Tissue factor expression in human arterial smooth muscle cells. TF is present in three cellular pools after growth factor stimulation.

Tissue factor (TF) is a transmembrane glycoprotein that initiates the coagulation cascade. Because of the potential role of TF in mediating arterial thrombosis, we have examined its expression in human aortic and coronary artery smooth muscle cells (SMC). TF mRNA and protein were induced in SMC by a variety of growth agonists. Exposure to PDGF AA or BB for 30 min provided all of the necessary signals for induction of TF mRNA and protein. This result was consistent with nuclear runoff analyses, demonstrating that PDGF-induced TF transcription occurred within 30 min. A newly developed assay involving binding of digoxigenin-labeled FVIIa (DigVIIa) and digoxigenin-labeled Factor X (DigX) was used to localize cellular TF. By light and confocal microscopy, prominent TF staining was seen in the perinuclear cytoplasm beginning 2 h after agonist treatment and persisting for 10-12 h. Surface TF activity, measured on SMC monolayers under flow conditions, increased transiently, peaking 4-6 h after agonist stimulation and returning to baseline within 16 h. Peak surface TF activity was only approximately 20% of total TF activity measured in cell lysates. Surface TF-blocking experiments demonstrated that the remaining TF was found as encrypted surface TF, and also in an intracellular pool. The relatively short-lived surface expression of TF may be critical for limiting the thrombotic potential of intact SMC exposed to growth factor stimulation. In contrast, the encrypted surface and intracellular pools may provide a rich source of TF under conditions associated with SMC damage, such as during atherosclerotic plaque rupture or balloon arterial injury.

Cloning of the rat tissue factor cDNA and promoter: identification of a serum-response region.

Tissue factor (TF) initiates coagulation and its expression in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) likely plays a role in the propagation of arterial thrombosis. We report cloning the cDNA and proximal promoter region of the rat TF gene. While maintaining the general structure and organization of the TF molecule, there is a surprising divergence (approximately 18%) between the derived amino acid sequences of the rat and mouse TF. In contrast, there is striking similarity (90%) in the 5' untranslated regions. High levels of basal promoter activity were seen in rat VSMC with constructs containing 106 bp of sequence downstream from the putative transcription start site and 426 to 103 bp of upstream sequence. Deletion of the sequence from -103 to -79, containing a single SP1 site, removed virtually all of the basal and serum-induced activity. Removal of the NF kappa B site or two additional upstream SP1 sites had little effect on serum responsiveness. Removal of the 5' untranslated region abolished most of the basal activity of the TF promoter, suggesting that its high degree of conservation may be due to the presence of transcriptional elements critical for TF expression in rodent VSMC.

Inhibition of activated protein C by benzamidine derivatives.

In studies on the inhibition of activated protein C (APC) by benzamidine derivatives potent inhibitors of APC were found among anilides of 4-amidinophenyl-alpha-aminobutyric acid (Ki = 0.58 mumol/l). Several bis-benzamidine derivatives containing a cycloalkanone linking bridge inhibit APC with Ki values near the micromolar range. Potent and selective inhibitors of thrombin derived from 3- and 4-amidinophenylalanine do not inhibit APC. This is of great importance for further development of these inhibitors as potential anticoagulant drugs.

Inhibition of activated protein C by aprotinin and the use of the insolubilized inhibitor for its purification.

The study of the interaction between activated protein C (APC) and non-plasmatic inhibitors allowed us to demonstrate that aprotinin is a potent competitive inhibitor of APC with a Ki of 1.35 mumol/L. It was possible to adsorb immunopurified protein C (PC) activated by venom activator to insolubilized aprotinin and to recover the active enzyme after elution by HCl 0.1 N or by a chaotropic ion, for example KSCN 3 mol/L. The interaction involved the active-site of the enzyme since PC and DIP-APC did not bind to the matrix. Thus, APC could be purified, after activation, in a one-stage procedure out of a mixture of protein such as a prothrombin complex concentrate.