The relationship between low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein-1 (LRP1) and von Willebrand factor (VWF) has remained elusive for years. Indeed, despite a reported absence of interaction between both proteins, liver-specific deletion of LRP1 results in increased VWF levels. To investigate this discrepancy, we used mice with a macrophagespecific deficiency of LRP1 (macLRP1 ؊ ) because we previously found that macrophages dominate VWF clearance. Basal VWF levels were increased in macLRP1 ؊ mice compared with control mice (1.6 ؎ 0.4 vs 1.0 ؎ 0.4 U/mL). Clearance experiments revealed that half-life of human VWF was significantly increased in macLRP1 ؊ mice. Ubiquitous blocking of LRP1 or additional lipoprotein receptors by overexpressing receptor-associated protein in macLRP1 ؊ mice did not result in further rise of VWF levels (0.1 ؎ 0.2 U/mL), in contrast to macLRP1 ؉ mice (rise in VWF, 0.8 ؎ 0.4 U/mL). This points to macLRP1 being the only lipoprotein receptor regulating VWF levels. When testing the mechanism(s) involved, we observed that VWFcoated beads adhered efficiently to LRP1 but only when exposed to shear forces exceeding 2.5 dyne/cm 2 , implying the existence of shear stress-dependent interactions. Furthermore, a mechanism involving 2-integrins that binds both VWF and LRP1 also is implicated because inhibition of 2-integrins led to increased VWF levels in control (rise, 0.19 ؎ 0.16 U/mL) but not in macLRP1 ؊ mice (0.08 ؎ 0.15 U/mL). (Blood. 2012; 119(9):2126-2134) Introductionvon Willebrand factor (VWF) is a hemostatic protein, the physiologic relevance of which is illustrated by the severe bleeding tendency associated with its functional deficiency. The contribution of VWF to hemostasis is 2-fold: (1) VWF is essential for the recruitment of platelets to the damaged vessel wall, particularly under conditions of arterial shear; and (2) VWF functions as a carrier protein for factor VIII (FVIII), a protein cofactor critical to the coagulation system.Whereas biosynthesis and secretion of VWF have been subject of study for more than 35 years, it is only in the last decade that clearance mechanisms of VWF have gained attention. 1,2 This has led to the discovery that increased clearance of VWF may explain part of the reduced VWF levels in von Willebrand disease (VWD). [3][4][5][6] This seems to be most prominent in case of VWDtype 1, although VWD-type 2 variants also are associated with reduced survival of the mutated VWF molecules. 2,7,8 The increased attention is further related to the development of novel therapeutic FVIII concentrates that are used in the treatment of hemophilia A. Given that FVIII circulates in a tight complex with VWF, it is already known that VWF is a major determinant of FVIII clearance. Indeed, the half-life of FVIII is considerably reduced in patients lacking VWF antigen or in those in which VWF is unable to bind FVIII correctly (VWD-type 2N). 9,10 Moreover, preinfusion VWF levels are positively correlated with FVIII half-life. 11,12 To this end, we have recently demonstrate...
Objective-Although von Willebrand factor (VWF) is a heavily glycosylated protein, its potential to associate with glycan-binding proteins is poorly investigated. Here, we explored its interaction with the glycan-binding proteins galectin-1 and galectin-3. Methods and Results-Immunofluorescence analysis using Duolink proximity ligation assays revealed that VWF colocalizes with galectin-1 and galectin-3 in endothelial cells, both before and after stimulation of endothelial cells. Moreover, galectin-1 was found along the typical VWF bundles that are released by endothelial cells. Galectin-1 and galectin-3 could be coprecipitated with VWF from plasma in immunoprecipitation assays, whereas plasma levels of galectin-1 and galectin-3 were significantly reduced in VWF-deficient mice. Binding studies using purified proteins confirmed that VWF could directly interact with both galectins, predominantly via its N-linked glycans. In search of the physiological relevance of the VWF-galectin interaction, we found that inhibition of galectins in in vitro perfusion assays was associated with increased VWF-platelet string formation, a phenomenon that was reproduced in galectin-1/galectin-3 double-deficient mice. These mice were also characterized by a more rapid formation of initial thrombi following ferric chloride-induced injury. Key Words: endothelium Ⅲ hemostasis Ⅲ platelets Ⅲ galectin Ⅲ von Willebrand factor V on Willebrand factor (VWF) is an adhesive protein that is critical to the recruitment of platelets in response to vessel injury. The majority of the circulating VWF molecules are produced in the endothelial cells, where VWF is synthesized as a single prepropolypeptide chain. Following signal peptide removal, the polypeptides are assembled into C-terminal linked pro-VWF dimers. Further processing includes proteolytic removal of the propeptide and multimerization of the molecule by intermolecular N-terminal cystine bonding, generating a pool of differentially sized multimers that may contain more than 50 subunits. An important portion of the newly synthesized VWF multimers is directed to endothelial storage organelles, Weibel-Palade (WP) bodies. Conclusion-We1,2 VWF is obligatory for the formation of WP bodies, which are indeed absent in endothelial cells isolated from VWF-deficient mice or dogs.3,4 These storage organelles also contain other proteins besides VWF, including P-selectin, osteoprotegerin, CD63, and interleukin-8. 5 Some of these proteins directly interact with VWF, which may facilitate their uptake into the WP bodies. 6,7 For other residents of the storage granules, the uptake may be the result of a more random inclusion process. 8 Following endothelial stimulation, the content of the WP bodies is released into the circulation, allowing the first encounter between VWF and circulating platelets. Indeed, VWF multimers assemble into twisted bundles and networks that form long strings along the endothelial surface. 9 These VWF strings are able to catch platelets, and these platelet-decorated strings can be vis...
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