Distribution of factor VIII mRNA and antigen in human liver and other tissues

The cellular site of synthesis of factor VIII (FVIII:C; anti-haemophilic factor) has long been sought. Previous studies suggested the liver as a major site of synthesis, but extrahepatic sources such as spleen and lung have been implicated. Using an immunoradiometric assay (IRMA), we recently localized factor VIII antigen (FVIII:Ag, formerly FVIII:CAg), to whole perfused guinea pig liver and spleen, and to isolated hepatocytes, with lesser or trace amounts in other tissues. Using an immunohistological technique, Stel et al. detected FVIII:Ag in normal human liver sinusoidal endothelial cells, while Exner et al. detected FVIII:Ag by IRMA in extracts of human lymph nodes, lung, liver and spleen. The localization of antigen in tissues does not, however, distinguish sites of factor VIII synthesis from those of storage, and such experiments are subject to misinterpretation due to entrapment of plasma factor VIII in tissues. The recent cloning of the human factor VIII gene provides hybridization probes for the detection of factor VIII messenger RNA in cells, thus directly determining sites of synthesis. During complementary DNA cloning, we detected factor VIII mRNA in liver, and it has been localized by others in liver and placenta and in liver and kidney. In the present study, we detected factor VIII mRNA in isolated human hepatocytes, in spleen and in numerous tissues including lymph nodes and kidney, but not in white blood cells or cultured endothelial cells. We also found that the factor VIII, factor VII, factor IX and protein C antigens in liver are predominantly localized in hepatocytes, while very little von Willebrand factor antigen (vWF:Ag, formerly FVIIIR Ag) is detectable in this organ.     

Structure of the C2 domain of human factor VIII at 1.5 A resolution

Human factor VIII is a plasma glycoprotein that has a critical role in blood coagulation. Factor VIII circulates as a complex with von Willebrand factor. After cleavage by thrombin, factor VIIIa associates with factor IXa at the surface of activated platelets or endothelial cells. This complex activates factor X (refs 6, 7), which in turn converts prothrombin to thrombin in the presence of factor Va (refs 8, 9). The carboxyl-terminal C2 domain of factor VIII contains sites that are essential for its binding to von Willebrand factor and to negatively charged phospholipid surfaces. Here we report the structure of human factor VIII C2 domain at 1.5 A resolution. The structure reveals a beta-sandwich core, from which two beta-turns and a loop display a group of solvent-exposed hydrophobic residues. Behind the hydrophobic surface lies a ring of positively charged residues. This motif suggests a mechanism for membrane binding involving both hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions. The structure explains, in part, mutations in the C2 region of factor VIII that lead to bleeding disorders in haemophilia A.     

Ultrastructural localization of factor VIII procoagulant antigen in human liver hepatocytes

Factor VIII is generally believed to circulate in blood as a multimeric complex of two glycoproteins which are physiologically and immunologically distinct. One component of the factor VIII complex is factor VIII procoagulant activity (FVIII:C) which is associated with factor VIII/procoagulant antigen (FVIII:Ag, formerly FVIII/CAg). The second, larger unit of the complex is factor VIII/von Willebrand factor (vWF:Ag, formerly factor VIII-related antigen or FVIIIRAg). FVIII:C has anti-haemophilic activity and is defective or deficient in patients with classical haemophilia, and vWF:Ag is absent in patients with von Willebrand disease. FVIII:Ag was demonstrated recently in endothelial cells lining hepatic sinusoids, by using immunoperoxidase staining and light microscopy, whereas biochemical data had indicated its presence predominantly in the hepatocyte fractions and in lesser amounts in endothelial cells. Moreover, recent hybridization experiments detected FVIII:C messenger RNA in liver and kidney tissues. Despite several efforts, the cells responsible for FVIII:C synthesis have not been unequivocally identified. Here we use protein A-gold complex labelling to demonstrate the ultrastructural localization of FVIII:C in human liver cells; the results indicate that hepatocytes may synthesize FVIII:Ag.     

Detection and sequence of mutations in the factor VIII gene of haemophiliacs

The most common inherited bleeding disorder in man, haemophilia A, is caused by defect in factor VIII, a component in the blood coagulation pathway. The X-chromosome-linked disease almost certainly stems from a heterogeneous collection of genetic lesions. Because, without proper treatment, haemophilia can be a fatal disease, new mutations are necessary to account for its constant frequency in the population. In addition, haemophilia A displays a wide range of severity, and some 15% of haemophiliacs generate high levels of antibodies against factor VIII ('inhibitor patients'). The present work elucidates the molecular genetic basis of haemophilia in some individuals. Using the recently cloned factor VIII gene as a probe, we have identified two different nonsense point mutations in the factor VIII gene of haemophiliacs, as well as two different partial deletions of the gene. Our survey of 92 haemophiliacs indicates no firm correlation between antibody (inhibitor) production and gross gene defects.     

