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Neutrophil Protease Cleavage of Von Willebrand Factor in Glomeruli - An Anti-thrombotic Mechanism in the Kidney

Tati, Ramesh LU ; Kristoffersson, Ann-Charlotte LU ; Manea Hedström, Minola LU ; Mörgelin, Matthias LU ; Wieslander, Jörgen LU ; van Kooten, Cees and Karpman, Diana LU orcid (2017) In EBioMedicine 16. p.302-311
Abstract

Adequate cleavage of von Willebrand factor (VWF) prevents formation of thrombi. ADAMTS13 is the main VWF-cleaving protease and its deficiency results in development of thrombotic microangiopathy. Besides ADAMTS13 other proteases may also possess VWF-cleaving activity, but their physiological importance in preventing thrombus formation is unknown. This study investigated if, and which, proteases could cleave VWF in the glomerulus. The content of the glomerular basement membrane (GBM) was studied as a reflection of processes occurring in the subendothelial glomerular space. VWF was incubated with human GBMs and VWF cleavage was assessed by multimer structure analysis, immunoblotting and mass spectrometry. VWF was cleaved into the smallest... (More)

Adequate cleavage of von Willebrand factor (VWF) prevents formation of thrombi. ADAMTS13 is the main VWF-cleaving protease and its deficiency results in development of thrombotic microangiopathy. Besides ADAMTS13 other proteases may also possess VWF-cleaving activity, but their physiological importance in preventing thrombus formation is unknown. This study investigated if, and which, proteases could cleave VWF in the glomerulus. The content of the glomerular basement membrane (GBM) was studied as a reflection of processes occurring in the subendothelial glomerular space. VWF was incubated with human GBMs and VWF cleavage was assessed by multimer structure analysis, immunoblotting and mass spectrometry. VWF was cleaved into the smallest multimers by the GBM, which contained ADAMTS13 as well as neutrophil proteases, elastase, proteinase 3 (PR3), cathepsin-G and matrix-metalloproteinase 9. The most potent components of the GBM capable of VWF cleavage were in the serine protease or metalloprotease category, but not ADAMTS13. Neutralization of neutrophil serine proteases inhibited GBM-mediated VWF-cleaving activity, demonstrating a marked contribution of elastase and/or PR3. VWF-platelet strings formed on the surface of primary glomerular endothelial cells, in a perfusion system, were cleaved by both elastase and the GBM, a process blocked by elastase inhibitor. Ultramorphological studies of the human kidney demonstrated neutrophils releasing elastase into the GBM. Neutrophil proteases may contribute to VWF cleavage within the subendothelium, adjacent to the GBM, and thus regulate thrombus size. This anti-thrombotic mechanism would protect the normal kidney during inflammation and could also explain why most patients with ADAMTS13 deficiency do not develop severe kidney failure.

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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
EBioMedicine
volume
16
pages
302 - 311
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:85010871798
  • wos:000395262400042
  • pmid:28139439
ISSN
2352-3964
DOI
10.1016/j.ebiom.2017.01.032
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
d04344c0-2204-412e-9844-74e9c118e33c
date added to LUP
2017-02-08 15:46:35
date last changed
2024-03-17 07:23:27
@article{d04344c0-2204-412e-9844-74e9c118e33c,
  abstract     = {{<p>Adequate cleavage of von Willebrand factor (VWF) prevents formation of thrombi. ADAMTS13 is the main VWF-cleaving protease and its deficiency results in development of thrombotic microangiopathy. Besides ADAMTS13 other proteases may also possess VWF-cleaving activity, but their physiological importance in preventing thrombus formation is unknown. This study investigated if, and which, proteases could cleave VWF in the glomerulus. The content of the glomerular basement membrane (GBM) was studied as a reflection of processes occurring in the subendothelial glomerular space. VWF was incubated with human GBMs and VWF cleavage was assessed by multimer structure analysis, immunoblotting and mass spectrometry. VWF was cleaved into the smallest multimers by the GBM, which contained ADAMTS13 as well as neutrophil proteases, elastase, proteinase 3 (PR3), cathepsin-G and matrix-metalloproteinase 9. The most potent components of the GBM capable of VWF cleavage were in the serine protease or metalloprotease category, but not ADAMTS13. Neutralization of neutrophil serine proteases inhibited GBM-mediated VWF-cleaving activity, demonstrating a marked contribution of elastase and/or PR3. VWF-platelet strings formed on the surface of primary glomerular endothelial cells, in a perfusion system, were cleaved by both elastase and the GBM, a process blocked by elastase inhibitor. Ultramorphological studies of the human kidney demonstrated neutrophils releasing elastase into the GBM. Neutrophil proteases may contribute to VWF cleavage within the subendothelium, adjacent to the GBM, and thus regulate thrombus size. This anti-thrombotic mechanism would protect the normal kidney during inflammation and could also explain why most patients with ADAMTS13 deficiency do not develop severe kidney failure.</p>}},
  author       = {{Tati, Ramesh and Kristoffersson, Ann-Charlotte and Manea Hedström, Minola and Mörgelin, Matthias and Wieslander, Jörgen and van Kooten, Cees and Karpman, Diana}},
  issn         = {{2352-3964}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{01}},
  pages        = {{302--311}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{EBioMedicine}},
  title        = {{Neutrophil Protease Cleavage of Von Willebrand Factor in Glomeruli - An Anti-thrombotic Mechanism in the Kidney}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ebiom.2017.01.032}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.ebiom.2017.01.032}},
  volume       = {{16}},
  year         = {{2017}},
}