Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

L Lorand

Publications and source records attributed to L Lorand.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Promotion of thrombin-catalyzed activation of factor XIII by fibrinogen.

High-performance liquid chromatography was used to analyze the kinetics of the thrombin-catalyzed release of the activation peptide from the factor XIII zymogen (fibrin-stabilizing factor). The specificity constant (kcat/Km) for this reaction, measured at factor XIII concentrations much below Km, was (0.13-0.16) X 10(6) M-1 s-1 at pH 7.4, mu = 0.15, and 37 degrees C. Separate estimates, obtained from the dependence of the initial rates of release of the activation peptide on the concentration of factor XIII, gave values of 10 (+/- 3) s-1 for kcat and 84 (+/- 30) microM for Km, in terms of ab protomers of the zymogen. The thrombin-mediated release of the activation peptide was dramatically enhanced in the presence of fibrinogen. Furthermore, the time course of release, in relation to that of fibrinopeptide A, suggested that some des-A-fibrinogen species (e.g., alpha 2B beta 2 gamma 2) may be the true activator for promoting the cleavage of the Arg-36 peptide bonds in the a subunits of factor XIII. This observation suggests that generation of factor XIIIa and its substrate (fibrin) is coordinated so that thrombin-mediated zymogen activation proceeds efficiently only after the process of clotting has been initiated by the removal of fibrinopeptide A from fibrinogen.

Blood Coagulation↗

Enzymatic modifications of human plasma fibronectin in relation to opsonizing activity.

Plasma fibronectin is one of the largest plasma proteins (Mr approximately 440 000), comprising two approximately equal polypeptide chains which are held together by a disulfide linkage near the C-terminal end of the molecule. The binding of gelatinized latex beads to liver slices as well as the internalization of these particles by macrophages, in the presence of heparin, is greatly enhanced by fibronectin. The question as to whether the entire covalent structure of fibronectin was necessary for opsonizing activity was approached by limited proteolytic degradations of the molecule. Patterns of controlled digestion with trypsin, cathepsin D, Staphylococcus aureus protease, and plasmin all indicate that the minimal unit necessary for retention of opsonic activity is some large (Mr 200 000 and 190 000) single-chain entity. Treatment with plasmin proved to be the most reliable procedure for generating the active split product which could be readily separated from the inactive, disulfide-containing C-terminal fragment. Incorporation of dansylcadaverine into plasma fibronectin (3.5 mol/mol of protein) by fibronoligase (coagulation factor XIIIa) did not affect the opsonic activity of the protein.

Cathepsin D↗

Degradation of transmembrane proteins in Ca2+-enriched human erythrocytes. An immunochemical study.

Apart from causing the formation of gamma-glutamyl-epsilon-lysine cross-linked polymers, exposure of human erythrocytes to Ca2+ and ionophore A23187 leads to a breakdown of the two major transmembrane proteins, i.e. the anion-transporting band 3 and glycophorin. This apparently proteolytic phenomenon was examined by crossed immunoelectrophoretic techniques. The main product of the cleavage of band 3 had a chain weight of about 55,000 and showed good precipitation with the antibody raised against the intact protein. The degradation of glycophorin was more rapid and, when complete, gave rise to small fragments which were barely precipitated with antiglycophorin antibody. Incubation of the cells with pepstatin or N-ethylmaleimide prior to and during Ca2+ loading prevented the breakdown of both transmembrane proteins. Histamine, a competitive inhibitor of the transglutaminase-catalyzed formation of gamma-glutamyl-epsilon-lysine cross-links in Ca2+-enriched erythrocytes, also provided some protection, suggesting that the breakdown of the two transmembrane proteins might in some manner be related to the transglutaminase-dependent polymerization process. Pathophysiological implications of the proteolytic event, which would distort the normal interaction of membrane proteins with the cytoskeleton, are discussed.

Anion Exchange Protein 1, Erythrocyte↗

New colored and fluorescent amine substrates for activated fibrin stabilizing factor (Factor XIIIa) and for transglutaminase.

