Purification of glycoproteins IIb and III from human platelet plasma membranes and characterization of a calcium-dependent glycoprotein IIb-III complex

Human platelet membrane glycoproteins IIb and III are two major integral membrane components that have been identified as sites mediating thrombin-induced aggregation. For purposes of our study, glycoproteins IIb and III were solubilized by extracting platelet plasma membranes with a buffer containing 0.1% Triton X-100 and were separated by gel filtration chromatography on Sephacryl S-300, employing Triton X-100-containing column buffers with or without urea or guanidine hydrochloride. The physical properties of the purified glycoproteins were: for glycoprotein IIb, Rs = 61 A, s20.w = 4.7, f/f0 = 1.7, Mr = 125,000 (hydrodynamic values), Mr = 136,000 (sodium dodecyl sulfate gels); for glycoprotein III, Rs = 67 A, s20,w = 3.2 f/f0 = 2.1, Mr = 93,000 (hydrodynamic values), Mr = 95,000 (sodium dodecyl sulfate gels). Although the amino acid compositions of the two glycoproteins were similar, antibodies raised against glycoprotein IIb did not crossreact with glycoprotein III. If divalent cations were not chelated in the Triton extract, glycoproteins IIb and III coeluted during gel filtration chromatography (apparent Stokes radius of 71 A) and co-sedimented on sucrose gradients (apparent s20.w of 8.6), from which Mr = 265,000 was calculated. Glycoproteins IIb and III were coprecipitated by an antibody monospecific for glycoprotein IIb. The two glycoproteins dissociated into monomers when EDTA was added to Triton lysates. Readdition of Ca2+ caused them to reassociate into a complex with physical properties similar to those of the complex in the original Triton lysate. The data show that glycoproteins IIb and III are a heterodimer complex, that complex formation depends upon the presence of Ca2+, and that chelation of Ca2+ causes dissociation into monomeric glycoproteins.     

Alboaggregin-B: a new platelet agonist that binds to platelet membrane glycoprotein Ib.

A new protein, called alboaggregin-B (AL-B), has been isolated from Trimeresurus albolabris venom by ion-exchange chromatography. It agglutinated platelets without the need for Ca2+ or any other cofactor. The purified protein showed an apparent molecular mass on SDS-PAGE and gel filtration of about 23 kDa under nonreducing conditions. Ristocetin did not alter the binding of AL-B to platelets or affect AL-B-induced platelet agglutination. Agglutinating activity was not dependent on either proteolytic or lectin-like activity in AL-B. Binding analysis showed that AL-B bound to platelets with high affinity (Kd = 13.6 +/- 9.3 nM) at approximately 30,800 +/- 14,300 binding sites per platelet. AL-B inhibited the binding of labeled bovine von Willebrand factor (vWF) to platelets. Monoclonal antibodies against the 45-kDa N-terminal domain of platelet glycoprotein Ib inhibited the binding both of AL-B and of bovine vWF to platelets, and also inhibited platelet agglutination induced by AL-B and bovine vWF. Specific removal of the N-terminal domain of GPIb by treatment of the platelets with elastase or Serratia marcescens protease reduced the binding of labeled AL-B and bovine vWF to platelets and blocked platelet agglutination caused by both agonists. Monoclonal antibodies to glycoprotein IIb/IIIa, to bovine vWF, and to bovine serum albumin did not show any effect on the binding of AL-B to platelets. Our results indicate that the binding domain for AL-B on platelet GPIb is close to or identical with the one for vWF. This new protein may be a very useful tool for studying the interaction between platelets and vWF.     

