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Biomedical subjects

R I Handin

Publications and source records attributed to R I Handin.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1985

Native conformation of human von Willebrand protein. Analysis by electron microscopy and quasi-elastic light scattering.

von Willebrand factor (vWF) was analyzed by electron microscopic and quasi-elastic light scattering techniques in order to evaluate the size and shape of this heterogeneous polymeric plasma glycoprotein. Electron micrographs demonstrated that native vWF molecules are flexible, linear polymers, ranging in contour length from 100 to 1300 nm. In their typical configuration, the polymers were coiled upon themselves with maximal diameters ranging from 60 to 200 nm. Individual repeating protomeric subunits were discernible in occasionally noted, uncoiled polymers and measured 100 nm X 1.5-2.0 nm. Quasi-elastic light scattering analysis confirmed that measurements of the size and shape of purified vWF molecules in solution were similar to those obtained with electron microscopic techniques. In addition, the mean Stokes radius and mean radius of gyration assessed by quasielastic light scattering were directly related over a wide range of values, as were the diameter and contour length measured from electron micrographs, suggesting that the overall shape of polymers does not change with increasing size. This study supports the concept that native vWF molecules are flexible, linear polymers. In addition, this study clearly shows that the polymer configuration assessed from electron micrographs is a valid representation of the configuration of the polymer in solution. The data presented also provide the first evidence for a well-defined, repeating protomeric subunit.

Blood Coagulation Factors↗
PubMed1985

Human von Willebrand factor (vWF): isolation of complementary DNA (cDNA) clones and chromosomal localization.

Human factor VIII--von Willebrand factor (vWF) is a large, multimeric glycoprotein that plays a central role in the blood coagulation system, serving both as a carrier for factor VIIIC (antihemophilic factor) and as a major mediator of platelet-vessel wall interaction. Diminished or abnormal vWF activity results in von Willebrand's disease (vWD), a common and complex hereditary bleeding disorder. Overlapping vWF cDNA clones that span 8.2 kilobases of the vWF messenger RNA have been obtained. vWF accounts for approximately 0.3 percent of endothelial cell messenger RNA and was undetectable in several other tissues examined. A large single copy gene for vWF is located on the short arm of chromosome 12 (12p12----12pter). No gross gene rearrangement or deletion was detected in the DNA of two patients with severe vWD.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1985

Long-term survivors of adult acute nonlymphocytic leukemia: fact or fiction?

From 1970 to 1982, remission rates from large series of patients with a median age of approximately 50 years continue to exceed 50% and in series of younger patients may be as high as 75%. These improved results have been due to the combination of cytosar and an anthracycline in RI programs. The current major question is whether or not "consolidation" therapy has improved long-term disease-free survival. Our current results, covering the decade 1970-1980 and using more and more intensive RC programs, do not demonstrate an increase in the percentage of long-term survivors. The results from 1980 to 1982 are encouraging, but must be tempered by the fact that late relapses of adult ANLL are becoming more frequent and 2-year follow-up is much too short an evaluation period. In addition, the prolonged survival in program D may be due to the more intensive RI program and not at all related to the RC. At the present time, our experience lends no support to the theory that more intensive RC programs meaningfully prolong long-term survival.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1985

The interaction of platelet factor four and glycosaminoglycans.

The interaction of platelet factor four (PF-4) with glycosaminoglycans (GAG) was evaluated using fluorescence spectroscopy, a radioligand binding assay, and a functional assay utilizing antithrombin III and factor Xa. In these studies, we have (i) characterized the binding parameters for PF-4 to several forms of heparin and to dextran sulfate; (ii) examined the structural features of these glycosaminoglycans which support PF-4 binding; and (iii) examined the effects of selective digestion of the carboxy terminus of PF-4 on binding. The binding of PF-4 to unfractionated porcine intestinal mucosal heparin ([Mr] = 11,000) was specific and saturable, with a molar stoichiometry of PF-4 to heparin of approximately 4:1 and an apparent estimated Kd of 3 X 10(-8) M. Heparin fractions ([Mr] = 6,000) with either low or high affinity for antithrombin III bound to PF-4 with a similar apparent Kd. PF-4 also bound to dextran sulfate ([Mr] = 22,500) with an estimated apparent Kd of 6 X 10(-8) M and a molar stoichiometry of approximately 16:1. Carboxypeptidase Y (CP-Y) digestion of PF-4 progressively decreased GAG binding. After 30 min of digestion, by which time all of the carboxyterminal serine and glutamate, both of the two leucines, and approximately one-quarter of the four lysines were removed, the IC50 for heparin binding shifted from 10 to 150 nM. These studies demonstrated the effect of GAG polymer size and degree of sulfation on the affinity and stoichiometry of PF-4 binding, and the critical importance of the carboxy-terminal amino acids of PF-4 for binding to natural and synthetic GAGs.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Plasmin effect on platelet glycoprotein Ib-von Willebrand factor interactions.

