprotein that plays a central role in the initiation of blood coagulation. Through interactions between its specific functional domains, the vascular wall, coagulation factor VIII, and platelet receptors, VWF maintains hemostasis by binding to platelets and delivering factor VIII to the sites of vascular injury. In the healthy human population, plasma VWF levels vary widely. The important role of VWF is illustrated by individuals at the extremes of the normal distribution of plasma VWF concentrations where individuals with low VWF levels are more likely to present with mucocutaneous bleeding. Conversely, people with high VWF levels are at higher risk for venous thromboembolic disease, stroke, and coronary artery disease. This report will summarize recent advances in our understanding of environmental influences and the genetic control of VWF plasma variation in healthy and symptomatic populations and will also highlight the unanswered questions that are currently driving this field of study.

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