Isolation of calcium-dependent platelet proteins that interact with actin

Low Ca2+ extracts of platelets rapidly form an actin gel when warmed to 25 degrees C. The addition of Ca2+ has three effects. At Ca/EGTA = 0.4, the gel begins to contract. Increasing the Ca2+ concentration increases the rate of contraction and reduces the amount of actomyosin gel. Between Ca/EGTA = 0.4 and 0.5, a protease is activated that selectively degrades polypeptides with molecular weight greater than the myosin heavy chain. At Ca/EGTA = 1, about 70% of the total actin is nonsedimentable. Addition of excess EGTA produces the rapid formation of an actomyosin gel, which is not readily solubilized by re-addition of calcium. Using DNAase l-Sepharose chromatography, we have isolated a protein fraction whose binding to actin is Ca2+ -dependent. This fraction contains a major polypeptide with a molecular weight of 90,000. This fraction increases the rate of development of high sheer viscosity, but lowers the final value if Ca2+ is present. This decrease in viscosity is due to the generation of shorter filaments. In the presence of Ca2+, this protein(s) selectively blocks the addition of actin monomers to the barbed end of glutaraldehyde-fixed S1-decorated actin fragments and will nucleate assembly of filaments. We speculate that this protein(s) may serve as a Ca2+ -dependent nucleation site in situ.     

Evidence that platelet glycoprotein IIIa has a large disulfide-bonded loop that is susceptible to proteolytic cleavage

The proteolytic digestion of GPIIIa on intact platelets by chymotrypsin, thrombin, plasmin, trypsin, and staphylococcal V8 protease was monitored in immunoblot studies employing three different antibodies to GPIIIa, one of which was made against a 13-residue synthetic peptide containing the amino terminus of GPIIIa. Chymotrypsin, plasmin, and trypsin gave similar patterns, from which it could be inferred that the major products after extensive digestion were two-chain molecules composed of amino-terminal fragments of Mr approximately 17,000-18,000 disulfide bonded to carboxyl-terminal remnants of Mr approximately 58,000-70,000. These patterns suggest that GPIIIa contains a large disulfide-bonded loop of at least 325 amino acids that is susceptible to proteolytic cleavage, and that the 4 cysteine residues between residues 177 and 273 bond with each other. Such a structure can also account for the presence of the PIA1 epitope, which has recently been localized to a polymorphism at position 33 on these late digestion products. Thrombin did not proteolyze GPIIIa even at 2.5 units/ml. Still to be resolved is whether the minor immunoreactive GPIIIa bands found on normal platelets are related to in vivo or in vitro proteolysis and whether GPIIIa proteolysis plays a role in chymotrypsin-induced exposure of the GPIIb/IIIa receptor.     

A fibronectin-binding glycoprotein from human platelet membranes.

Fibronectin ('cold-insoluble globulin') has been suggested as a possible mediator of platelet adhesion. A fibronectin-binding protein as partially purified from washed solubilized human platelet membranes by affinity chromatography on fibronectin-Sepharose. The isolated protein migrated as a single band on sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis with an Mr (relative molecular mass) of approx. 125 000 under reducing conditions. The protein migrated as a dimer in non-reduced gels. The purified protein did not react with immunoglobulins against fibrinogen or fibronectin when tested in crossed immunoelectrophoresis or electroimmunoassay. The protein and purified fibronectin formed a complex that had a significantly faster mobility in crossed immunoelectrophoresis than did native fibronectin. The presence of heparin in the binding-protein-fibronectin mixture resulted in an even faster mobility of the complex, whereas the mobility of native fibronectin was unaffected. Crossed affinoimmunoelectrophoresis of the complex using different lectins suggested that the binding protein is a glycoprotein containing N-acetylglucosamine residues. The complex, but not purified fibronectin, bound to phenyl-Sepharose on crossed hydrophobic-interaction immunoelectrophoresis. The results strongly suggest the presence of a fibronectin-binding glycoprotein in the platelet membrane.     

