Some factor VIII inhibitor antibodies recognize a common epitope corresponding to C2 domain amino acids 2248 through 2312, which overlap a phospholipid-binding site.

The finding that human factor VIII (fVIII) inhibitor antibodies with C2 domain epitopes interfere with the binding of fVIII to phosphatidylserine (PS) suggested that this is the mechanism by which they inactivate fVIII. We constructed a recombinant C2 domain polypeptide and demonstrated that it bound to all six human inhibitors with fVIII light chain specificity. Thus, some antibodies within the polyclonal anti-light chain population require only amino acids within C2 for binding. Recombinant C2 also partially or completely neutralized the inhibitor titer of these plasmas, demonstrating that anti-C2 antibodies inhibit fVIII activity. Immunoblotting of a series of C2 deletion polypeptides, expressed in Escherichia coli, with inhibitor plasmas showed that the epitopes for human inhibitors consist of a common core of amino acid residues 2248 through 2312 with differing extensions for individual inhibitors. The epitope of inhibitory monoclonal antibody (MoAb) ESH8 was localized to residues 2248 through 2285. Three human antibodies and anti-C2 MoAb NMC-VIII/5 bound to a synthetic peptide consisting of amino acids 2303 through 2332, a PS-binding site, but MoAb ESH8 did not. These antibodies also inhibited the binding of fVIII to synthetic phospholipid membranes of PS and phosphatidylcholine, confirming that the blocked epitopes contribute to membrane binding as well as binding to PS. In contrast, MoAb ESH8 did not inhibit binding. As the maximal function of activated fVIII in the intrinsic factor Xase complex requires its binding to a phospholipid membrane, we propose that fVIII inhibition by anti-C2 antibodies is related to the overlap of their epitopes with the PS-binding site. MoAb ESH8 did not inhibit fVIII binding to PS-containing membranes, suggesting the existence of a second mechanism of fVIII inhibition by anti-C2 antibodies.

A role for the C2 domain of factor VIII in binding to von Willebrand factor.

We examined the possibility that the C2 domain, amino acid residues 2173-2332, of factor VIII (fVIII) contains a binding site for von Willebrand factor (vWf) to clarify previous data showing that some monoclonal and human inhibitor antibodies with epitopes in C2 prevent fVIII-vWf binding. We constructed a fusion protein, glutathione S-transferase-C2, which binds to immobilized vWf in a dose-dependent saturable fashion, suggesting that the fVIII C2 domain contains a binding site for vWf. This site was further localized by testing the effect of a synthetic peptide on fVIII-vWf binding. Peptide 2303-2332, consisting of a previously identified phosphatidyl-serine binding site, prevented fVIII binding to vWf, suggesting that the sites for fVIII binding to vWf or phosphatidylserine have some overlap. The effect of anti-C2 domain antibodies further supported these observations. The inhibition of fVIII binding to vWf by monoclonal antibody NMC-VIII/5 IgG or F(ab)'2 (epitope within residues 2170-2327) and by inhibitor antibody MU IgG or Fab' (epitope within residues 2248-2312) was demonstrated by a fluid-phase binding assay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Two monoclonal antibodies with epitopes within amino acid residues 2170-2218 or 2248-2285, which do not overlap the phosphatidylserine binding site, did not have any inhibitory effect. Our data suggest that the previously described antagonistic binding of vWf and phospholipid to fVIII is due to the involvement of some C2 domain amino acids in both processes.

Kinetic analyses of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex from Candida 107 (NCYC 911).

Candida 107 (NCYC 911) accumulates up to 45% of the biomass as triglycerides under conditions of nitrogenous substrate limitation in the medium. In oilseeds and adipocytes, lipid accumulation is preceded and accompanied by increased activity of key enzymes such as pyruvate dehydrogenase. However, in Candida 107, the activity of this complex was greatly reduced during lipogenesis. The initial velocity patterns were in accordance with a Hexa Uni Ping Pong mechanism. The Km values for the various substrates were similar to those found for the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, but much higher than those reported for the mammalian enzyme. Product inhibition studies indicated that the Ki for acetyl coenzyme A and NADH were higher than those reported for other yeasts. The values for Ki were similar to those found for the liver enzyme, whereas the enzyme complex from heart had much lower Ki values for products. It has been suggested that in the heart and kidney, pyruvate dehydrogenase is regulated by product inhibition whereas in the liver this does not appear to be the mechanism. Therefore, it is probable, that like the liver enzyme, pyruvate dehydrogenase from Candida 107 may not be regulated by product inhibition.