Two fluorescent (FITC and 6-chloro-2-methoxyacridine) and an intensely colored (dabsyl) derivative of cadaverine were synthesized, following earlier work from this laboratory with dansyl-cadaverine, in order to enlarge the scope of possibilities for labeling some gamma-glutamine sites in proteins. Enzyme affinities of the amine substrates for human Factor XIIIa and for guinea pig liver transglutaminase were measured. The utility of dabsylcadaverine was further demonstrated by activity staining of these enzymes, following electrophoresis in agarose, and by measuring the Factor XIII zymogen of human plasma colorimetrically.

Acyltransferases↗

Contribution of fibrin stabilization to clot strength. Supplementation of factor XIII-deficient plasma with the purified zymogen.

The contribution of fibrin stabilization to clot strength, measured as the static elastic modulus, was evaluated in human plasma by two independent procedures. In the first approach, amine inhibitors of fibrin stabilization were examined for their effects on the rigidity of normal plasma clots. It is a unique property of these inhibitors that they do not interfere with the reversible aggregation of fibrin molecules, i.e., do not delay clotting time, but selectively prevent only the formation of gamma-glutamyl-epsilon-lysine protein-to-protein linkages. Though the compounds tested were of different chemical structures and potencies, a fivefold reduction in clot strength was obtained in each instance. This value of 20% of normal seems to correspond to the rigidity of the Factor XIII-deficient plasma clot because, as demonstrated by the second approach, when a plasma specimen that genetically lacked the fibrin stabilizing factor was supplemented by the addition of measured amounts of the purified zymogen, a fivefold increase in clot strength could be achieved. The described procedure of evaluating Factor XIII in terms of correcting the elastic modulus of a deficient plasma clot is considered an important assay for the functional competence of purified preparations of the zymogen for the purpose of therapeutic application.

Aminoacetonitrile↗

Alpha-chain domain of fibrinogen controls generation of fibrinoligase (coagulation factor XIIIa). Calcium ion regulatory aspects.

Fibrinogen (approximately 10(-5) M) labilizes heterologous interactions within the thrombin-modified factor XIII zymogen (i.e., XIII' = a2'b2) so that, in the time frame (ca. 10 min) of normal clotting in plasma (37 degrees C, mu = 0.15, pH 7.5), 1.5 mM Ca2+ is sufficient to cause the release of the noncatalytic b subunits and also the unmasking of 1 equiv of iodo[1-14C]acetamide-titratable group per catalytic a subunit. Under similar conditions, but in the absence of fibrinogen, approximately 10 mM Ca2+ would be needed to achieve the same effect. Thus, by promoting the conversion of XIII' to XIIIa (i.e., a2'b2 leads to a2* + b2), fibrinogen functions as a physiologically important Ca2+-modulator protein. Total plasmin digests of fibrinogen display the regulatory phenomenon nearly as well as the parent protein. In an attempt to identify the structural domain on the fibrinogen which is responsible for this novel function of the molecule, it was found that two overlapping fragments derived from the midsections of the alpha chains, either by CNBr cleavage (residues 243-476) or by plasmin digestion (residues 242-424), are active.

Calcium↗

An immunochemical approach for the analysis of membrane protein alterations in Ca2+-loaded human erythrocytes.

An increase in the intracellular concentration of Ca2+ in human erythrocytes results in the formation of gamma-glutamyl-epsilon-lysine cross-linked membrane protein polymers. Following solubilization of the membranes with SDS, these polymers can be isolated on a Lubrol-containing sucrose gradient. Immunoelectrophoresis of the polymeric material with a polyspecific rabbit antibody against human ghosts gave rise to a single, but heterogeneous, precipitate. The polymer was amphiphilic and, on addition to Triton-solubilized erythrocyte membrane proteins, it coprecipitated with spectrin. When the antihost antibody was absorbed with the polymer prior to cross immunoelectrophoresis of normal erythrocyte membrane proteins, the precipitates of glycophorin, acetylcholinesterase, and hemoglobin were normal, whereas the antibody titers against band 3 protein, spectrin, and ankyrin became reduced. Furthermore, a rabbit antibody raised against the isolated human polymer reacted selectively with the same three membrane proteins. No reactions occurred with lysate proteins.

Calcium↗

Effects of the calcium-mediated enzymatic cross-linking of membrane proteins on cellular deformability.