Isolation and characterization of a collagen-binding glycoprotein from chondrocyte membranes

A collagen-binding glycoprotein was isolated from purified chick chondrocyte surface membranes by affinity chromatography on type II collagen-Sepharose. The purified glycoprotein has an apparent mol. wt. of 31,000 and binds to native chick collagen types I, II, III, V and M. Although it contains 30% carbohydrates, the majority of which is fucose, it is hydrophobic and soluble only in detergents. The integral membrane protein character of the 31-K protein became apparent from its ability to insert into lecithin vesicles. Liposome-inserted 31-K protein binds 125I-labelled type II collagen in the presence of 0.5 M NaCl, while detergent-solubilized 31-K protein is dissociated from type II collagen by 0.05-0.1 M NaCl. Electron microscopic studies employing the rotary shadowing technique indicate that 31-K protein particles bind to the ends of collagen molecules. We propose that this glycoprotein serves as anchorage site for extracellular collagen to the chondrocyte membrane and thus may be involved in cell-matrix interactions in cartilage.     

Evidence that mammalian ribonucleotide reductase is a nuclear membrane associated glycoprotein

Epitope-specific antibodies to the M1 and M2 subunits of mammalian ribonucleotide reductase were prepared using peptides predicted to have a high antigenic index. Western blotting demonstrated that the anti-M1 antibody was specific for the 89-kilodalton M1 subunit (and its degradation fragments) and the anti-M2 antibody specifically recognized the 45-kilodalton M2 subunit. Both antibodies inhibited the CDP-reductase activity of the holoenzyme. Using these antibodies, both the M1 and M2 subunits were shown to be localized in the cytoplasm and in the nuclear regions of a number of cell types, including B77 avian sarcoma virus transformed NRK cells, T51B rat liver cells, 5123tc hepatoma cells, and rat liver cells in vivo. In addition, the M1 subunit was found to be localized as a halo around isolated rat liver nuclei. Biochemical analysis of the cytoplasmic fraction of liver cells and a Triton X-100 wash of nuclei from these cells confirmed the location of the enzyme activity in these cellular compartments. The M1 subunit appears to be glycosylated, as indicated by its retention on a Affi-Gel-concanavalin A affinity column. Therefore, in mammalian cells ribonucleotide reductase appears to be not only in the cytoplasm, but is also associated with the nuclear membrane or nuclear lamina. The activity of the enzyme in the membrane fraction changes dynamically during the cell cycle.     

Isolation of plasma membrane glycoprotein from bovine thymocytes

Glycoprotein was isolated from a purified thymocyte membrane preparation by two methods: lithium diiodosalicylate-phenol extraction and hot 75% ethanol extraction. A higher yield of membrane sialic acid was obtained by the latter method. The preparations had similar apparent molecular weights on sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis. Both had similar receptor activities against a panel of hemagglutinins, although the 75% ethanol extract was more active on a weight basis. However, there were significant differences in carbohydrate and amino acid compositions of the two thymocyte extracts. The lithium diiodosalicylate-extracted material had much more glucose, ribose, and glycine than the ethanol extract. The glycoprotein preparations from thymocytes were quite distinct from the glycoprotein of bovine erythrocytes in both composition and receptor properties.     

A platelet disorder due to a structural abnormality of membrane glycoprotein Ib

In a patient with mild bleeding symptoms, decreased platelet spreading and defective aggregation, an abnormal membrane glycoprotein (GP) was detected. Staining and surface labelling characteristics, cleavage by calcium-activated protease and decreased content of normal GP Ib in the platelets of the patient and 3 related carriers of the abnormal glycopeptide suggest that the additional component is a genetic GP Ib variant structurally characterized by an increase of about 20,000 in apparent Mr of the large subunit GP Ib alpha. The observed hereditary membrane GP abnormality although present in heterozygous state may be causally related to the defect of platelet function.     

