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Effects of long-term treatment with recombinant human erythropoietin on physiologic inhibitors of coagulation.

Recombinant human erythropoietin (rHu-EPO) in the treatment of renal anemia might predispose to an increased risk of thrombotic complications. In an attempt to comprehend the involvement of the physiologic inhibitors of coagulation in this process, we studied 2 groups of hemodialysis patients. Group I included 21 patients receiving a starting dose of 90 IU/kg/week s.c., and group II included 17 patients without rHu-EPO. The following coagulation tests were performed before rHu-EPO treatment, and after 1, 6 and 12 months: prothrombin time; activated partial fistula thromboplastin time; fibrinogen; plasminogen activity; antithrombin III activity; protein C activity; total and free protein S antigens, and C4b binding protein. Only the latter three parameters were changed in group 1, while high baseline levels of protein S antigens were found in both groups. A decrease in total and free protein S was observed within 1 month of treatment. At the 6th month total protein S returned to near pretreatment values, whereas a significant fall in free protein S (p = 0.007) was observed. All three parameters returned to near baseline values by 12 months. These results suggest that protein S activity can be altered at the beginning of EPO therapy, a change that under favoring circumstances might contribute to the thrombotic events reported during the early phase of rHu-EPO treatment.

Anemia

Murine monoclonal anti-Ba antibody that enhances haemolytic activity of factor B.

A murine monoclonal antibody (mAb 20-ET) (IgG1, kappa) was selected from a panel of stable hybridomas produced by fusion of P3-X-63-Ag8-U1 (P3UI) myeloma cells with spleen cells from a BALB/c mouse immunized with human factor B. This antibody was shown by the immune blotting method to be directed against the Ba domain of factor B. The haemolytic activity of factor B was enhanced dose-dependently by mAb 20-ET when it was incubated with factor B and EAC4b, 3b cells (sensitized erythrocytes bearing complement fragments C4b and C3b). However, when the antibody was added after factor B had been bound to EAC4b,3b cells and the cells had been washed, it caused little enhancement of the haemolytic activity. The enhancing effect of this antibody was not due to its stabilization of the C3b-B complex, because EAC4b,3b dissociated from mAb 20-ET-bound factor B complexes rather more readily than from uncomplexed factor B. The presence of mAb 20-ET in the reaction mixture caused and maintained a much higher steady-state level of binding of factor B with EAC4b,3b cells than that in its absence. Factor P caused delayed dissociation of mAb-bound factor B from EAC4b,3b cells, thus enhancing the haemolytic activity of factor B bound with the mAb.

Animals

Covalent binding properties of the C4A and C4B isotypes of the fourth component of human complement on several C1-bearing cell surfaces.

In a previous study we demonstrated that the thioester-mediated transacylation of the human C4B isotype onto sheep erythrocytes (ES) was approximately fourfold more efficient than that of C4A. Moreover, although C4B formed predominantly ester linkages, C4A displayed a preference for amide bond formation. We therefore suggested that the relative functional activity observed for the two isotypes would be a combined reflection of their nucleophilic preference and the surface composition of the C1-bearing target. The present study tests this hypothesis. Chemical modification of amino groups on Es with ethylacetimidate produced a twofold decrease in the C1-dependent binding of C4A isotype, while having a negligible effect on C4B binding. Furthermore, with human erythrocytes and two human leukocyte cell lines, K562 and U937, the C4B to C4A deposition ratio decreased from greater than 4 with ES to between 1.5 and 2. Irrespective of the target, C4A and C4B maintained their preference for forming amide and ester bonds, respectively. Interestingly, SDS-PAGE profiles of radiolabeled C4A and C4B, which had been covalently deposited on the various cells, suggested a further degree of transacylation specificity, as the two isotypic alpha-chains sometimes bound to different membrane components. These differences were not easily accounted for by simple differences in the abundance of the preferred nucleophile for each isotype on a given surface constituent, nor were they due to the preferential binding of one isotype to the sensitizing antibody. We speculate that nascent C4B may contain a substrate binding site that facilitates productive attack on the thioester carbonyl by molecules containing the class of nucleophile preferred by each isotype.

Acylation

Susceptibility to IDDM is marked by MHC supratypes rather than individual alleles.

