. The histidine-rich glycoprotein (HRG) of plasma has attracted attention due to its ability to interact with a variety of substances present in the circulation with physiologically relevant affinities. HRG binds metals (Zn, Ni, Cu), heme, and heparin, and associates with plasminogen, fibrinogen and thrombospondin. Notably HRG competes with antithrombin III and heparin cofactor II for heparin, and the activation of plasminogen by tissue plasminogen activator is enhanced by HRG in the presence of fibrinogen or thrombospondin. Moreover, elevated HRG levels have been observed in certain cardiovascular disorders. These activities point to a significant biological function for HRG in hemostasis; however, understanding of this function requires further study. The basic hypothesis of this research proposal is that HRG contains several ligand-binding domains that interact with a variety of ligands of diverse structure and thereby enable HRG to accomplish its role in modulating hemostasis. A prerequisite for elucidation of the mechanisms of action of HRG in hemostasis in vivo is that the activity and structure of HRG and of each of its several domains he defined. A corollary to this hypothesis is that the unique structure of HRG is a major key to understanding how it functions. This hypothesis is supported by our isolation of active fragments of HRG (80 kDa): an N-terminal domain (app. Mr 45 kDa which interacts with plasminogen; a unique histidine-proline-rich domain (app. Mr28kDa) which binds heparin and metals; and a C-terminal domain (app. Mr16kDa) which also binds heparin. An extension of this hypothesis is that the circulating levels of HRG will influence its effects on hemostasis, so that information on the regulation of HRG levels must ultimately be sought.
The specific aims here are to: (1) complete definition of the biochemical bases of the interaction of HRG with heparin, plasmin(ogen), fibrinogen and thrombospondin; (2) continue to characterize the structure, conformation and ligand binding activity of the functional domains of HRG and the interrelationships among these binding domains; (3) extend study of the mechanisms of the modulating effects of HRG on the activation of plasminogen and on plasmin activity; and (4) complete the elucidation of the three-dimensional structure of HRG. The goal of this proposal is the elucidation of the biochemical mechanisms of the biological activities of HRG. The approach taken here is expected to achieve this goal and provide information of importance not only in establishing the mechanisms of action of HRG in vivo but also in the development of diagnostic tools for, and therapeutic approaches to, hemostatic disorders involving HRG.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
2R01HL037570-05A2
Application #
3353354
Study Section
Hematology Subcommittee 2 (HEM)
Project Start
1986-12-01
Project End
1995-06-30
Budget Start
1991-07-10
Budget End
1992-06-30
Support Year
5
Fiscal Year
1991
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Missouri Kansas City
Department
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
800772162
City
Kansas City
State
MO
Country
United States
Zip Code
64110
Borza, D B; Morgan, W T (1997) Acceleration of plasminogen activation by tissue plasminogen activator on surface-bound histidine-proline-rich glycoprotein. J Biol Chem 272:5718-26
Borza, D B; Tatum, F M; Morgan, W T (1996) Domain structure and conformation of histidine-proline-rich glycoprotein. Biochemistry 35:1925-34
Saez, C T; Jansen, G J; Smith, A et al. (1995) Interaction of histidine-proline-rich glycoprotein with plasminogen: effect of ligands, pH, ionic strength, and chemical modification. Biochemistry 34:2496-503
Lamb-Wharton, R J; Morgan, W T (1993) Induction of T-lymphocyte adhesion by histidine-proline-rich glycoprotein and concanavalin A. Cell Immunol 152:544-55
Larsen, R W; Nunez, D J; Morgan, W T et al. (1992) Resonance Raman investigation of the effects of copper binding to iron-mesoporphyrin.histidine-rich glycoprotein complexes. Biophys J 61:1007-17
Hutchens, T W; Yip, T T; Morgan, W T (1992) Identification of histidine-rich glycoprotein in human colostrum and milk. Pediatr Res 31:239-46
Tatum, F; Alam, J; Smith, A et al. (1990) Molecular cloning, nucleotide sequence heterozygosity and regulation of rabbit serum amyloid A cDNA. Nucleic Acids Res 18:7447
Morgan, W T; Deaciuc, V; Riehm, J P (1989) A heme- and metal-binding hexapeptide from the sequence of rabbit plasma histidine-rich glycoprotein. J Mol Recognit 2:122-6
Muhoberac, B B; Burch, M K; Morgan, W T (1988) Paramagnetic probes of the domain structure of histidine-rich glycoprotein. Biochemistry 27:746-52
Burch, M K; Muhoberac, B B; Morgan, W T (1988) Characterization of Cu2+ and Fe3+ -mesoporphyrin complexes with histidine-rich glycoprotein: evidence for Cu2+ -Fe3+ -mesoporphyrin interaction. J Inorg Biochem 34:135-48

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