Structure of the glycoprotein Ib.IX complex from platelet membranes

The glycoprotein Ib.IX complex is a major component of the platelet membrane. It mediates the adhesion of platelets to exposed subendothelium and provides an attachment site for the membrane skeleton on the plasma membrane. The present study was designed to characterize the structure of the glycoprotein Ib.IX complex. Electron microscopy of purified glycoprotein Ib.IX complex in detergent showed that each complex existed as a flexible rod with a globular domain on either end. The overall length of the complex was approximately 59.5 nm. The smaller globular domain had a diameter of approximately 8.9 nm; the larger, a diameter of approximately 15.9 nm. In the absence of detergent, the glycoprotein Ib.IX complexes tended to self-associate through the larger globular domain, suggesting that this domain contained the hydrophobic region that inserts into the membrane. Proteases known to cleave glycoprotein Ib alpha close to its membrane-insertion site released the larger globular domain. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed that this domain was composed of glycoprotein Ib beta, glycoprotein IX, and a Mr = 25,000 fragment of glycoprotein Ib alpha. Proteolysis at the external end of glycoprotein Ib alpha reduced the size of the smaller globular domain. This study shows that the glycoprotein Ib.IX complex has an elongated shape, with a globular domain on the end that inserts into the membrane and a smaller globular domain on the end of glycoprotein Ib alpha that is oriented external to the plasma membrane.     

Electrophysiological evidence that glycoprotein IIb-IIIa complex is involved in calcium channel activation on human platelet plasma membrane.

The involvement of platelet glycoprotein (GP) IIb-IIIa complex in calcium channel activity on the plasma membrane was investigated using an electrophysiological approach. Plasma membrane vesicles were prepared from thrombin-stimulated platelets and incorporated into planar lipid bilayers. Voltage-independent Ca2+ channel currents with a conductance of about 10 pS (in 53 mM Ba2+) were observed, in membranes derived from thrombin-stimulated, but not unstimulated platelet membranes. These channel activities were markedly reduced by exposure of membranes to EGTA at 37 degrees C. This reduction was specifically related to the dissociation of the GPIIb-IIIa complex since preincubation of the membranes with a monoclonal antibody to the GPIIb-IIIa complex (AP-2) could protect the channel activities from the effect of EGTA. Thrombasthenic platelets, which lack the GPIIb-IIIa complex, showed impaired channel activities characterized by decreased open probability and lowered conductance states. Furthermore, when platelets were stimulated by thrombin in the presence of EGTA, AP2, or the synthetic peptide RGDS, to prevent fibrinogen binding to the GPIIb-IIIa complex, open probabilities of the channel currents in these membrane vesicles were also decreased. These results suggest that the GPIIb-IIIa complex is involved in platelet Ca2+ channel activation and that ligand binding to the complex during platelet activation may modify the activation of Ca2+ channels.     

Isolation of the major glycoprotein from fat cell plasma membranes

The major glycoprotein of rabbit fat cell plasma membranes has been solubilized by Brij 99 extraction and purified to homogeneity by preparative polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and concanavalin A-Sepharose affinity chromatography. The isolation procedure yielded a glycoprotein with an apparent molecular weight of 79,000 which appeared as a single component by Coomassie blue and periodic acid-Schiff staining as well as by distribution of radioactivity after ¹²⁵I labeling. The lectin chromatography was effective in removing polypeptides and Schiff-nonreactive glycoproteins which migrated in close proximity to the major glycoprotein during electrophoresis but were not retained on the concanavalin A column. Determination of the amino acid and sugar composition of the purified glycoprotein indicated that it contained 18% carbohydrate by weight which occurred in the form of 30 mannose, 14 galactose, 23 glucosamine, 3 galactosamine, 6 N-acetylneuraminic acid, and 1 fucose residues per molecule. Approximately one-fifth of the total protein-bound saccharide of the adipocyte plasma membrane was accounted for by this glycoprotein and its composition suggested that it was the source of some of the previously identified (Y. Kawai, and R. G. Spiro, 1977, J. Biol. Chem.252, 6236–6244) asparagine- and serine (threonine)-linked carbohydrate units of the fat cell surface.     