107 patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) were typed for HLA A, B, C-, and DR antigens, and for complement C4A, C4B, and Bf alleles, and the results were compared with those of a combined reference group of 332 appropriately matched healthy subjects. Supratypes (allelic combinations) were identified from the phenotype of each group, and it was shown that the frequency of several supratypes is increased in patients with IDDM, in particular supratypes (A1 Cw7) B8 C4AQ0 C4B1 BfS DR3 (P = 0.0001), (A30 Cw-) B18 C4A3 C4BQ0 BfF1 DR3 (P = 0.0003), (A2 Cw3) B62 C4AR C4B2.9 BfS DR4 (P = 0.0002), and three other supratypes including DR4. It was also shown that increases in the frequency of individual alleles are secondary to increases in supratype frequency. Moreover, supratypes appeared to interact; the presence of two relevant supratypes being particularly important. The absolute risk of IDDM was approximately 0.5 in subjects who were homozygous for B18 C4A3 C4BQ0 BfF1 DR3. We concluded that genetic susceptibility is best recognized by MHC supratypes rather than isolated alleles, and that supratype combinations make the identification of even greater disease risk possible.

Alleles

Protein C and S levels in acute leukemia.

Patients with acute leukemia undergoing remission induction chemotherapy occasionally develop venous thrombosis despite severe thrombocytopenia and in the absence of disseminated intravascular coagulation. This observation prompted us to study the levels of the naturally occurring anticoagulant proteins C and S prospectively in patients undergoing remission induction chemotherapy for acute leukemia. Plasma samples from 50 adult patients with acute leukemia (34 AML, 16 ALL) were analyzed for protein C antigen, functional protein C, immunologic total and free protein S as well as levels of C4b binding protein (C4bBP). Plasma levels of immunologic protein C were significantly lower in patients with active acute myelocytic leukemia (mean = 77.9) than in controls (mean = 123.6) or patients in remission (mean = 132). Functional protein C levels were also significantly lower in AML patients with active disease (mean = 58.5) than controls (mean = 95.5) or patients in remission (mean = 98.5). Patients with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) had normal levels of immunologic and functional protein C. Although total protein S levels were normal in all patients studied, levels of free protein S were significantly decreased in patients with active AML (mean = 29.3) compared with patients in remission (mean = 42.0) or controls (mean = 42.4). In contrast, patients with ALL, both with active disease and in remission had normal free protein S levels. This decrease in free protein S seen in active AML was not associated with liver disease, white cell count or an increase in C4bBP. These findings provide a possible explanation for the occasional occurrence of venous thrombosis in patients with acute myelocytic leukemia.

Acute Disease

Extended MHC haplotypes and CYP21/C4 gene organisation in Irish 21-hydroxylase deficiency families.

We have analysed fifteen classical 21-hydroxylase deficiency families from throughout Southern Ireland and report the serologically defined HLA-A, HLA-B, HLA-Cw, HLA-DR, C4A and C4B polymorphisms that characterize the inferred disease haplotypes. Additionally, we have used a combination of short and long range restriction mapping procedures in order to characterize the CYP21/C4 gene organization associated with individual serologically defined haplotypes. The results obtained indicate that disease haplotypes are characterized by a high frequency (33%) of CYP21B gene deletion and 8 out of 10 such deletion haplotypes are represented by the extended haplotype HLA-DR1, C4BQo, C4A3, HLA-B40(w60), HLA-Cw3, HLA-A3. Large scale length polymorphism in the CYP21/C4 gene cluster was found to conform strictly to a variable number of tandem repeats model with 4 alleles being detected. Disease haplotypes in which defective CYP21B gene expression is inferred to result from pathological point mutations show extensive diversity of associated HLA markers and include two examples of the extended HLA haplotype HLA-DR3, B8, Cw7, A1 haplotype, which has previously been reported to be negatively associated with 21-hydroxylase deficiency. One unusual disease haplotype has two CYP21 + C4 units, both of which appear to contain CYP21B-like genes.

Adrenal Hyperplasia, Congenital

Defective, deleted or converted CYP21B gene and negative association with a rare restriction fragment length polymorphism allele of the factor B gene in congenital adrenal hyperplasia.

