Project description:Interaction of glycoprotein Ib alpha (GPIb alpha) with von Willebrand factor (VWF) initiates platelet adhesion to injured vascular wall to stop bleeding. A major contact between GPIb alpha and VWF involves the beta-switch region, which is a loop in the unliganded GPIb alpha but switches to a beta-hairpin in the complex structure. Paradoxically, flow enhances rather than impedes GPIb alpha-VWF binding. Gain-of-function mutations (e.g., M239V) in the beta-switch reduce the flow requirement for VWF binding, whereas loss-of-function mutations (e.g., A238V) increase the flow requirement. These phenomena cannot be explained by crystal structures or energy calculations. Herein we demonstrate that the beta-hairpin is unstable without contacting VWF, in that it switches to a loop in free molecular dynamics simulations. Simulations with a novel flow molecular dynamics algorithm show that the loop conformation is unstable in the presence of flow, as it switches to beta-hairpin even without contacting VWF. Compared with the wild-type, it is easier for the M239V mutant but harder for the A238V mutant to switch to beta-hairpin in the presence of flow. These results elucidate the structural basis for the two mutants and suggest a regulatory mechanism by which flow activates GPIb alpha via inducing a loop-to-beta-hairpin conformational transition on the beta-switch, thereby promoting VWF binding.
Project description:Poor prognosis of sepsis is associated with bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced intravascular inflammation, microvascular thrombosis, thrombocytopenia, and disseminated intravascular coagulation. Platelets are critical for thrombosis, and there has been increasing evidence of the importance of platelets in endotoxemia. The platelet adhesion receptor, the glycoprotein Ib-IX complex (GPIb-IX), mediates platelet adhesion to inflammatory vascular endothelium and exposed subendothelium. Thus, we have investigated the role of GPIb-IX in LPS-induced platelet adhesion, thrombosis, and thrombocytopenia.LPS-induced mortality is significantly decreased in mice expressing a functionally deficient mutant of GPIb?. Furthermore, we have developed a micellar peptide inhibitor, MP?C (C13H27CONH-SIRYSGHpSL), which selectively inhibits the von Willebrand factor -binding function of GPIb-IX and GPIb-IX-mediated platelet adhesion under flow without affecting GPIb-IX-independent platelet activation. MP?C inhibits platelet adhesion to LPS-stimulated endothelial cells in vitro and alleviates LPS-induced thrombosis in glomeruli in mice. Importantly, MP?C reduces mortality in LPS-challenged mice, suggesting a protective effect of this inhibitor during endotoxemia. Interestingly, MP?C, but not the integrin antagonist, Integrilin, alleviated LPS-induced thrombocytopenia.These data indicate an important role for the platelet adhesion receptor GPIb-IX in LPS-induced thrombosis and thrombocytopenia, and suggest the potential of targeting GPIb as an antiplatelet strategy in managing endotoxemia.
Project description:The glycoprotein (GP)Ib-IX complex is critical to hemostasis and thrombosis. Its proper assembly is closely correlated with its surface expression level and requires cooperative interactions among extracellular and transmembrane domains of Ib?, Ib? and IX subunits. Two interfaces have been previously identified between the extracellular domains of Ib? and IX.To understand how extracellular domains interact in GPIb-IX.The Ib? extracellular domain (Ib?E ) or the IX counterpart (IXE ) in GPIb-IX was replaced with a well-folded Ib?E /IXE chimera called Ib?Eabc , and the effect of domain replacement on assembly and expression of the receptor complex in transiently transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells was analyzed.Replacing IXE with Ib?Eabc in GPIb-IX retained interface 1 but not interface 2 between the extracellular domains. While this domain replacement preserved complex integrity, the expression levels of Ib? and Ib? were significantly reduced. Additional domain replacement with Ib?Eabc or Ib?E in GPIb-IX produced the complex at disparate expression levels that cannot be simply explained by two separate interfaces. In particular, when Ib?E in GPIb-IX was replaced by Ib?Eabc , Ib? and IX were expressed at approximately 70% of the wild-type level. Their levels were not reduced when IXE was changed further to Ib?E .Our results demonstrate the importance of the association between Ib? and IX extracellular domains for complex assembly and efficient expression, and provide evidence for the structural malleability of these domains that may accommodate and propagate conformational changes therein.
Project description:OBJECTIVE:The platelet glycoprotein Ib-IX (GP Ib-IX) receptor is a well-characterized adhesion receptor supporting hemostasis and thrombosis via interactions with von Willebrand factor. We examine the GP Ib-IX/von Willebrand factor axis in murine polymicrobial sepsis, as modeled by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). APPROACH AND RESULTS:Genetic absence of the GP Ib-IX ligand, von Willebrand factor, prolongs survival after CLP, but absence of the receptor, GP Ib-IX, does not. Because absence of either von Willebrand factor or GP Ib-IX significantly impairs hemostasis and thrombosis, we sought to define additional GP Ib-IX-dependent pathways impacting survival in the CLP model. We document that the absence of GP Ib-IX leads to reduced platelet-neutrophil and platelet-monocyte interactions. Twenty-four hours after CLP, absence of GP Ib-IX coincides with an alteration in cytokine levels, such as tumor necrosis factor-? secreted by monocytes, and increased macrophage-1 antigen expression by neutrophils. CONCLUSIONS:In contrast to the well-characterized proinflammatory properties of platelets, we describe in the CLP model an anti-inflammatory property associated with platelet GP Ib-IX. Thus, a single platelet receptor displays a dual modulatory role in both the thrombotic and inflammatory pathways associated with polymicrobial sepsis. In sharing leucine-rich motifs with toll-like receptors, platelet GP Ib-IX can be considered a multifunctional participant in hemostasis, thrombosis, and the inflammatory cascade. The results highlight a dynamic role for platelets in systemic inflammation and add to the complex pathophysiologic events that occur during the dysregulated coagulation and inflammation associated with sepsis.