Excess calcium binding affects the shape and dynamics of cellular deformation of human erythrocytes. It may be hypothesized that incorporation of calcium may modify cellular deformability by processes which include specific cross-linking of membrane proteins with resultant changes in cell shape and deformability. Since previous studies indicate that accumulation of calcium ions causes development of gamma-glutamyl-epsilon-lysine bridges in membrane proteins, under control of a membrane transamidating enzyme which specifically requires calcium ions for activation, experiments were devised to examine the relationship between cross-linking and deformability and to determine the effects of specific inhibitor of membrane protein cross-linking on the calcium-dependent modification of erythrocyte to the echinocytic shape. The elastic shear modulus of the membrane was not significantly affected by calcium-induced cross-linking, indicating that induced shape change, not altered elasticity, causes the observed reduction in cellular deformability. These findings support the interpretation that Ca++-induced and transamidase-catalyzed cross-linking of membrane proteins contributes to fixation of altered cellular shape and decreased cellular deformability.

Adult↗

Modification of shear modulus and creep compliance of fibrin clots by fibronectin.

Shear moduli and creep compliances have been measured for four types of clots of human fibrin (about 7 mg/ml) clotted with and without human plasma fibronectin (usually 1.2 mg/ml). Fine clots (with little lateral aggregation of the fibrin protofibrils) were found at pH 8.5, ionic strength 0.45; coarse clots (with substantial lateral aggregation) were formed at pH 7.5, ionic strength 0.15; in both cases with and without ligation by fibrinoligase. In fine clots, the addition of fibronectin without ligation scarcely affected the shear modulus; with ligation, the modulus was decreased by a factor of 0.48. In coarse clots, the shear modulus was increased by addition of fibronectin. The increase was by a factor of 2.0 without ligation and by a factor of 2.4 with ligation. Creep and creep recovery in clots formed with and without fibronectin were similar except for the scale factor represented by the change in modulus.

Animals↗

Lens transglutaminase and cataract formation.

A protein polymer characteristically present in human cataract was shown to contain significant amounts of gamma-glutamyl-epsilon-lysine isopeptides. It is proposed that these crosslinks are produced by the action of transglutaminase (R-glutaminyl-peptide:amine-gamma-glutamyl-yltransferase, EC 2.3.2.13), which is all the more plausible because lens contains the enzyme and endogenous protein substrates for it. The enzyme is similar to that obtained from liver and is Ca2+ dependent. Highest apparent activity is found in lens cortex. When cortex homogenate from the rabbit was incubated in the presence of Ca2+ with either [14C]putrescine or with dansylcadaverine, a a selective incorporation of the radioactive or fluorescent amine into the heavier subunits (Mr approximately 26,000 and 30,000) of beta-crystallins could be demonstrated. Possible modes of regulating the crosslinking activity of this enzyme in lens are discussed.

Animals↗

Fibronectin-mediated uptake of gelatin-coated latex particles by peritoneal macrophages.

The present study demonstrates the ability of plasma fibronectin or cold-insoluble globulin (Clg) to promote the uptake of 125I-labeled, gelatin-coated latex beads (g-Ltx*) by monolayers of peritoneal macrophages (PM). The uptake of g-Ltx* by PM was enhanced by Clg in a concentration-dependent fashion and required the presence of heparin (10 U/ml) as an obligatory cofactor for maximal particle uptake. Treatment of PM monolayers with trypsin (1 mg/ml) for 15 min at 37 degrees C after particle uptake removed less than 15% of the radioactivity incorporated by the monolayers. However, a similar trypsin treatment of the monolayers before the addition of latex particles depressed Clg-dependent uptake by greater than 75%. Pretreatment of PM monolayers with inhibitors of glycolysis effectively reduced the Clg-dependent uptake of latex. Similarly, pretreatment of monolayers with either inhibitors of protein synthesis or agents that disrupt cytoskeletal elements also significantly depressed Clg-dependent particle uptake. Phagocytosis of g-Ltx* by PM in the presence of Clg and heparin was confirmed by electron microscopy. Finally, g-Ltx* could also be effectively opsonized with Clg at 37 degrees C before their addition to the monolayers. These studies suggest that the recognition of g-Ltx* in the presence of Clg required cell surface protein(s) and that subsequent phagocytosis of these particles by PM was energy dependent and required intact intracellular cytoskeleton elements. Thus, PM monolayers provide a suitable system for further studies on the function of Clg in the recognition and phagocytosis of gelatin-coated particles by phagocytic cells.

Animals↗