Genetic mapping and diagnosis of haemophilia A achieved through a BclI polymorphism in the factor VIII gene

Haemophilia A is the most common inherited bleeding disorder in man, affecting approximately 1 male in 10,000. The disease is caused by a deficiency in the gene for factor VIII, a component of the intrinsic coagulation pathway. Due to the broad range of clotting activity in normal and heterozygous females, it is often difficult to confirm the status of women at risk for carrying the disease. A genetic marker in the form of a restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) within or tightly linked to the factor VIII gene would serve as a tag for the haemophilia gene, thus allowing both accurate carrier detection and improved, earlier prenatal diagnosis by chorionic villi sampling. The recent isolation of the factor VIII gene has allowed a search for RFLPs within the gene, and we report here the identification of a common polymorphism within the factor VIII gene, revealed by the restriction enzyme BclI, which can be used diagnostically in about 42% of all families. Although the disease haemophilia A has been mapped to the distal portion of Xq, the BclI RFLP makes possible higher-resolution genetic linkage mapping with respect to other polymorphic markers on this portion of the X chromosome. We have established close linkage of the factor VIII gene to several useful RFLP markers, including the highly informative marker St14. These markers should also be useful for prenatal diagnosis of haemophilia A and for detection of its carriers.     

Characterization of the human factor VIII gene

The complete 186,000 base-pair (bp) human factor VIII gene has been isolated and consists of 26 exons ranging in size from 69 to 3,106 bp and introns as large as 32.4 kilobases (kb). Nine kb of mRNA and protein-coding DNA has been sequenced and the mRNA termini have been mapped. The relationship between internal duplications in factor VIII and evolution of the gene is discussed.     

Recurrent mutations in haemophilia A give evidence for CpG mutation hotspots

Haemophilia A is a common disorder of blood coagulation caused by a deficiency of factor VIII. It is inherited as an X-linked recessive trait, and one-third of all cases are thought to result from de novo mutations. The clinical severity of haemophilia A varies markedly among different families and a subset of the patients with severe disease develop antibodies against factor VIII, called inhibitors. Because of this heterogeneity, it is likely that many different molecular lesions result in haemophilia A. Indeed, of the nine mutations described to date, all appear to be unique changes. However in this study of 83 patients with haemophilia A we have identified two different point mutations, one in exon 18 and one in exon 22, that have recurred independently in unrelated families. Each mutation produces a nonsense codon by a change of CG to TG, and each occurred de novo on the X-chromosome donated by the maternal grandfather. These observations strongly support the view that CpG dinucleotides are mutation hotspots.     

Mathematical Model of Extrinsic Blood Coagulation Cascade Dynamic System

The blood coagulation system is very important to life. This paper presents a mathematical blood coagulation model for the extrinsic pathway. This model simulates clotting factor VIII, which plays an important role in the coagulation mechanism. The mathematical model is used to study the equilibrium stability, orbit structure, attractors and global stability behavior, with conclusions in accordance with the physiological phenomena. Moreover, the results provide information about blood related illnesses, which can be used for further study of the coagulation mechanism.     

50例中国人IX因子基因的限制性片段长度多态性

用IX因子基因内探针F9(VⅢ)对TaqI,BamHI和EcoRI酶切的50例中国人基因组DNA进行杂交分析。结果表明,所有个体经TaqI酶切的杂交片段为4.5kb和1.8kb,BamHI和EcoRI酶切的杂交片段分别为23kb和5.0 kb。基因组DNA样本中未发现限制性片段长度多态性(RFLP),这与欧美国家的民族群体中存在着IX因子基因内TaqI和BamHI的RFLP的结论不同。造成不同种族间DNA水平差异的原因,很可能与长期在不同地理环境中的进化适应有关。     

Thrombospondin binds falciparum malaria parasitized erythrocytes and may mediate cytoadherence

Plasmodium falciparum infected erythrocytes containing mature trophozoites and schizonts sequester along venular endothelium and are not in the peripheral circulation of patients with malaria. Knobs appear on infected erythrocytes and are the points of attachment to endothelium. Sequestration may protect the parasite from splenic destruction and may play a role in the pathogenesis of cerebral malaria. Correlates of sequestration have been developed in vitro using cultured human endothelium and an amelanotic melanoma cell line. Knobless strains (K-) of P. falciparum fail to sequester in vivo and to bind to cells in vitro. We now present evidence that the receptor for cytoadherence is the glycoprotein, thrombospondin. Aotus monkey or human erythrocytes containing knobby (K+) but not Aotus erythrocytes containing knobless strains of P. falciparum bind to immobilized thrombospondin. Neither binds to the adhesive proteins laminin, fibronectin, factor VIII/von Willebrand factor or vitronectin. Both soluble thrombospondin and anti-thrombospondin antibodies inhibit binding of parasitized Aotus erythrocytes to immobilize thrombospondin and to melanoma cells which secrete thrombospondin.     