Association of actin with the platelet membrane

Human platelet membrane-actin associations were studied by means of differential extraction of purified membranes and low-shear viscometry of membrane-F-actin mixtures. As indicated by resistance to extraction with 0.6 M potassium iodide, a significant amount of platelet actin appears to be tightly associated with the membrane. When tested by falling-ball viscometry, both whole and KI-extracted membranes increased the low-shear viscosity of preformed rabbit skeletal muscle F-actin at physiologically reasonable pH and ionic conditions. This membrane-associated actin gelation activity was dependent upon low free calcium concentration (10(-8)-10(-7) M). The results are consistent with specific associations between actin and platelet membranes and may be relevant to membrane-cytoskeletal interactions believed to occur in the intact cell.     

Confirmation that catalase is a glycoprotein

Catalases which had been purified from the livers of mouse, rat and guinea pig were subjected to mild periodate oxidation followed by reduction with sodium boro[3H]hydride in order to test for the presence of sialic acid. A radioactively labelled moiety resulted, which behaved as a derivative of N-acetyl neuraminic acid during mild acid hydrolysis, neuraminidase treatment, ion exchange chromatography and paper chromatography. It is concluded that mammalian catalases are glycoproteins, and possess variable amounts of N-acetyl neuraminic acid in their carbohydrate moiety.     

Vascular endothelial cells synthesize a plasma membrane protein indistinguishable from the platelet membrane glycoprotein IIa

To define the role of membrane components that function in endothelial cell physiology and to characterize them biochemically, we have attempted to prepare monoclonal antibodies specific for endothelial cells. Several clones were obtained producing antibodies which bound to endothelial cells and also to platelets. The antibody of one of these clones, CLB-HEC 75, was studied in more detail. This antibody is directed against a single protein which is synthesized constitutively by endothelial cells and is expressed on the surface of both endothelial cells and platelets. The CLB-HEC 75 antigen was isolated from Nonidet P-40-solubilized endothelial cells and platelets by immunoprecipitation and exhibited an apparent molecular weight by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of approximately 145,000 in the presence of 2-mercaptoethanol. Two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and crossed immunoelectrophoresis revealed that the mobility of the CLB-HEC 75 antigen relative to platelet glycoproteins Ib, IIa, IIb, and IIIa fits previously defined criteria for platelet membrane glycoprotein IIa. The CLB-HEC 75 antigen isolated from endothelial cells co-migrated under all conditions tested with the antigen from platelets. These results indicate that endothelial cells share a plasma membrane protein indistinguishable from platelet membrane glycoprotein IIa. This protein may be a component involved in the interaction of endothelial cells with their environment including coagulation factors, platelets, and the subendothelial matrix. CLB-HEC 75 may serve as a useful tool for studying these processes.     

Isolation and characterization of a 60-kilodalton glycoprotein esterase from liver microsomal membranes

A glycoprotein having a subunit weight of approximately 60,000 was isolated from rabbit liver microsomes. It is a predominant component of the hepatic microsomal membrane and reacts rapidly with diisopropylphosphorofluoridate (DFP), resulting in the loss of enzymatic activity toward artificial substrates such as acyl esters of o-nitrophenols. Automated Edman degradation of this protein together with sequence analysis of peptides provided the NH2-terminal sequence of some 70 residues as follows: His-Pro-Ser- Ala-Pro-Pro-Val-Val-Asp-Thr-Val-Lys-Gly-Lys-Val- Leu-Gly-Lys-Phe-Val-Ser-Leu-Glu-Gly-Phe-Ala-Gln- Pro-Val-Ala-Val-Phe-Leu-Gly-Val-Pro-Phe-Ala-Lys- Pro-Pro-Leu-Gly-Ser-Leu-Arg-Phe-Ala-Pro-Pro-Gln- Pro-Ala-Glu-Ser-Trp-Ser-His-Val-Lys-Asn (CHO)- Thr-Thr-Ser-Tyr-Pro-Pro-Met-Cys-Ser-Ser. A carbohydrate attachment was identified at asparaginyl residue 61. The COOH-terminal peptide of the protein was isolated from two independent enzymatic digests, and its sequence was established as Arg-Glu-Thr-Glu-His-Ile-Glu-Leu. In order to isolate the DFP binding peptide, liver microsomes were labeled with [3H]DFP and the 60-kDa protein containing covalently bound DFP isolated in pure form. Following reduction and carboxymethylation, the DFP-labeled protein was fragmented with trypsin and the digest subjected to gel filtration. Digestion of the labeled peptide preparations with chymotrypsin followed by chromatography of the digest yielded two diisopropylphosphoryl (DIP) peptides. Automated Edman degradation of these peptides provided the following amino acid sequences: Gly-Glu-DIPSer- Ala-Gly-Gly-Gln-Ser-Val-Ser-Ile-Leu-Leu-Leu-Ser- Pro and Thr-Val-Ile-Gly-Asp-DIPHis-Gly-Asp-Glu-Ile-Phe. The active site serine peptide of the 60-kDa protein shows some 70% similarity to the active center region of choline esterases. While the postulated active histidyl residue in choline esterases has not been identified, it is proposed that the DFP binding histidine of the 60-kDa protein corresponds to His-438/440 of choline esterases.     

