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Biomedical subjects

D A Walz

Publications and source records attributed to D A Walz.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

Isolation and amino acid sequence of bovine platelet factor 4.

Bovine platelet factor 4 was isolated by affinity chromatography using dextran sulfate Sepharose and purified by subsequent gel filtration. The complete amino acid sequence of this 88-residue, 9505-Da protein was determined by isolation and analysis of the overlapping peptides from tryptic and Staphylococcus aureus hydrolysates of reduced, carboxymethylated, and reductive methylated protein. Primary structure comparison was made between bovine platelet factor 4, human platelet factor 4, and human beta-thromboglobulin. The bovine platelet factor 4 amino-terminal region, which contains two unique phenylalanine residues, is extended by 15 residues relative to human platelet factor 4. The bovine carboxy-terminal region is extended by three residues relative to human platelet factor 4 and differed from beta-thromboglobulin in the absence of two additional terminal residues. Bovine platelet factor 4 shares sequence similarities proportionately with both human platelet factor 4 and beta-thromboglobulin. The sequences of the lysine-rich carboxy-terminal putative heparin binding domains are essentially identical for all three proteins. The heparin neutralizing potencies of bovine and human platelet factor 4 are similar: 40 USP units of heparin neutralized per milligram protein, as measured by a modified chromogenic substrate assay. Heparin neutralization was lost by reduction of the disulfide bonds, but only attenuated by tryptic digestion of the intact protein.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1986

Isolation and identification of a 23,000-dalton heparin binding fragment from the amino terminus of bovine thrombospondin.

Bovine freeze-thaw lysed platelets were fractionated by dextran sulfate affinity chromatography and a purified protein of 23,000 Da was subsequently obtained by G-75 gel filtration of the 0.5 M NaCl fraction. This protein had an amino terminal sequence of Asn-Arg-Ile-Pro-Glu-Ser-Gly-Gly-Asp-Asn-Ser-Val-Phe-Asp-Ile-Phe-Glu-Leu- Thr-Gly-Ala-Ala-Trp-Lys-, a sequence identical to that reported for human thrombospondin. Thrombin-released platelets, fractionated in an identical manner, yielded a protein of 30,000 Da. Immunoblotting of purified bovine platelet thrombospondin and the 150,000- and 30,000-Da plasmin-generated thrombospondin fragments indicated that polyclonal antisera raised against the 23,000-Da protein cross-reacted with intact thrombospondin and the 30,000-Da fragment but not the 150,000-Da fragment. The 23,000-Da protein possessed weak heparin neutralization activity.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1985

Amino acid sequence homology between bovine and human platelet proteins.

The complete amino acid sequence of bovine platelet factor 4 (PF-4) was determined. Comparison of the 88 residue bovine protein with its 70 residue human counterpart indicated 73% homology. There is 53% homology between this bovine protein and another human platelet protein, beta-thromboglobulin (beta-TG). These heparin binding proteins share greatest homology around a lysine-rich octa-peptide near the carboxy-terminus which is the putative heparin binding domain. Graphic comparison of these proteins suggests that a point mutation at position 55 (human PF-4 numbering) could cause a significant difference among the folding properties of these 3 proteins and might be critical for their different heparin binding properties.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1985

In vivo studies on the binding of heparin and its fractions with platelet factor 4.

PF4 has a half-life in plasma of less than 3 minutes, and its rapid clearance appears to be a function of binding to the vascular endothelium. Once bound to the endothelium, PF4 can be released by heparin in a time-dependent manner; recovery is greater the sooner heparin is administered following PF4 infusion. This heparin-induced release of PF4 can be abolished if the heparin is first complexed with hexadimethrine bromide. Likewise, this heparin-induced release of PF4 is dependent upon the type of heparin used; low molecular weight heparin fractions and fragments do not cause the PF4 rebound seen with intact heparin. Thus, it would appear that low molecular weight forms of heparin are advantageous in that their in vivo administration would not be mediated by such platelet modulators as PF4.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Thrombin-elicited contractile responses of aortic smooth muscle.