Structure of pre-pro-von Willebrand factor and its expression in heterologous cells

Von Willebrand factor (vWF), a multifunctional haemostatic glycoprotein derived from endothelial cells and megakaryocytes, mediates platelet adhesion to injured subendothelium and binds coagulation factor VIII in the circulation. Native vWF is a disulphide-bonded homopolymer; the monomeric subunits, of apparent relative molecular mass (Mr) 220,000 (220K) are derived from an intracellular precursor estimated at 260-275K. Multimer assembly is preceded by the formation of dimers, linked near their C-termini, which then assemble into filamentous polymers. The importance of the removal of the large vWF pro-polypeptide during multimer assembly, and whether this or other stages of the complex post-translational processing require components specific to endothelial cells or megakaryocytes, is unknown. Here we report an analysis of the complete sequence of pre-pro-vWF and expression of the molecule in heterologous cells. The vWF precursor is composed of several repeated subdomains. When expressed in COS and CHO cells, it is cleaved and assembled into biologically active high relative molecular mass disulphide bonded multimers. This suggests that the information for assembly of this complex molecule resides largely within its primary structure.     

An IgG autoantibody which inactivates C1-inhibitor

Antibodies are considered to play a specific pathogenic role in certain disease states such as myasthenia gravis, Graves' disease and autoimmune haemolytic anaemia. Autoantibodies which interfere with the function of enzyme cascade systems have also been described in diseases such as acquired haemophilia (anti-factor VIII antibodies) and glomerulonephritis (C3 nephritic factor). The identification of these autoantibodies is crucial to an understanding of the aetiology of such diseases and is also of importance in revealing the inter-relationships of the immune system with other biological pathways. This is the first report of an immunoglobulin G (IgG) autoantibody reactive with C1-inhibitor (C1-Inh), a pivotal inhibitor of the inflammatory response which is known to inactivate proteins of the complement, kinin, fibrinolytic and 'contact phase' systems. This autoantibody was isolated from a patient with a novel variant of acquired angioedema and C1-Inh dysfunction. This finding highlights the involvement of the immune system in the pathogenesis of disorders characterized by the presence of dysfunctional inflammatory response proteins.     

Structural basis for the anticoagulant activity of the thrombin-thrombomodulin complex

The serine proteinase alpha-thrombin causes blood clotting through proteolytic cleavage of fibrinogen and protease-activated receptors and amplifies its own generation by activating the essential clotting factors V and VIII. Thrombomodulin, a transmembrane thrombin receptor with six contiguous epidermal growth factor-like domains (TME1-6), profoundly alters the substrate specificity of thrombin from pro- to anticoagulant by activating protein C. Activated protein C then deactivates the coagulation cascade by degrading activated factors V and VIII. The thrombin-thrombomodulin complex inhibits fibrinolysis by activating the procarboxypeptidase thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor. Here we present the 2.3 A crystal structure of human alpha-thrombin bound to the smallest thrombomodulin fragment required for full protein-C co-factor activity, TME456. The Y-shaped thrombomodulin fragment binds to thrombin's anion-binding exosite-I, preventing binding of procoagulant substrates. Thrombomodulin binding does not seem to induce marked allosteric structural rearrangements at the thrombin active site. Rather, docking of a protein C model to thrombin-TME456 indicates that TME45 may bind substrates in such a manner that their zymogen-activation cleavage sites are presented optimally to the unaltered thrombin active site.     

都铎王朝演绎“新”篇章——浅析希拉里·曼特尔《狼厅》

2009年英国女作家希拉里.曼特尔凭借其长篇历史小说《狼厅》击败众多强劲对手,最终获得布克奖。作为一部描写人们耳熟能详的亨利八世都铎王朝时期风云变幻的长篇小说,《狼厅》何以蟾宫折桂.解决这个问题无疑是更好地理解这部文学作品的钥匙。     

Proliferation and differentiation into endothelial cells of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells （MSCs） on poly DL-lactic-co-glycolic acid （PLGA） films

Autologous, allograft and synthetic vessels currently used in clinical vessel replacement have many defi- ciencies, especially in the area of small caliber vessel replacement. The supply of autologous arteries or veins may not be sufficient or suitable fo…     

Al VIII的能级和跃迁参数的研究

基于多组态Dirac-Fock方法对类C离子Al VIII的能及结构以及跃迁参数进行计算. Breit修正和QED修正以及核的有效体积效应和核的质量修正等效应加入到体系的哈密顿量，作为能级和波函数的高阶修正.与实验值和其他计算的理论值做了比较. 分析计算结果，计算基态和激发态的能级等数据与实验值和其他理论值符合的比较好. 计算的数据弥补了光谱数据的不足，为以后的研究者做关于Al VIII的实验奠定了理论基础.     

黄滔集版本源流考述

黄滔集成书后至宋逐渐散佚,其八世孙黄公度据家藏残稿编辑成十卷本《东家编略》,九世孙黄沃又加裒辑并于淳熙、庆元年间两次刊刻行世。明正德、天启、万历、崇祯年间皆有刻本。清末王懿荣以影钞宋庆元残本为底本,并以明正德本补其阙文刊于北京。黄集多次刊刻大致以南宋庆元本为祖本,其最为精善者当为清末王懿荣《天壤阁丛书》所收《莆阳黄御史集》。