Localization of the domain of actin-binding protein that binds to membrane glycoprotein Ib and actin in human platelets

The Mr approximately 540,000 dimeric actin gelation protein, actin-binding protein (ABP), has previously been shown in human platelets to link actin to membrane glycoprotein Ib (GPIb) (Fox, J. E. B. (1985) J. Biol. Chem. 260, 11970-11977; Okita, J. R., Pidard, D., Newman, P. J., Montgomery, R. R., and Kunicki, T. J. (1985) J. Cell Biol. 100, 317-321). We have examined further the interaction between ABP and GPIb. Platelet extracts were depleted of ABP by precipitation with anti-ABP monoclonal antibodies (mAbs); in resulting precipitates, ABP monomer is complexed with GPIb in a 5:1 molar ratio. The ABP.GPIb complex is resistant to chaotropic solvents but dissociated by the ionic detergent, sodium dodecyl sulfate. Treatment of intact platelets with the ionophore A23187 activates a Ca2+-dependent protease which cleaves the Mr approximately 270,000 ABP subunit into three fragments of Mr 190,000, 100,000, and 90,000; the latter fragment is derived from the Mr 100,000 fragment. Anti-ABP mAbs coprecipitated GPIb with the Mr 100,000 and 90,000 fragments, but not with the Mr 190,000 fragment which contains the ABP self-association site. In the reciprocal experiment, anti-GPIb antibodies co-precipitated only the Mr 100,000 and 90,000 ABP fragments. Actin also co-precipitated with the Mr 100,000 and 90,000, but not with the Mr 190,000 ABP fragment. The anti-ABP mAb that precipitated the Mr 100,000-90,000 GPIb-binding ABP fragment recognizes a trypsin cleavage fragment of ABP that binds actin filaments in vitro. These findings establish that both the GPIb-binding site and actin-binding sites are in the same region of the ABP monomer. Because of the extended bipolar conformation of the ABP molecule, the data suggest that the GPIb.actin-binding region is located remote from the self-association, or dimerization, site of the ABP subunit.     

Isolation of an actin polymerization stimulator from bovine thyroid plasma membranes

An actin polymerization stimulator was purified from bovine thyroid plasma membranes by DNase I affinity column chromatography. Although the molecular weight of the protein was about 42,000 (42K) by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, it did not comigrate with actin. In the presence of 30 mM KCl, the 42K protein facilitated formation of actin filaments when analyzed by a centrifugation method, accelerated the initial phase of actin polymerization as measured in an Ostwald viscometer and increased the length of filaments as shown by electron microscopy. The 42K protein also accelerated the initial phase of actin polymerization in the presence of 100 mM KCl and 2 mM MgCl₂ but did not affect the final viscosity. The effect of the 42K protein was diminished by 5 uM cytochalasin B or 1 uM cytochalasin D. This 42K protein may anchor actin filaments onto the thyroid plasma membrane.