We have studied the effect of streptokinase on platelets in platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and of plasmin on washed platelets. By three and one-half minutes after the addition of 50,000 IU/mL streptokinase to PRP, the maximum rate of ristocetin-induced platelet agglutination declined 40%, and by 60 minutes, it declined 70%. During the same time interval, the thrombin time increased from 20 seconds to over 120 seconds. At a concentration as low as 50 IU/mL, streptokinase reduced the maximum rate of ristocetin-induced platelet agglutination by 50% and prolonged the thrombin time to 1.5 times control value. Streptokinase added to PRP also caused inhibition of platelet aggregation following stimulation by 2.9 mumol/L adenosine diphosphate, 0.25 U/mL thrombin, and 0.025 mg/mL collagen. Plasmin, 0.05 to 1.0 CU/mL, reduced ristocetin-mediated agglutination of washed platelets in the presence of von Willebrand factor (vWF) from 66% of control to 2% of control, following a one-hour incubation. Autoradiograms produced following sodium dodecyl-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) of plasmin-treated 125I-surface-labeled platelets demonstrated progressive loss of a protein with a molecular weight (mol wt) of 180,000; simultaneously, a protein with mol wt 135,000 appeared on autoradiograms produced following SDS-PAGE of the surrounding platelet medium. These proteins are similar in molecular weight to glycoprotein (gp) Ib, a platelet surface receptor for vWF, and glycocalicin, a proteolytic fragment of gpIb. By use of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) based immunoinhibition assay for glycocalicin, we were able to demonstrate that plasmin treatment of washed platelets released a glycocalicin-related antigen into the surrounding medium and that appearance of this material corresponding to loss of vWF-dependent, ristocetin-induced agglutination.

Blood Coagulation Factors↗
PubMed1985

Evaluation of platelet glycoprotein Ib by fluorescence flow cytometry.

Platelet glycoprotein Ib (GpIb), a receptor for von Willebrand's factor (vWF), was studied by way of fluorescence flow cytometry. Using a sandwich staining technique, GpIb was identified by a monoclonal antibody (6D1) directed against an epitope close to the vWF binding site. Platelets from normal individuals were symmetrically distributed with respect to GpIb content. Treatment of washed platelets with plasmin resulted in progressive loss of GpIb as measured by fluorescence flow cytometry and by loss of agglutination response when combined with ristocetin in the presence of vWF. In mixing experiments with GpIb-deficient and normal platelets, it was possible to detect a subpopulation of deficient cells comprising 2% of the total population. Streptokinase treatment of platelet-rich plasma caused loss of the agglutination response to ristocetin and the emergence of a population of GpIb-deficient platelets. Fluorescence flow cytometry appears to be an important new technique by which to study platelet surface receptors.

Blood Platelets↗
PubMed1985

Proliferation of smooth muscle cells in the thoracic aorta after injury to the abdominal aorta: evidence for a humoral mediator in experimental arteriosclerosis.

We tested the hypothesis that circulating humoral material(s) can induce vascular smooth muscle cells to synthesize DNA and to proliferate. Either the entire aorta or its abdominal segment was balloon de-endothelialized in four groups of rabbits. In the first group (control), the entire aorta was injured, and no further procedures were carried out. In a second group (reinjury), the abdominal aortic segment was reinjured 4 days after the initial de-endothelialization procedure. A third group (sham) had a second sham operation 4 days after initial injury. In a fourth group (abdominal only), the abdominal aortic segment was injured on two occasions 4 days apart. There was a rise in the specific activity of 3H-thymidine incorporation into smooth muscle cell DNA (DNA-SA) of the thoracic segments, which began 12 hours after reinjury, peaked within 24 hours at 335 +/- 63 dpm/micrograms DNA (+/- SEM), and returned to control level within 72 hours. The DNA-SA of the thoracic aorta of control rabbits and sham-operated animals 4.5 days after the initial injury was 86 +/- 19 and 48 +/- 8 dpm/micrograms DNA, respectively. There was no rise in DNA-SA in the thoracic aorta of animals in which the abdominal aorta was injured twice. Intimal cell nuclei per 0.1 mm internal elastic lamina were counted 3 days after the second injury and showed similar differences between doubly injured and control animals. Platelet accumulation, as measured by chromium 51 platelet attachment to the aortic surface, was increased in the abdominal segment 12 hours after reinjury.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Conformational domains and structural transitions of human von Willebrand protein.

