The co-influence of VWD type 2B/2M mutations in the A1 domain and platelet GPIbα on the rate of cleavage to VWF by ADAMTS13.

INTRODUCTION

In plasma, the size of the von Willebrand factor (VWF) multimer is down-regulated by ADAMTS13 (a disintegrin and metalloprotease with thrombospondin type 1 repeats, member 13). The binding of platelets or glycoprotein (GP) Ibα recombinant fragment to VWF domain A1 may increase the cleavage by ADAMTS13 to VWF. Both type 2B and type 2M von Willebrand disease (VWD) result in bleeding disorders with the diathesis of increased and decreased binding affinity between GPIbα and VWF, respectively. However, the influence of 2B/2M VWD mutations in the A1 domain and GPIbα on cleavage by ADAMTS13 to VWF needs further study.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

Different types of full-length human recombinant VWF (rVWF) were expressed, including three type 2B mutations (P1337L, H1268D, and R1308C), one type 2M mutation (D1302G), and wild type (WT). The three characterized types of rVWF were digested by ADAMTS13 under static conditions or high-shear stress. The interaction of rVWF and ADAMTS13 was also tested by plate-binding assays.

RESULTS

Under static (natured) conditions or high-shear stress, type 2B mutants exhibited a higher susceptibility to ADAMTS13 than rVWF-WT, whereas type 2M mutant was normal. While under static (denatured) conditions or high-shear stress (with GPIbα fragment) rVWF-WT showed an even higher susceptibility to ADAMTS13 than the two type 2B mutants studied.

CONCLUSION

Type 2B mutations localized in the A1 domain could enhance the sensitivity to ADAMTS13-mediated proteolysis. When GPIbα participated, there was a dramatically increased proteolytic cleavage of VWF by ADAMTS13 to rVWF-WT, excluding some type 2B mutants.