Human alpha-thrombin at physiologically relevant concentrations of 0.75 to 225 nM (0.01 to 22 clotting units/ml) caused rabbit thoracic aorta to slowly contract in isolated organ baths. Near maximum contractile tension (10% below the irreversible contraction caused by 22 units/ml) was slowly generated by 75 nM alpha-thrombin (8 units/ml) over 18 min and was 50% that of the norepinephrine (NE) control. The initial tonus could only be regained by repeated washing and 60 min equilibration. Tissues were refractory to a second 75 nM alpha-thrombin challenge but responded fully to 1.0 microM NE. Conversion of human alpha-thrombin to nonclotting but estero/amidolytically active gamma-thrombin (less than 0.1% clotting activity) or nitration of the enzyme (1% clotting activity) did not interfere with the contractile activity, whereas chemical conjugates of the parent enzyme at the catalytic site were inactive. Neither atropine, phentolamine, nor indomethacin blocked the thrombin-induced contractions, whereas D-600 was markedly inhibitory. Preincubation of the tissue with inactive forms of thrombin did not prevent the alpha-thrombin-induced response. Removal of the vascular endothelium did not prevent contraction. Aorta preparations with intact endothelium relaxed in the presence of very low concentrations (0.75 to 750 pM) of alpha-thrombin prior to contracting in response to higher concentrations during cumulative dose-response experiments. Our data suggest that catalytically active thrombin forms (alpha- or nonclotting beta- and gamma-thrombins) may have hemostatic functions at the vascular levels in hemostasis.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Serial changes in primary hemostasis after massive transfusion.

Primary hemostasis was studied in 22 injured patients in the operating room (OR) after a minimum of 10 transfusions, 6 and 15 hours after surgery, on postoperative days 2 and 4 and during convalescence (mean 25 days after surgery). The platelet count was low in the OR and continued to fall after surgery through the second postoperative day; it began to rise by day 4 and was above normal at convalescence. Most patients had prolonged bleeding time through day 4. Platelet aggregation with adenosine diphosphate and collagen was depressed in the OR and platelet aggregation remained depressed. The platelet-specific proteins, beta-thromboglobulin and platelet factor 4, were elevated in the OR and fell throughout the first 4 postoperative days. A secondary rise in these proteins occurred at convalescence. Despite severe alterations in both the number and function of platelets after massive transfusion for injury, no patient had clinical oozing. Therefore the routine administration of platelets in comparable patients without "medical bleeding" is unwarranted.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed1984

Thrombospondin fragmentation by alpha-thrombin and resistance to gamma-thrombin.

In the presence of 2mM-Ca2+, alpha-thrombin slowly cleaved thrombospondin (Mr 180 000) into 150 000-Mr and 30 000-Mr fragments. In the absence of Ca2+, the platelet glycoprotein was progressively and completely hydrolysed by 3 units of the enzyme/ml to 130 000-Mr, 95 000-Mr and 65 000-Mr fragments. In contrast, the nonclotting enzyme form, gamma-thrombin, did not hydrolyse the platelet protein either in the presence or in the absence of Ca2+, even at 10-fold higher concentrations of enzyme. Protein-interacting regions removed from the catalytic site, like those required for fibrinogen recognition, are necessary for thrombin proteolysis of thrombospondin.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Antibodies against a 23Kd heparin binding fragment of thrombospondin inhibit platelet aggregation.

Antiserum against a 23Kd heparin binding fragment of thrombospondin inhibits the aggregation of platelets in response to ADP, collagen or thrombin. The antiserum inhibits the secretion-dependent second phase, but not the primary phase of aggregation of platelets responding to ADP. Although immune serum added during the second phase of ADP-induced aggregation causes some inhibition of secretion, it also causes reversal of aggregation to the level produced during primary aggregation. Since thrombospondin is the endogenous lectin of human platelets, these results support the conclusion that the endogenous lectin mediates, at least in part, the secretion-dependent aggregation of platelets. Our data suggest that the region of thrombospondin which contains the heparin binding domain(s) present in the 23Kd fragment play(s) a critical role in secretion-dependent aggregation of platelets.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗
PubMed1984

The interaction of platelet proteins with three fibroblast-derived collagenases.