Project description:Neutrophilic granulocytes play a fundamental role in cardiovascular disease. They interact with platelet aggregates via the integrin Mac-1 and the platelet receptor glycoprotein Ib? (GPIb?). In vivo, GPIb? presentation is highly variable under different physiological and pathophysiological conditions. Here, we quantitatively determined the conditions for neutrophil adhesion in a biomimetic in vitro system, which allowed precise adjustment of the spacings between human GPIb? presented on the nanoscale from 60 to 200 nm. Unlike most conventional nanopatterning approaches, this method provided control over the local receptor density (spacing) rather than just the global receptor density. Under physiological flow conditions, neutrophils required a minimum spacing of GPIb? molecules to successfully adhere. In contrast, under low-flow conditions, neutrophils adhered on all tested spacings with subtle but nonlinear differences in cell response, including spreading area, spreading kinetics, adhesion maturation, and mobility. Surprisingly, Mac-1-dependent neutrophil adhesion was very robust to GPIb? density variations up to 1 order of magnitude. This complex response map indicates that neutrophil adhesion under flow and adhesion maturation are differentially regulated by GPIb? density. Our study reveals how Mac-1/GPIb? interactions govern cell adhesion and how neutrophils process the number of available surface receptors on the nanoscale. In the future, such in vitro studies can be useful to determine optimum therapeutic ranges for targeting this interaction.
Project description:The proteolytic activity of the neutrophil serine-proteinase cathepsin G (CG) on platelet adherence receptors, the glycoprotein (GP) Ib-IX complex and the integrin alpha IIb beta 3, has been investigated. In the range 50 to 200 nmol/l, CG is a potent platelet agonist which induces shape change, granule exocytosis and aggregation. Investigation of the proteolysis of the receptors' subunits during the course of platelet activation by CG was performed by immunoblot analysis of platelet proteins using a panel of specific antibodies. Exposure of platelets for 3 min at 37 degrees C to CG at a concentration that induces full cell activation resulted in an extensive cleavage of the N-terminal region of the extracellular domain of GPIb alpha, the largest (relative molecular mass, M(r), 143,000) of the three subunits constituting the GPIb-IX complex. In contrast, no detectable proteolytic modification of the two other subunits, GPIb beta and GPIX, was detected. Similarly, we observed that neither of the two subunits of the alpha IIb beta 3 receptor were proteolytically modified by CG. Cleavage of GPIb alpha by CG leaves a remnant of the polypeptide chain with M(r) approx. 106,000 in the plasma membrane, while releasing into the extracellular milieu the N-terminal domain with M(r) in the range 40,000 to 46,000. N-terminal sequencing of the CG-derived fragments of GPIb alpha indicated that the Leu275-Tyr276 peptide bond was the primary cleavage site for this proteinase. Proteolysis of GPIb alpha was already detectable at concentrations of CG as low as 25 nmol/l, while with 200 nmol/l the cleavage was detected as soon as 10 s after exposure of platelets to the proteinase. Comparison of the kinetics and concentration dependency for the proteolysis of GPIb alpha and for the activation of platelets by CG showed that cleavage of the GPIb-IX receptor is an early event that accompanies exocytosis and aggregation. Quantitative evaluation of the conversion of GPIb alpha into its membrane fragment indicated that, under optimal conditions, a maximum of approx. 50% of the total GPIb alpha can be affected by proteolysis. However, this proteolysis was > 90% complete when platelets were in the presence of the potent antagonist prostacyclin, suggesting that cellular redistribution of the GPIb-IX receptor may also occur during activation by CG. These results thus indicate that the very early phase of platelet activation by CG is accompanied by extensive modifications in the structure and expression of the GPIb-IX receptor, an effect that might be of functional significance for the interaction of platelets with the vessel wall.
