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Enhancing protein C interaction with thrombin results in a clot-activated anticoagulant

Nature volume 360, pages 261–264 (1992)Cite this article

Abstract

HUMAN protein C is a vitamin K-dependent plasma glycoprotein that circulates as an inactive zymogen. At the endothelial ceil surface, thrombin in complex with the integral membrane protein thrombomodulRi converts protein C to its active form by specific cleavage of an activation peptide1–3. The activated form of protein C has potent anticoagulant activity as a feedback regulator of thrombin generation (reviewed in refs 4–6), and also has profibrinolytic7–10, anti-ischaemic11 and anti-inflammatory properties12. Protein C is effective in the treatment of model and human thrombotic diseases4,13–16 but, except when it has been used to treat genetic or acquired deficiencies and microvascular thrombosis, it is administered as the activated enzyme, which has a short biological half-life. We have altered two putative inhibitory acidic residues near the thrombin cleavage site, which results in a 30-fold increase in substrate utilization by α-thrombin. We combined these changes with a genetically altered glycoform to generate a zymogen protein C with a 60-fold increased cleavage rate by free α-thrombin, independent of its cofactor thrombomodulin. We show that this 'preform' of protein C, unlike the natural circulating zymogen, can be activated by thrombin generated in clotting human plasma, resulting in an inhibition of further clot formation. Our data therefore show that we have engineered a site-activated agent, which only has anticoagulant activity when significant amounts of thrombin are being generated.

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Author notes

  1. Brian W. Grinnell: To whom correspondence should be addressed.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cardiovascular Research, Lilly Research Laboratories, Lilly Corporate Center, Indianapolis, Indiana, 46285-0424, USA

    Mark A. Richardson, Bruce Gerlitz & Brian W. Grinnell

Authors
  1. Mark A. Richardson
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  2. Bruce Gerlitz
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  3. Brian W. Grinnell
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Richardson, M., Gerlitz, B. & Grinnell, B. Enhancing protein C interaction with thrombin results in a clot-activated anticoagulant. Nature 360, 261–264 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1038/360261a0

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