Defects in the enzyme, steroid 21-hydroxylase, result in congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), a common autosomal recessive disorder of cortisol biosynthesis. The gene encoding this protein (CYP21B) and a closely linked pseudogene (CYP21A) have been mapped in the HLA complex on chromosome 6p, adjacent to the complement genes C4B and C4A, about 80 kb from the factor B gene. Molecular analyses of patients with CAH have shown that the cause of the defect may be either a deletion, a point mutation or a conversion of the active gene. Linkage of the disease to HLA has previously been studied by several groups. We have analyzed DNAs from patients with classical and non-classical CAH and from their family members, by probing with CYP21, C4 and BF cDNAs. In 70% of the CAH haplotypes studied, the defective CYP21B gene was indistinguishable from its structurally intact corresponding gene in Southern blot analysis, and presumably bore point mutations. In the remaining chromosomes, evidence for gene conversions, deletions and various deleterious mutations of the CYP21B gene is given. Moreover, our linkage studies show that a polymorphic TaqI cleavage site in the factor B gene, recently described by us, may be a new and useful genetic marker, because we found this TaqI restriction site only in unaffected haplotypes carrying functional CYP21B genes and, therefore, in negative association with the defective CYP21B gene.

Adrenal Hyperplasia, Congenital

Identification of candidate residues for interaction of protein S with C4b binding protein and activated protein C.

Protein S is a plasma factor essential for prevention of thrombosis, partly due to its activity as a cofactor for the plasma anticoagulant protease-activated protein C. To expand knowledge about structure-function relationships in homologous protein S molecules, studies of protein S from different species have been performed. Protein S anti-coagulant activity in human, monkey, bovine, and porcine plasma has been inactivated by purified human C4b binding protein (C4BP) with dose-dependence, suggesting that each protein S can bind human C4BP and that only the free form of each is anti-coagulantly active. Purified porcine protein S has a 10-fold higher Kd for human C4BP than has human protein S. Protein S residues 420-434 provide an essential binding site for the negative regulator C4BP. cDNA sequences show that protein S residues 420-434 are highly conserved in all four species with the notable exception of Lys-429-Ile in porcine protein S. Differences between porcine and human protein S, e.g. Lys-429-Ile, Lys-43-Ala, Ser-197-Leu, Ser 199-Phe, Glu-463-Gly, Lys-571-Glu, Asn-602-Ile, Gln-607-Pro, may contribute to the decreased affinity of porcine protein S for human C4BP. Moreover, the species specificity of cofactor activities of various species of protein S is determined for human versus bovine-activated protein C, and these results, combined with sequence comparisons, agree with previous evidence that the thrombin-sensitive region and the first epidermal growth factor domain of protein S, i.e. residues 47-116, are responsible for recognition of activated protein C.

Amino Acid Sequence

Studies on the measurement of protein S in plasma.

The anticoagulant factor Protein S circulates in two major forms, free and bound to C4b binding protein (C4BP). We report a monoclonal antibody-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay of human Protein S that is sensitive (detection limit 30 ng) and free of notable competition from other vitamin K-dependent proteins. We demonstrate assay sensitivity to Protein S-C4BP complex, as well as to free Protein S by (a) results of immunoaffinity chromatography involving the assay antibody; (b) parallelism between the standard curve and a plasma dilution curve, including dilutions greater than 100-fold; (c) lack of effect of added C4BP on Protein S values; and (d) reactivity in the assay by high-molecular-mass plasma Protein S in gel permeation studies. These latter studies also indicate that uncomplexed Protein S has an apparent molecular mass of approximately 150,000 Da, attributable to either polymerization or conformational considerations. Inter- and intra-assay CVs were 9.8% and 5.1%, respectively, and 90% of Protein S added to plasma was recovered. Reference ranges (mean and SD) for total Protein S in middle-aged normal subjects were 16.6 (1.9) mg/L for men (n = 54) and 16.0 (3.0) mg/L for women (n = 38). In the polyethylene glycol precipitation method, the reference values for free Protein S were 5.4 (1.6) mg/L for men and 4.4 (1.1) mg/L for women.

Aged

Partial C4A deficiency is associated with susceptibility to systemic lupus erythematosus in black Americans.

In a study of 59 black American patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), we found that partial C4A deficiency occurred twice as frequently as in 59 control subjects (32.3% versus 15.3%; P = 0.02). Complete C4A deficiency, however, occurred in only 1 patient and in no controls. Partial C4A deficiency is a risk factor for SLE in black, as well as in white, SLE populations studied to date. In contrast with white patients, complete C4A deficiency occurs relatively infrequently in black patients with SLE.

Adult

Chronically administered 3-nitropropionic acid produces selective lesions in the striatum and reduces muscle tonus.