The conformational states of human von Willebrand protein (vWF) were studied by using ultraviolet (UV) difference, circular dichroism, and fluorescence spectrophotometric techniques in order to gain insight into the forces that maintain its asymmetric, flexible shape. vWF has 24% alpha-helix and 18% beta-pleated sheet structure in the native state. Disulfide bond reduction and carboxamidation reduced the beta-pleated sheet content by 50% without affecting the content of alpha-helix. In addition, the quantum yield of intrinsic (tryptophan/tyrosine) fluorescence decreased by 33% after reduction and alkylation, and the affinity of the hydrophobic fluorescent probes 8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonate and 6-(p-toluidino)-2-naphthalenesulfonate for vWF was reduced 2.5-fold. In contrast, intrinsic fluorescence quenching by acrylamide and the UV difference spectrum did not change following reduction. An analysis of changes in the intrinsic fluorescence polarization and the emission maximum shift induced by thermal and guanidine hydrochloride denaturation revealed single, smooth transitions for both native and reduced vWF, suggesting the existence of an ordered structure in both species. This study shows that (1) disulfide reduction and carboxamidation cause significant conformational changes in vWF, (2) vWF may contain discrete, ordered, conformational domains linked by regions of random polypeptide chain, and (3) specific tertiary structural domains within vWF are not affected by disulfide reduction and carboxamidation. This structural model would explain both the asymmetry and flexibility of the molecule.

Blood Coagulation Factors↗
PubMed1984

Heterogeneity of heparin lots associated with thrombocytopenia and thromboembolism.

Thromboembolic complications may develop in patients with heparin-associated thrombocytopenia, presumably due to the formation of platelet aggregates. An unexpectedly high incidence of pulmonary embolism following coronary artery bypass surgery occurred during a brief period of time at a single institution, and all of these cases were found to be associated with thrombocytopenia. All patients tested during thrombocytopenia (five of five) had an increase in platelet-associated antibody. Serum samples from all five patients tested caused normal platelets to aggregate in vitro in the presence of one specific lot of beef lung heparin, which was in use in the operating room at the time; none of six other lots of beef lung heparin mediated in vitro platelet aggregation. Heparinase digestion of the heparin abolished the aggregating activity. It is concluded that thrombocytopenia and platelet activation caused by heparin may vary greatly even among different lots of heparin prepared from the same source.

Aged↗
PubMed1984

Platelet membrane glycoprotein IIIa contains target antigens that bind anti-platelet antibodies in immune thrombocytopenias.

The precise pathogenic mechanism of platelet destruction in immune thrombocytopenias is not known, although many investigators have found that platelet-associated IgG is increased in these diseases. We report here the differentiation between specific binding of anti-platelet antibody, associated with platelet destruction, and the ubiquitous presence of nonspecific, platelet-associated IgG. Using an electrophoretic separation and antibody overlay technique, we have identified a specific membrane protein that bears target platelet antigens in immune thrombocytopenias. When posttransfusion purpura serum was studied, antibody binding to the PlA1 antigen on glycoprotein IIIa was readily distinguished from the nonspecific binding of immunoglobulin to a protein of 200,000 mol wt. After reduction of disulfide bonds, the PlA1 antigenicity was not observed, and IgG bound nonspecifically to a protein band with an apparent molecular weight of 45,000. We have also identified anti-platelet antibodies in patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura and determined their antigenic specificity. Antibodies which bind to a 100,000-mol wt protein were found in nine of thirteen patients with chronic disease. The antigens in three of these cases were studied in detail by using both reduced and nonreduced control and Glanzmann's thrombasthenic platelets. Target antigens were localized to glycoprotein IIIa, but are different from PlA1. The immune thrombocytopenic purpura antigenic system is clearly distinguished from nonspecific platelet-associated IgG. Sera from eight children with acute idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura were also studied. In all cases, the nonspecific IgG binding to the 200,000-mol wt protein was observed. However, we were unable to demonstrate antibody binding to glycoprotein IIIa, which suggested that the acute childhood form of this disease may have a different pathogenic mechanism than that of the autoimmune chronic cases.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Influence of intracoronary platelet aggregation on ventricular electrical properties during partial coronary artery stenosis.