Three collagenases were purified from the culture medium of human skin fibroblasts using ammonium sulfate fractionation, ion-exchange chromatography and gel filtration. The cationic collagenase had a molecular weight of 42,000; two anionic collagenases had molecular weights of 63,000 and 115,000. Preincubation of the individual collagenases with purified human and bovine platelet heparin binding proteins resulted in the inhibition of the two anionic activities, but only by bovine low heparin affinity platelet protein (beta-TG). Such inhibition was dose-dependent at the microgram level, was not antagonized by heparin, and persisted even when the collagenases had been transformed into their 53,000 and 105,000 forms through treatment with p-aminophenylmercuric acetate. Neither human nor bovine high heparin affinity platelet factors (PF-4) nor human low heparin affinity platelet protein (beta-TG) were inhibitory to any of the three collagenases studied. This suggests that the ability of platelet proteins to inhibit collagenase is specifically influenced by the ionic nature of the enzyme and this inhibition is specifically dependent upon the species and type of platelet protein.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Platelet-released proteins as molecular markers for the activation process.

The desire to have a specific, sensitive marker for platelet activation was originally thought to lie in the development of RIAs for BTG and PF4. Although this wish has not been denied, the interpretation of the information obtained from such an analysis has proved far less rewarding. The principal challenge of these procedures is based upon the lack of a cause and effect relationship between a given disease and platelet activation, coupled with the differential clearance rate and mechanism for each of the discussed proteins. Thus, we have seen that the renal clearance rate and mechanism for each of the discussed proteins. Thus, we have seen that the renal clearance of a patient should be noted prior to interpreting the elevation of BTG. Similarly, since PF4 is removed from the circulation so rapidly, its plasma values tend to be lower than BTG by a factor of 5, although the significance of the BTG to PF4 ratio is questioned. Administration of heparin results in a heparin-induced increase in plasma PF4 levels but not for BTG, and this PF4 increase can be as great as 20-fold. PF4 and BTG values are also directly increased by pressure increases. Taken individually, these mediators each compromise the ability to correlate the significance of platelet protein increases with any single pathologic condition. When viewed collectively, an analysis of platelet-released proteins is best interpreted as an indication that the functional integrity of the platelet has been perturbed; the direct relationship of disease processes to platelet release is far from certain and is simply documented by the use of such described procedures. The final note of caution for these assays is to be found in the recent summary analysis of the standardization of both BTG and PF4. In this study, considerably greater variation among laboratories was noted for PF4 than was seen for BTG, and the study directors concluded that comparisons of results between laboratories should be regarded as unreliable due mainly to the use of different standards for each protein in a given laboratory. The final note of caution for these assays is to be found in the recent summary analysis of the standardization of both BTG and PF4. In this study, considerably greater variation among laboratories was noted for PF4 than was seen for BTG, and the study directors concluded that comparisons of results between laboratories should be regarded as unreliable due mainly to the use of different standards for each protein in a given laboratory.

Blood Platelets↗
PubMed1984

Platelet interactions with polylysine coated beads: a microscopic and chemical analysis.

Gel filtered human platelets were mixed with polylysine coated polyacrylamide beads. Platelet binding to individual beads within one preparation was variable, yet high and the bound platelets appeared to involve non-activated platelets. Some cells appeared to be in contact with more than one bead. When the attachment process was neutralized with 1 mg/ml of polyanionic dextran sulfate, significantly fewer platelets remained attached to the beads. Platelets which were recovered in the washes also were non-activated. Attached cells were capable of being activated and underwent release reactions when exposed to either ADP or thrombin. Release reactions were monitored by the liberation of either serotonin or beta-thromboglobulin. Platelets which were iodinated prior to attachment gave evidence that the failure to neutralize the bead before vortexing resulted in lower specific activities of bound iodine/protein.