Systemically administered 3-nitropropionic acid (3- NPA), irreversible inhibitor of succinate dehydrogenase, produced characteristic bilateral lesions in the striatum (STR) in the rat. Inside the lesion, neutrophils invaded and strong immunoreaction for IgG as well as complement factor C3b/C4b receptor (C3b/C4br) were observed. The core of the lesion lost the immunoreaction for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) while the marginal area had abundant GFAP-labeled astrocytes around the vessels. Intoxicated rats often became somnolent and were awkward in cooperative movement on a pole climbing test, but they had a quite good memory retention in a passive avoidance learning. Muscle tonus in some of the intoxicated rats became hypotonic with low voltage electromyogram (EMG) activity, especially in lower limbs. In summary, 3-NPA intoxicated rats had selective bilateral lesions in the STR and exhibited disturbances in a cooperative movement owing to the impairment in muscle tonus, thus it would be a useful animal model to deduce the central pathogenesis of Huntington's disease.

Animals

Complement activation during painful crisis in sickle cell anemia.

Previous studies documented complement activation in sickle cell disease patients and suggested that this contributes to increased risk of infection. We have demonstrated alternative pathway activation initiated by membrane phospholipid changes which occur in sickled erythrocytes. The present studies compared complement activation products in serial samples from sickle cell anemia patients at baseline and during hospitalization for painful crisis to examine the correlation between complement activation and disease activity. Plasma concentrations of Bb, C4d, and C3a were measured as well as C3 bound to erythrocytes. Patients were subdivided into those with continuous pain and those with intermittent painful episodes. In patients with intermittent pain, there was little evidence of complement activation at baseline and increased plasma concentrations of Bb and C3a during painful crisis. Elevated C3a and C4d levels were observed in patients with continuous pain regardless of hospitalization status, suggesting a continuous underlying inflammatory process in these patients.

Acute Disease

The genomic structure of two ancestral haplotypes carrying C4A duplications.

Two major histocompatibility complex (MHC) ancestral haplotypes (AH) HLA A24, Bw52, C2C, BfS, C4A3+2, C4BQO, DRw15, DQw6 (52.1) and HLA A24, Cw7, B7, C2C, BfS, C4A3+3, C4B1, DR1, DQw5 (7.2), which occur with the haplotype frequencies of approximately 10% and 4% respectively in the Japanese population, carry duplicated C4A alleles by C4 allotyping. Southern blot analysis with Taq I indicated that the 52.1 AH has two C4 genes defined by 7.0 kilobase (kb) and 6.0 kb C4 hybridizing fragments but both encode C4A allotypes, being C4A3 and C4A2 respectively. The 7.2 AH carries two C4A3 and one C4B1 alleles and restriction length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis with Taq I showed that 6.0 kb and 7.0 kb fragments are in the proportion of 2:1. By pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) analysis, the lengths of the Pvul fragments carrying C4 and Cyp21 genes were approximately 390 kb for 52.1 and 440 kb to 7.2. The results indicate that the RFLP markers do not correlate with C4 isotype (A or B) or allotype and that the C4 gene copy number is a function of the number of genomic blocks containing C4 and Cyp21.

Alleles

Life table analysis of the risk of type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus in siblings according to islet cell antibodies and HLA markers. An 8-year prospective study.

To determine whether genetic markers can improve the predictive value of islet cell antibodies for development of Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus, 536 siblings aged 2-29 years were consecutively enrolled in a 8-year prospective survey. The risk of developing diabetes was estimated, using life-table methods, by years of follow-up and age, according to genetic factors (shared HLA-haplotypes, DR antigens, C4 allotypes) and islet cell antibody status. Fifteen siblings (2.8%) developed Type 1 diabetes during the study period (risk 4.4% after 8 years, 4% by age 22 years). DR3,4 heterozygosity identified higher risk (16% after 8 years, 12% by age 22 years, p less than 10(-5)) than HLA-identity (10% and 7%, respectively, p less than 0.01); risks for DR3 or DR4 positive and for haplo-identical siblings were low (4%, 3% and 4.4%, respectively, NS). C4BQO also conferred significant risk (11% vs 3% in non-C4BQO siblings, p less than 0.01). The predictive value of genetic markers alone was poor (12% for DR3,4, 7% for HLA-identity, 9% for C4BQO) compared with that of islet cell antibody levels greater than 4 Juvenile Diabetes Foundation units (41%, risk 56% after 8 years, p less than 10(-7)). HLA markers significantly contributed to risk prediction in combination with islet cell antibodies: islet cell antibody-positive DR3,4+ subjects had the highest risk (70% after 8 years, predictive value 58%, p less than 10(-7)) compared with islet cell antibody-positive DR3,4- (37% and 20%, respectively) and islet cell antibody-negative DR3,4+ (5% and 3.6%, respectively).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent