Tetranectin-binding site on plasminogen kringle 4 involves the lysine-binding pocket and at least one additional amino acid residue

Kringle domains are found in a number of proteins where they govern protein-protein interactions. These interactions are often sensitive to lysine and lysine analogues, and the kringle-lysine interaction has been used as a model system for investigating kringle-protein interactions. In this study, we analyze the interaction of wild-type and six single-residue mutants of recombinant plasminogen kringle 4 expressed in Escherichia coli with the recombinant C-type lectin domain of tetranectin and trans-aminomethyl-cyclohexanoic acid (t-AMCHA) using isothermal titration calorimetry. We find that all amino acid residues of plasminogen kringle 4 found to be involved in t-AMCHA binding are also involved in binding tetranectin. Notably, one amino acid residue of plasminogen kringle 4, Arg 32, not involved in binding t-AMCHA, is critical for binding tetranectin. We also find that Asp 57 and Asp 55 of plasminogen kringle 4, which both were found to interact with the low molecular weight ligand with an almost identical geometry in the crystal of the complex, are not of equal functional importance in t-AMCHA binding. Mutating Asp 57 to an Asn totally eliminates binding, whereas the Asp 55 to Asn, like the Arg 71 to Gln mutation, was found only to decrease affinity.     

A tetranectin-related protein is produced and deposited in extracellular matrix by human embryonal fibroblasts

Tetranectin is a tetrameric human plasma protein that binds to plasminogen kringle 4. Its amino acid sequence is homologous with the C-terminal parts of asialoglycoprotein receptors and proteoglycan core proteins. In the present study, we have demonstrated that the human embryonal fibroblast cell line WI-38 produce a tetranectin-related molecule, which might, by several criteria, be similar to tetranectin from plasma. These criteria include immunoblotting analysis of conditioned cell medium revealing a protein band with Mr 17,000, indistinguishable from the Mr of plasma tetranectin. A preparation obtained by purification of conditioned medium by affinity chromatography on an anti-(plasma tetranectin) IgG column also contained the Mr 17,000 protein. This protein (partly purified from the conditioned medium) was shown by crossed immunoelectrophoresis to bind to heparin, CaCl2 and plasminogen kringle 4, as previously described for tetranectin in plasma. Importantly, this tetranectin-related protein is not only present in conditioned culture medium, but the Mr 17,000 protein reacting with anti-(plasma tetranectin) IgG was also present in the extracellular material, remaining after removal of WI-38 cells from the culture dishes, as demonstrated by immunoblotting analysis and immunocytochemical staining. We conclude that WI-38 cells produce a tetranectin-related protein and secrete it into the extracellular matrix.     

Specificity determinants in the interaction of apolipoprotein(a) kringles with tetranectin and LDL

Lipoprotein(a) is composed of low density lipoprotein and apolipoprotein(a). Apolipoprotein(a) has evolved from plasminogen and contains 10 different plasminogen kringle 4 homologous domains [KIV(1-110)]. Previous studies indicated that lipoprotein(a) non-covalently binds the N-terminal region of lipoprotein B100 and the plasminogen kringle 4 binding plasma protein tetranectin. In this study recombinant KIV(2), KIV(7) and KIV(10) derived from apolipoprotein(a) were produced in E. coli and the binding to tetranectin and low density lipoprotein was examined. Only KIV(10) bound to tetranectin and binding was similar to that of plasminogen kringle 4 to tetranectin. Only KIV(7) bound to LDL. In order to identify the residues responsible for the difference in specificity between KIV(7) and KIV(10), a number of surface-exposed residues located around the lysine binding clefts were exchanged. Ligand binding analysis of these derivatives showed that Y62, and to a minor extent W32 and E56, of KIV(7) are important for LDL binding to KIV(7), whereas R32 and D56 of KIV(10) are required for tetranectin binding of KIV(10).     

Primary structure of a protein isolated from reef shark (Carcharhinus springeri) cartilage that is similar to the mammalian C-type lectin homolog, tetranectin.

During the course of characterization of low molecular weight proteins in cartilage, we have isolated a protein from reef shark (Carcharhinus springeri) cartilage that bears a striking resemblance to the tetranectin monomer originally described by Clemmensen et al. (1986, Eur. J. Biochem. 156, 327-333). The protein was isolated by extraction of neural arch cartilage with 4 M guanidine hydrochloride, dialysis of the extract to bring the guanidine to 0.4 M (reassociating proteoglycan aggregates), followed by cesium chloride density gradient removal of the proteoglycans. The amino acid sequence had 166 amino acids and a calculated molecular weight of 18,430. The shark protein was 45% identical to human tetranectin, indicating that it was in the family of mammalian C-type lectins and that it was likely to be a shark analog of human tetranectin. The function of tetranectin is unknown; it was originally isolated by virtue of its affinity for the kringle-4 domain of plasminogen. Sequence comparison of human tetranectin and the shark-derived protein gives clues to potentially important regions of the molecule.     

The fibrin-binding site of human plasminogen. Arginines 32 and 34 are essential for fibrin affinity of the kringle 1 domain

Kringle 1 (Tyr 79/Leu 80-His 167 and Tyr 79/Leu 80-Tyr 173), a chymotryptic fragment of human plasminogen that has high affinity for fibrin and omega-aminocarboxylic acids, has been subjected to modification with 1,2-cyclohexanedione to identify arginine residues essential for ligand binding. Reaction of 1,2-cyclohexanedione with kringle 1 was found to rapidly abolish the fibrin-Sepharose affinity of the fragment, whereas the affinity for lysine-Sepharose was lost at a significantly slower rate. Successive affinity chromatography of modified kringle 1 on fibrin- and lysine-Sepharose was used to separate kringle 1 that lost affinity for fibrin-, but retained affinity for lysine-Sepharose from kringle 1 that lost affinity for both affinants. The modified proteins were subjected to structural studies in order to locate the labeled arginine residues in kringle 1. These studies have revealed that modification of Arg 34 leads to the loss of both the fibrin- and lysine-Sepharose affinities of kringle 1, whereas reaction of Arg 32 abolishes fibrin affinity but leaves lysine-Sepharose affinity unaltered. The results suggest that Arg 32 and Arg 34 are both involved in fibrin binding and that Arg 34 is also involved in binding omega-aminocarboxylic acids. Previous NMR studies on kringles have indeed shown that the segment containing residue 34 is in the proximity of and interacts with the omega-aminocarboxylic acid-binding site. This interaction may explain the influence of omega-aminocarboxylic acids on fibrin binding by kringle 1.     

Functional analogy between lipoprotein(a) and plasminogen in the binding to the kringle 4 binding protein, tetranectin

Apolipoprotein(a), apo(a), contains 37 repeats structurally homologous to kringle 4 structures of the fibrinolysis zymogen plasminogen. The aim of the study was to explore the functional analogy between apolipoprotein(a) and plasminogen in the binding to the kringle-4-binding plasma protein, tetranectin. With a modified crossed immunoelectrophoresis technique, reversible binding between lipoprotein(a) and tetranectin could be demonstrated with an apparent Kd of 0.013 muMol/l. Lys- and Glu-plasminogen showed an apparent Kd of 0.5 muMol/l. Binding of lipoprotein(a) to fibrin and to fibrin-bound tetranectin was found to be negligible. The absence of fibrin binding of lipoprotein(a) excludes a potential mechanism of coexistence of fibrin and lipid deposits in arterial diseases and does not provide for a link between lipoprotein and the clotting system. Plasminogen and lipoprotein(a) show functional analogy in their binding to tetranectin, but tetranectin primarily targets at lipoprotein(a).     

The lysine binding sites of human plasminogen. Evidence for a critical tryptophan in the binding site of kringle 4

Chemical modification of human degraded form of plasminogen with NH2-terminal lysine (Lys-plasminogen) and the elastase fragments kringle 1 + 2 + 3 and kringle 4 with the tryptophan reagent [14C]dimethyl(2-hydroxy-5-nitrobenzyl)sulfonium bromide results in the incorporation of label and the parallel loss of lysine binding ability. In the case of kringle 4, only one-half of the lysine binding sites could be inactivated, but the modified and unmodified forms could be separated by affinity chromatography. The modified form contained 1 mol of 2-hydroxy-5-nitrobenzyl groups/mol of kringle 4 and did not bind to lysine-Sepharose. Lysine analogs such as 6-aminohexanoic acid protected kringle 4 against modification. Peptide-mapping studies on this form showed that essentially all of the label was in two chymotryptic peptides containing a tryptophan corresponding to Trp426 in the plasminogen sequence. Competition experiments with anti-kringle 4 antibodies having an affinity for the lysine binding site showed that the binding of 2-hydroxy-5-nitrobenzyl-kringle 4 to antibodies was about 10 times weaker than for unmodified kringle 4. These results indicate that the integrity of specific tryptophan residue is critical to the binding of lysine and related amino acids to kringle 4of human plasminogen.     

Tetranectin binds hepatocyte growth factor and tissue-type plasminogen activator.

In the search for new ligands for the plasminogen kringle 4 binding-protein tetranectin, it has been found by ligand blot analysis and ELISA that tetranectin specifically bound to the plasminogen-like hepatocyte growth factor and tissue-type plasminogen activator. The dissociation constants of these complexes were found to be within the same order of magnitude as the one for the plasminogen-tetranectin complex. The study also revealed that tetranectin did not interact with the kindred proteins: macrophage-stimulating protein, urokinase-type plasminogen activator and prothrombin. In order to examine the function of tetranectin, a kinetic analysis of the tPA-catalysed plasminogen activation was performed. The kinetic parameters of the tetranectin-stimulated enhancement of tPA were comparable to fibrinogen fragments, which are so far the best inducer of tPA-catalysed plasminogen activation. The enhanced activation was suggested to be caused by tetranectin's ability to bind and accumulate tPA in an active conformation.     

Structure of the plasminogen kringle 4 binding calcium-free form of the C-type lectin-like domain of tetranectin

Tetranectin is a homotrimeric protein containing a C-type lectin-like domain. This domain (TN3) can bind calcium, but in the absence of calcium, the domain binds a number of kringle-type protein ligands. Two of the calcium-coordinating residues are also critical for binding plasminogen kringle 4 (K4). The structure of the calcium free-form of TN3 (apoTN3) has been determined by NMR. Compared to the structure of the calcium-bound form of TN3 (holoTN3), the core region of secondary structural elements is conserved, while large displacements occur in the loops involved in calcium or K4 binding. A conserved proline, which was found to be in the cis conformation in holoTN3, is in apoTN3 predominantly in the trans conformation. Backbone dynamics indicate that, in apoTN3 especially, two of the three calcium-binding loops and two of the three K4-binding residues exhibit increased flexibility, whereas no such flexibility is observed in holoTN3. In the 20 best nuclear magnetic resonance structures of apoTN3, the residues critical for K4 binding span a large conformational space. Together with the relaxation data, this indicates that the K4-ligand-binding site in apoTN3 is not preformed.     

Involvement of finger domain and kringle 2 domain of tissue-type plasminogen activator in fibrin binding and stimulation of activity by fibrin.

Human tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) catalyses the conversion of inactive plasminogen into active plasmin, the main fibrinolytic enzyme. This process is confined to the fibrin surface by specific binding of t-PA to fibrin and stimulation of its activity by fibrin. Tissue-type plasminogen activator contains five domains designated finger, growth factor, kringle 1, kringle 2 and protease. The involvement of the domains in fibrin specificity was investigated with a set of variant proteins lacking one or more domains. Variant proteins were produced by expression in Chinese hamster ovary cells of plasmids containing part of the coding sequence for the activator. It was found that kringle 2 domain only is involved in stimulation of activity by fibrin. In the absence of plasminogen and at low concentration of fibrin, binding of t-PA is mainly due to the finger domain, while at high fibrin concentrations also kringle 2 is involved in fibrin binding. In the presence of plasminogen, fibrin binding of the kringle 2 region of t-PA also becomes important at low fibrin concentrations.     

Binding of the NG2 proteoglycan to kringle domains modulates the functional properties of angiostatin and plasmin(ogen)

Interactions of the developmentally regulated chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan NG2 with human plasminogen and kringle domain-containing plasminogen fragments have been analyzed by solid-phase immunoassays and by surface plasmon resonance. In immunoassays, the core protein of NG2 binds specifically and saturably to plasminogen, which consists of five kringle domains and a serine protease domain, and to angiostatin, which contains plasminogen kringle domains 1-3. Apparent dissociation constants for these interactions range from 12 to 75 nm. Additional evidence for NG2 interaction with kringle domains comes from its binding to plasminogen kringle domain 4 and to miniplasminogen (kringle domain 5 plus the protease domain) with apparent dissociation constants in the 18-71 nm range. Inhibition of plasminogen and angiostatin binding to NG2 by 6-aminohexanoic acid suggests that lysine binding sites are involved in kringle interaction with NG2. The interaction of NG2 with plasminogen and angiostatin has very interesting functional consequences. 1) Soluble NG2 significantly enhances the activation of plasminogen by urokinase type plasminogen activator. 2) The antagonistic effect of angiostatin on endothelial cell proliferation is inhibited by soluble NG2. Both of these effects of NG2 should make the proteoglycan a positive regulator of the cell migration and proliferation required for angiogenesis.     

Identification of a plasminogen-binding motif in PAM, a bacterial surface protein

Surface-associated plasmin(ogen) may contribute to the invasive properties of various cells. Analysis of plasmin(ogen)-binding surface proteins is therefore of interest. The N-terminal variable regions of M-like (ML) proteins from five different group A streptococcal serotypes (33,41,52,53 and 56) exhibiting the plasminogen-binding phenotype were cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli . The recombinant proteins all bound plasminogen with high affinity. The binding involved the kringle domains of plasminogen and was blocked by a lysine analogue, 6-aminohexanoic acid, indicating that lysine residues in the M-like proteins participate in the interaction. Sequence analysis revealed that the proteins contain common 13–16-amino-acid tandem repeats, each with a single central lysine residue. Experiments with fusion proteins and a 30-amino-acid synthetic peptide demonstrated that these repeats harbour the major plasminogen-binding site in the ML53 protein, as well as a binding site for the tissue-type plasminogen activator. Replacement of the lysine in the first repeat with alanine reduced the plasminogen-binding capacity of the ML53 protein by 80%. The results precisely localize the binding domain in a plasminogen surface receptor, thereby providing a unique ligand for the analysis of interactions between kringles and proteins with internal kringle-binding determinants.     

Crystal structure of the kringle 2 domain of tissue plasminogen activator at 2.4-A resolution.

The crystal structure of the kringle 2 domain of tissue plasminogen activator was determined and refined at a resolution of 2.43 A. The overall fold of the molecule is similar to that of prothrombin kringle 1 and plasminogen kringle 4; however, there are differences in the lysine binding pocket, and two looping regions, which include insertions in kringle 2, take on very different conformations. Based on a comparison of the overall structural homology between kringle 2 and kringle 4, a new sequence alignment for kringle domains is proposed that results in a division of kringle domains into two groups, consistent with their proposed evolutionary relation. The crystal structure shows a strong interaction between a lysine residue of one molecule and the lysine/fibrin binding pocket of a noncrystallographically related neighbor. This interaction represents a good model of a bound protein ligand and is the first such ligand that has been observed in a kringle binding pocket. The structure shows an intricate network of interactions both among the binding pocket residues and between binding pocket residues and the lysine ligand. A lysine side chain is identified as the positively charged group positioned to interact with the carboxylate of lysine and lysine analogue ligands. In addition, a chloride ion is located in the kringle-kringle interface and contributes to the observed interaction between kringle molecules.     

Mass spectrometric characterisation of post-translational modification and genetic variation in human tetranectin

Tetranectin, a plasminogen-binding trimeric C-type lectin-like protein primarily involved in tissue remodeling and development, was scanned for covalent modifications and sequence heterogeneity, using a combination of mass spectrometric and classical protein chemical analytical methods. Electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry showed the presence of eight components of different mass and abundance in plasma tetranectin, all of higher mass than that calculated from the cDNA sequence. To identify and locate residues accounting for the heterogeneity, samples of tetranectin were subjected to proteolytic cleavage. Peptide fragments, in mixtures or in purified form, were analysed by matrix-assisted-laser-desorption-ionisation mass spectrometry and, where required, by Edman sequencing and compared to the cDNA sequence. Our results show that the mass heterogeneity in plasma tetranectin is due to sequence heterogeneity at position 85 and the presence of a partially sialylated oligosaccharide prosthetic group attached to Thr-4. Residue 85 is encoded in the cDNA as a Ser residue, but plasma tetranectin is a 1:1 mixture of Ser85 and Gly-85 sequence variants. Mass spectrometric analysis of enzymatic and mild acid hydrolysates of an N-terminal glycopeptide showed that the composition and partial covalent structure of the O-linked oligosaccharide prosthetic group is < or =N-acetylhexosamine < or =[hexose, (sialic acid)0-3].     

The cartilage-derived, C-type lectin (CLECSF1): structure of the gene and chromosomal location.

Cartilage is a tissue that is primarily extracellular matrix, the bulk of which consists of proteoglycan aggregates constrained within a collagen framework. Candidate components that organize the extracellular assembly of the matrix consist of collagens, proteoglycans and multimeric glycoproteins. We describe the human gene structure of a potential organizing factor, a cartilage-derived member of the C-type lectin superfamily (CLECSF1; C-type lectin superfamily) related to the serum protein, tetranectin. We show by Northern analysis that this protein is restricted to cartilage and locate the gene on chromosome 16q23. We have characterized 10.9 kb of sequence upstream of the first exon. Similarly to human tetranectin, there are three exons. The residues that are conserved between CLECSF1 and tetranectin suggest that the cartilage-derived protein forms a trimeric structure similar to that of tetranectin, with three N-terminal alpha-helical domains aggregating through hydrophobic faces. The globular, C-terminal domain that has been shown to bind carbohydrate in some members of the family and plasminogen in tetranectin, is likely to have a similar overall structure to that of tetranectin.     

Interaction of plasminogen and fibrin in plasminogen activation

Glu1-, Lys77-, miniplasminogens, kringle 1-3, kringle 1-5A, and kringle 1-5R were able to bind with fibrin, while microplasminogen and kringle 4 did not bind significantly. Kringle 1-5A, but not kringle 1-3, effectively inhibited the binding of Glu1-, Lys77-, and miniplasminogens with fibrin. Miniplasminogen also inhibited the binding of Glu1-plasminogen with fibrin. The binding of kringle 1-3 with fibrin was blocked by mini- or Glu1-plasminogen. It is therefore evident that there are two fibrin-binding domains in plasminogen and that the one in kringle 5 is of higher affinity than that in kringle 1-3. CNBr cleavage products of fibrinogen effectively enhanced the activation of Glu1-, Lys77-, or miniplasminogens, but not microplasminogen, by tissue-type plasminogen activator. Kringle 1-5, but not kringle 1-3, dose-dependently inhibited the enhancement by fibrinogen degradation products of Glu1-plasminogen activation by the activator. Lysine and epsilon-aminocaproic acid could inhibit the binding of plasminogens and plasminogen derivatives with fibrin and block the enhancement effect of fibrinogen degradation products on plasminogen activation. The data clearly illustrate that the binding of plasminogen with fibrin, mainly determined by kringle 5, is essential for effective activation by tissue-type plasminogen activator. However, the presence of kringle 1-4 in the plasminogen molecule is required for the full enhancing effect since the kcat/Km of miniplasminogen activation in the presence of fibrinogen degradation products was 8.2 microM-1 min-1 which is significantly less than 52.0 microM-1 min-1 of Glu1-plasminogen.     

The binding of plasminogen fragments to cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells.

Glu-plasminogen, kringle 1-5, kringle 1-3, and miniplasminogen exhibited strong binding to human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). On the other hand, no significant binding was obtained with microplasminogen and kringle 4. Kringle 1-5 and miniplasminogen, which both contained kringle 5, specifically inhibited the binding of plasminogen to HUVEC while kringle 1-3 did not. The results implied plasminogen molecule contained at least two binding sites, with which it interacted HUVEC. The stronger binding site was located in kringle 5 and the weaker one was in kringle 1-3. Kringle 4 and the active site domain exhibited no significant binding to HUVEC. The interaction of plasminogen with HUVEC is mainly through binding site on kringle 5.     

