The effect of enzymatic removal of sialic acids on the functional properties of protein C.

The effect of enzymatic removal of sialic acid residues on the functional properties of human protein C was examined. The rates of activation of native and asialo protein C were identical using either the thrombin thrombomodulin complex or the snake venom activator, protac. Desiaylated activated protein C (APC) was, two-three-fold more active than native protein C, both as an anticoagulant and in its ability to hydrolyze chromogenic substrates. The potentiating effect of the desialylation was confirmed by initially fully activating protein C followed by the desialylation process. In these studies, a two-three-fold enhancement in the activity of the protein was observed which paralleled the extent of the desialylation. The activity of asialo-protein C was completely abolished by monoclonal and polyclonal antiprotein C antibodies, confirming that the effect was mediated by APC. Our studies suggest that the sialic acid component of protein C is not essential for the expression of APC activity but may act to modulate the function of the protein.