Acrylic Resins↗
PubMed1983

TFP inhibits the expression of the endogenous platelet lectin and secretion of alpha-granules.

Activated platelets that have not undergone secretion do not express the endogenous platelet lectin whereas activated platelets that have undergone secretion do express this lectin. Expression of the lectin, secretion of beta-TG and PF-4, and secondary aggregation are inhibited by TFP. These results demonstrate that expression of the endogenous platelet lectin is apparently secretion dependent. Our results also reveal that inhibition of platelet aggregation by TFP apparently is not caused by inhibition of secretion and that there are TFP sensitive and TFP insensitive mechanisms of secretion.

Beta-Globulins↗
PubMed1983

Structural and biological characteristics of connective tissue activating peptide (CTAP-III), a major human platelet-derived growth factor.

Connective tissue activating peptides (CTAPs) extracted from leukocytes and platelets stimulate glycolysis and synthesis of glycosaminoglycan and DNA in cultured human connective tissue cells. CTAP-III, isolated from fresh or outdated human platelets, is a low molecular weight single-chain protein with an isoelectric point of 8.5 that markedly stimulates DNA synthesis and multiple aspects of glycosaminoglycan and proteoglycan metabolism. This report presents a definitive comparison of CTAP-III prepared by two methods [one designated (A), alternative] with similar platelet proteins described by others, beta-thromboglobulin (beta-TG) and low-affinity platelet factor 4 (LA-PF-4). CTAP-III, CTAP-III(A), LA-PF-4, and beta-TG have common antigenic determinants documented by immunoprecipitation and radioimmunoassay. CTAP-III, CTAP-III(A), and LA-PF-4 are biologically active in that they stimulate DNA and glycosaminoglycan synthesis by human synovial cells; beta-TG is inactive. Carboxyl-terminal digestion gave identical terminal sequences for CTAP-III, CTAP-III(A), and beta-TG. Amino-terminal sequence data indicate that CTAP-III and CTAP-III(A) (also LA-PF-4) are identical and differ from beta-TG only by an additional amino-terminal tetrapeptide (Asn-Leu-Ala-Lys-). The biologically active molecule, CTAP-III, may be proteolytically converted to its inactive degradation product (beta-TG) in the course of platelet aging, platelet storage, release from the platelets, or initiation of biological activity.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1983

Chemotactic activity of platelet alpha granule proteins for fibroblasts.

At sites of blood vessel injury, platelets release numerous substances that may have biological activities influencing cellular responses. In this study we examined separately the chemotactic activity for fibroblasts of three highly purified proteins obtained from platelet alpha granules: platelet factor 4 (PF4), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), and beta-thromboglobulin (BTG). We observed that each of these proteins was strongly chemotactic for fibroblasts, with maximum chemotactic activity in each instance comparable to that observed with an optimal concentration of the control chemotactic protein, plasma fibronectin. Each protein was active at very low concentrations. The peak chemotactic activities of PF4, PDGF, and BTG occurred at 200 mg/ml, 30 ng/ml, and 6 ng/ml, respectively. Specificity of fibroblast chemotaxis to individual platelet proteins was provided by finding that anti-PF4 immunoglobulin blocked the chemotactic activity of PF4 without affecting the chemotactic activity of PDGF, while anti-PDGF immunoglobulin blocked the activity of PDGF but did not alter the capacity of PF4 to promote fibroblast chemotaxis. These results suggest that in vivo several alpha granule proteins released from platelets may affect wound healing by causing directed fibroblast migration.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

The phylogenetic position of aardvark (Orycteropus afer) as suggested by its myoglobin.

Skeletal muscle myoglobin of the aardvark (Orycteropus afer) was isolated and its primary structure determined. The amino-acid sequence was then used in conjunction with previously established myoglobin sequences to evaluate the phylogenetic relationships of the aardvark. The most parsimonious trees constructed from this myoglobin sequence data either alone or when combined with lens alpha-crystallin A sequence data depict the aardvark lineage as one of the most ancient among Eutheria.

Amino Acid Sequence↗