Plasminogen structural domains exhibit different functions when associated with cell surface GRP78 or the voltage-dependent anion channel

Both the voltage-dependent anion channel and the glucose-regulated protein 78 have been identified as plasminogen kringle 5 receptors on endothelial cells. In this study, we demonstrate that kringle 5 binds to a region localized in the N-terminal domain of the glucose-regulated protein 78, whereas microplasminogen does so through the C-terminal domain of the glucose-regulated protein 78. Both plasminogen fragments induce Ca(2+) signaling cascades; however, kringle 5 acts through voltage-dependent anion channel and microplasminogen does so via the glucose-regulated protein 78. Because trafficking of voltage-dependent anion channel to the cell surface is associated with heat shock proteins, we investigated a possible association between voltage-dependent anion channel and glucose-regulated protein 78 on the surface of 1-LN human prostate tumor cells. We demonstrate that these proteins co-localize, and changes in the expression of the glucoseregulated protein 78 affect the expression of voltage-dependent anion channel. To differentiate the functions of these receptor proteins, either when acting singly or as a complex, we employed human hexokinase I as a specific ligand for voltage-dependent anion channel, in addition to kringle 5. We show that kringle 5 inhibits 1-LN cell proliferation and promotes caspase-7 activity by a mechanism that requires binding to cell surface voltage-dependent anion channel and is inhibited by human hexokinase I.     

Interaction of apolipoprotein(a) with apolipoprotein B-containing lipoproteins

Recombinant DNA-derived apolipoprotein(a) was used to demonstrate that the apo(a) moiety of lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) is responsible for the binding of Lp(a) to other apolipoprotein B-containing lipoproteins (apoB-Lp) including LDL2, a subclass of low density lipoproteins (d = 1.030-1.063 g/ml). The r-apo(a).LDL2 complexes exhibited the same binding constant as Lp(a).LDL2 (10(-8) M). Treatment of either recombinant apo(a) or Lp(a) with a reducing agent destroyed binding activity. A synthetic polypeptide corresponding to a portion of apo(a)'s kringle-4 inhibited the binding (K1 = 1.9 x 10(-4) M) of LDL2 to Lp(a). Therefore, we concluded that binding to apoB-Lp was mediated by the kringle-4-like domains on apo(a). Using ligand chromatography which can detect complexes having a KD as low as 10(-2) M, we demonstrated the binding of plasminogen to apoB-Lp. Like Lp(a), binding of plasminogen to apoB-Lp was mediated by the kringle domain(s). The differences in binding affinity may be due to amino acid substitutions in the kringle-4-like domain. In most of the kringle-4-like domains of apo(a), the aspartic residue critical for binding to lysine was substituted by valine. Consistent with this substitution, we found that L-proline and hydroxyproline, but not L-lysine, inhibited the binding of LDL2 to apo(a). Inhibition by L-proline could be reversed in the binding studies by increasing the amount of apo(a); and L-proline-Sepharose bound plasma Lp(a), suggesting that L-proline acted as a ligand for the kringle-4-like domain(s) of apo(a) involved in the binding of apoB-Lp. The binding of apo(a) to proline and hydroxyproline could be responsible for the binding of apo(a) to the subendothelial extracellular matrix, i.e. domains of proteins rich in proline or hydroxyproline (e.g. collagen and elastin).     

Plasminogen is tethered with high affinity to the cell surface by the plasma protein, histidine-rich glycoprotein

Plasminogen has been implicated in extracellular matrix degradation by invading cells, but few high affinity cell surface receptors for the molecule have been identified. Previous studies have reported that the plasma protein, histidine-rich glycoprotein (HRG), interacts with plasminogen and cell surfaces, raising the possibility that HRG may immobilize plasminogen/plasmin to cell surfaces. Here we show, based on optical biosensor analyses, that immobilized HRG interacts with soluble plasminogen with high affinity and with an extremely slow dissociation rate. Furthermore, the HRG-plasminogen interaction is lysine-dissociable and involves predominately the amino-terminal domain of HRG, and the fifth kringle domain of plasminogen, but not the carboxyl-terminal lysine of HRG. HRG was also shown to tether plasminogen to cell surfaces, with this interaction being potentiated by elevated Zn(2+) levels and low pH, conditions that prevail at sites of tissue injury, tumor growth, and angiogenesis. Based on these data we propose that HRG acts as a soluble adaptor molecule that binds to cells at sites of tissue injury, tumor growth, and angiogenesis, providing a high affinity receptor for tethering plasminogen to the cell surface and thereby enhancing the migratory potential of cells.