Project description:Recent reports suggest that maternal immunization against low-frequency, platelet (PLT)-specific glycoprotein (GP) polymorphisms is a more common cause of neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (NATP) than previously thought.Serologic and molecular studies were performed on PLTs and DNA from three families in which an infant was born with apparent NATP not attributable to maternal immunization against known PLT-specific alloantigens.Antibodies reactive only with paternal PLTs were identified in each mother. In Cases 2 (Kno) and 3 (Nos), but not Case 1 (Sta), antibody recognized paternal GPIIb/IIIa in solid-phase assays. Unique mutations encoding amino acid substitutions in GPIIb (Case 2) or GPIIIa (Cases 1 and 3) were identified in paternal DNA and in DNA from two of the affected infants. Antibody from all three cases recognized recombinant GPIIIa (Case 1 [Sta] and Case 3 [Nos]) and GPIIb (Case 2, Kno) mutated to contain the polymorphisms identified in the respective fathers. None of 100 unselected normal subjects possessed the paternal mutations. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and flow cytometric studies suggested that failure of maternal serum from Case 1 (Sta) to react with paternal GPIIIa in solid-phase assays resulted from use of a monoclonal antibody AP2, for antigen immobilization that competed with the maternal antibody for binding to the Sta epitope.NATP in the three cases was caused by maternal immunization against previously unreported, low-frequency GP polymorphisms. Maternal immunization against low-frequency PLT-specific alloantigens should be considered in cases of apparent NATP not resolved by conventional serologic and molecular testing.
Project description:BackgroundMaternal immunization against low-frequency, platelet (PLT)-specific antigens is being recognized with increasing frequency as a cause of neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (NAIT).Study design and methodsSerologic and molecular studies were performed on PLTs and DNA from two families in which an infant was born with severe thrombocytopenia not attributable to maternal immunization against known PLT-specific alloantigens.ResultsAntibodies reactive only with paternal PLTs were identified in each mother using flow cytometry and solid-phase assays. Unique mutations encoding amino acid substitutions K164T in glycoprotein (GP)IIb (Case 1) and R622W in GPIIIa (Case 2) were identified in paternal DNA and in DNA from the affected infants. Each maternal antibody recognized recombinant GPIIb/IIIa mutated to contain the polymorphisms identified in the corresponding father. None of 100 unselected normal subjects possessed these paternal mutations.ConclusionsSevere NAIT observed in the affected infants was caused by maternal immunization against previously unrecognized, low-frequency antigens created by amino acid substitutions in GPIIb/IIIa (α(IIb) /β(3) integrin). A search should be conducted for novel paternal antigens in cases of apparent NAIT not explained on the basis of maternal-fetal incompatibility for known human PLT antigens.
Project description:The glycoprotein (GP) Ib-IX-V complex, the von Willebrand factor receptor on the platelet surface, is critically involved in hemostasis and thrombosis. The GPV subunit interacts with GPIb-IX to form the GPIb-IX-V complex, but the underlying molecular basis remains unclear. It was observed earlier that efficient expression of GPV in the plasma membrane requires co-expression of GPIb-IX.Hypothesizing that GPIb-IX stabilizes GPV through direct interaction and consequently enhances GPV surface expression, we aim in this study to identify structural elements in the complex that mediate the interaction between GPV and GPIb-IX by analyzing mutational effects on GPV surface expression in transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells.Enhancement of GPV surface expression by GPIb-IX requires transmembrane domains of both GPV and GPIb?, as replacing the GPV transmembrane domain with an unrelated poly-leucine-alanine sequence abolished the enhancing effect of GPIb-IX. Additional mutagenesis analysis of the GPV transmembrane helix identified three helical sides containing conserved polar residues as critical to efficient GPV surface expression. Similarly, replacing residues in three sides (Gly495/Ala502/Leu509, Phe491/Trp498/Val505, and Y492/L499/L506) of the GPIb? transmembrane domain with leucines preserved the surface expression level of GPIb-IX but significantly altered that of GPV.Our results demonstrate for the first time the importance of transmembrane domains for efficient surface expression of GPV and suggest that GPV and GPIb? transmembrane domains interact with each other, contributing to assembly of the GPIb-IX-V complex.
Project description:The glycoprotein Ib-IX (GPIb-IX) complex expressed on platelet plasma membrane is involved in thrombosis and hemostasis via the initiation of adhesion of platelets to von Willebrand factor (VWF) exposed at the injured vessel wall. While most of the knowledge of the GPIb-IX complex was obtained from studies on platelets and transfected mammalian cells expressing the GPIb-IX complex, there is not an in vitro membrane system that allows systematic analysis of this receptor. The phospholipid bilayer Nanodisc composed of a patch of phospholipid surrounded by membrane scaffold protein is an attractive tool for membrane protein study. We show here that the GPIb-IX complex purified from human platelets has been reconstituted into the Nanodisc. The Nanodisc-reconstituted GPIb-IX complex was able to bind various conformation-sensitive monoclonal antibodies. Furthermore, it bound to VWF in the presence of botrocetin with an apparent K(d) of 0.73 ± 0.07 nM. The binding to VWF was inhibited by anti-GPIb? antibodies with epitopes overlapping with the VWF-binding site, but not by anti-GPIb? monoclonal antibody RAM.1. Finally, the Nanodisc-reconstituted GPIb-IX complex exhibited ligand binding activity similar to that of the isolated extracellular domain of GPIb?. In conclusion, the GPIb-IX complex in Nanodiscs adopts a native-like conformation and possesses the ability to bind its natural ligands, thus making a Nanodisc a suitable in vitro platform for further investigation of this hemostatically important receptor complex.