Identification of residues in the Gla-domain of human factor IX involved in the binding to conformation specific antibodies.

The binding of Ca2+ induces a conformational change in factor IX which can be monitored with conformation specific antibodies. Anti-FIX:Mg(II) antibodies recognize a conformational epitope (FIX') that can be induced by several metal ions such as Ca2+, Mg2+, Mn2+ and Ba2+, while anti-FIX:Ca(II) antibodies recognize a conformational epitope (FIX*) that can be only induced by Ca2+ and Sr2+ ions (Liebman et al., J. Biol. Chem., vol. 262 (1987) pp. 7605-7612). The latter conformation is essential for the function of factor IX. In this study we tried to identify residues in the Gla-domain of factor IX which are involved in binding to anti-factor IX:Mg(II) and anti-factor IX:Ca(II) antibodies. For this we substituted residues in recombinant human factor IX for those of factor X or factor VII. The substitution of residues 1-40 of factor IX by those of factor VII eliminated binding to both types of antibodies. Re-introduction of factor IX specific residues increased the binding to conformation specific anti-factor IX antibodies, but reduced the binding to conformation specific anti-factor VII antibodies, indicating that the structural integrity of the Gla-domain was not seriously affected by the mutations. We provide evidence that residues 33, 39 and 40 of human factor IX are important for binding to anti-factor IX:Mg(II) antibodies, while residues 1-11 are important for binding to anti-factor IX:Ca(II) antibodies.

Modification of the N-terminus of human factor IX by defective propeptide cleavage or acetylation results in a destabilized calcium-induced conformation: effects on phospholipid binding and activation by factor XIa.

The propeptide of human coagulation factor IX (FIX) directs the gamma-carboxylation of the first 12 glutamic acid residues of the mature protein into gamma-carboxyglutamic acid (Gla) residues. The propeptide is normally removed before secretion of FIX into the blood. However, mutation of Arg-4 in the propeptide abolishes propeptide cleavage and results in circulating profactor IX in the blood. We studied three such genetic variants, factor IX Boxtel (Arg-4-->Trp), factor IX Bendorf (Arg-4-->Leu) and factor IX Seattle C (Arg-4-->Gln). These variant profactor IX molecules bind normally to anti-FIX:Mg(II) antibodies, which indicates that the mutations do not seriously affect gamma-carboxylation. Metal ion titration of the binding of variant profactor IX to conformation-specific antibodies demonstrates that the calcium-induced conformation is destabilized in the variant molecules. Also the binding of FIX Boxtel to phospholipids and its activation by factor XIa requires a high (>5 mM) calcium concentration. The three-dimensional structure of the Gla domain of FIX in the presence of calcium indicates that the acylation of the amino-terminus, rather than the presence of the propeptide, was responsible for the destabilization of the calcium-induced conformation. In order to confirm this, the alpha-amino group of Tyr1 of FIX was acetylated. This chemically modified FIX showed a similar destabilization of the calcium-induced conformation to variant profactor IX. Our data imply that the amino-terminus of FIX plays an important role in stabilizing the calcium-induced conformation of the Gla domain of FIX. This conformation is important for the binding to phospholipids as well as for the activation by factor XIa. Our results indicate that mutations in FIX that interfere with propeptide cleavage affect the function of the protein mainly by destabilizing the calcium-induced conformation.

Mutations which introduce free cysteine residues in the Gla-domain of vitamin K dependent proteins result in the formation of complexes with alpha 1-microglobulin.

We have previously described a genetic factor IX variant (Cys18-->Arg) for which we demonstrated that it had formed a heterodimer with alpha 1-microglobulin through formation of a disulphide bond with the remaining free cysteine residue of the disrupted disulphide bond in the Gla-domain of factor IX. Recently, we observed a similar high molecular weight complex for a genetic protein C variant (Arg-1-->Cys). Both the factor IX and the protein C variants have a defect in the calcium induced conformation. In this study we show that the aminoterminus of this protein C variant is prolonged with one amino acid, cysteine. This protein C variant, as well as protein C variants with Arg9-->Cys and Ser12-->Cys mutations which also carry a free cysteine residue, are shown to be present in plasma as a complex with alpha 1-microglobulin. A prothrombin variant with a Tyr44-->Cys mutation, had not formed such a complex. Furthermore, complexes between normal vitamin K-dependent clotting factors and alpha 1-microglobulin were shown to be present in plasma at low concentrations. The data suggest that the presence of an unpaired cysteine residue in the propeptide or the N-terminal half of the Gla-domain has strongly promoted the formation of a complex with alpha 1-microglobulin in the variants.

Factor IX Zutphen: a Cys18-->Arg mutation results in formation of a heterodimer with alpha 1-microglobulin and the inability to form a calcium-induced conformation.

Factor IX Zutphen is a variant factor IX molecule isolated from the blood of a patient with severe haemophilia B. The molecular defect in factor IX Zutphen is a Cys18-->Arg mutation as a result of a T-->C transition at residue 6427 of the factor IX gene of the patient. The mutation disrupts the disulphide bond in the Gla-domain between Cys18 and Cys23. The remaining free cysteine residue results in the formation of a 95 kDa complex with alpha 1-microglobulin through an intermolecular disulphide bond. The same complex circulates at high levels in plasma of carriers of the mutation. The variant molecule has a calcium-binding defect, which is shown not to be caused by incomplete gamma-carboxylation. Factor IX Zutphen can not bind to phospholipids and can not be activated by factor XIa or by factor VIIa-tissue factor complex. Two sequential metal ion-dependent conformational transitions (factor IX-->factor IX'-->factor IX*) have been proposed for human factor IX [Liebman (1987) J. Biol. Chem. 262, 7605-7612], based upon the metal ion requirements for binding to anti-factor IX:Mg(II) antibodies, which are specific for the factor IX' conformation, and anti-factor IX:Ca(II) antibodies, which are specific for the factor IX* conformation. We used these conformation-specific antibodies, and antibodies raised against a synthetic peptide corresponding to residues 35-50 of human factor IX [anti-factor IX(35-50)] to study the metal ion-induced conformation of factor IX Zutphen. The disruption of the disulphide bond in the Gla-domain, maybe in combination with the complex with alpha 1-microglobulin, destabilized the factor IX' conformation. The formation of the factor IX* conformation was prevented independent of the presence of alpha 1-microglobulin. The disulphide bond in the Gla-domain is therefore essential for the calcium-dependent conformation and function of factor IX.