Several clinical studies suggest that drugs which interfere with platelet function may protect persons at risk for sudden death. However, there is no direct evidence that intracoronary platelet aggregation produces cardiac arrhythmias. Induction of fixed partial coronary stenoses in dogs resulted in spontaneous cyclical reductions in coronary blood flow of 21 to 81% (p less than 0.01). These changes are known to be associated with the formation and distal embolization of platelet aggregates. These reductions in coronary blood flow were accompanied by significant decreases in the repetitive extrasystole (-40%) and ventricular fibrillation (-38%) thresholds. Prostacyclin (PGI2), a potent vasodilator and inhibitor of platelet activation, in increasing doses of from 25 to 100 ng/kg/min caused a stepwise decrease in the frequency and magnitude of coronary blood flow fluctuations and restored the vulnerable period thresholds to control levels. Indomethacin (5 mg/kg), an inhibitor of cyclo-oxygenase activation and platelet thromboxane A2 production, produced similar results. The mechanism of coronary blood flow reduction appears to be mechanical blockade of the vessel lumen by platelet thrombi and production of myocardial ischemia. These results suggest that intracoronary platelet aggregation contributes to electrical destabilization of the myocardium and may predispose to ventricular fibrillation. A model is thus available for further investigating the role of platelets and antiplatelet drugs in modulating ventricular electrical stability.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Platelet lipoxygenase-dependent oxygen burst. Evidence for differential activation of lipoxygenase in intact and disrupted human platelets.

The metabolism of arachidonic acid in platelets by both cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase involves the rapid consumption of molecular oxygen. However, selective inhibition of cyclooxygenase completely abolishes the arachidonate-induced oxygen burst in intact platelets. This is in contrast to platelet lysates, in which approximately 50% of the arachidonate-induced oxygen burst remains detectable following inhibition of cyclooxygenase with acetylsalicylic acid. This lipoxygenase oxygen burst is blocked by preincubation of the platelets with ETYA, which inhibits both cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase. In cell-free 100000 x g supernatants of platelet lysates, which contain only lipoxygenase activity, arachidonate induces an oxygen burst which is not blunted by preincubation with aspirin but is completely abolished by preincubation with ETYA. The finding of a lipoxygenase-dependent oxygen burst in platelet lysates but not in intact platelet suspensions suggests differential activation or differential availability of platelet lipoxygenase in intact and disrupted platelets. This was confirmed by a 5 min lag in the generation of [14C]HETE (the major lipoxygenase product) from [14C]arachidonic acid in intact platelets, but an almost immediate initiation of [14C]HETE production in platelet lysates. In contrast, the synthesis of [14C]thromboxane B2 (the major cyclooxygenase product) from [14C]arachidonic acid began immediately in both intact and disrupted platelet preparations and peaked within 5 min. These observations provide new insight into factors controlling platelet hydroxy acid production and help to explain the nature of the platelet oxygen burst.

Arachidonic Acid↗
PubMed1982

Platelet adhesion to cultured vascular endothelial cells. A quantitative monolayer adhesion assay.

We have developed a sensitive in vitro method for measuring the adherence of platelets to cultured vascular cells. Human platelets, in citrated plasma, were radiolabeled with [3H]adenine to achieve a specific activity 100 to 1000 times greater than that obtainable with chromium-51 or [14C]serotonin. After exposure of cultured cell monolayers to radiolabeled PRP, nonadherent platelets were removed by a standardized wash procedure, and the number of adherent platelets calculated from liquid scintillation measurements. Significant release of platelet-associated radioactivity was not detectable after challenge with standard aggregating agents, and uptake of plasma (unincorporated) [3H]adenine by cultured cells was minimized by the addition of unlabeled adenine during the adhesion assay. Scanning electron microscopy, performed in parallel, allowed visual discrimination between platelet adhesion and aggregation as well as morphologic examination of the interacting platelets and cells. After incubation with PRP for 30 min, primary cultures of umbilical vein HEC bound less than 0.05% of added platelets (less than 1 platelet per cell). In contrast, virally transformed HEC showed increased platelet adhesion that was directly proportional to cultured cell density. Visual counts of the number of adherent platelets in scanning electron micrographs showed good agreement with calculated radiometric data. Comparative studies indicated that suspensions of washed, radiolabeled human platelets also can be utilized in this monolayer adhesion assay. This in vitro model system should facilitate study of the mechanisms of thromboresistance of vascular endothelium and its pathophysiologic alterations.

Adenine↗
PubMed1981

Circulating platelet products in unstable angina pectoris.

In 19 patients with unstable angina pectoris at rest, plasma levels of the platelet-derived proteins beta-thromboglobulin and platelet factor 4 were significantly elevated in blood samples obtained during or within 4 hours after episodes of angina, but were usually normal during quiescent intervals. Plasma levels of the arachidonic acid metabolite thromboxane B2 were less clearly related to angina, and there was no association of angina with levels of the coagulation product fibrinopeptide A. This demonstration of an association of platelet activation and secretion with unstable angina pectoris by radioimmunoassay of circulating platelet constituents offers a new approach to assessment of therapy in ischemic heart disease and suggests that agents that alter platelet function should be evaluated in patients with unstable angina.

Adult↗