Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, a fatal disease characterized with disseminated platelet thrombosis in arterioles and capillaries, has been associated with HIV infection. Although plasma exchange or infusion is highly effective and has been the standard treatment since late 1970's, the incidence and case mortality rate of TTP increased by 16 and 3 folds respectively from 1971 to 1991. Concern has been raised that if the trend continues, TTP may become a serious public health problem. The etiologies and pathogenesis of TTP remain uncertain. Abundance of vWF in TTP lesions, as well as frequent occurrence of vWF multimer abnormalities, suggests that TTP is associated with a defect in the regulation of the size of vWF. In normal circulation, vWF, upon release from endothelial cells, is cleaved by a novel plasma metalloproteinase to become smaller forms. Our studies have demonstrated that vWF, when exposed to shear stress in the absence of the proteinase, exhibits an increase in its adhesive activity. Thus, vWF-cleaving proteinase may play a critical role in the prevention of platelet thrombosis.
The aim of this project is to determine whether a deficiency in vWF proteinase is involved in the pathogenesis of platelet thrombosis in HIV-related as well as in idiopathic TTP. In a preliminary study of 39 samples from 37 patients with acute episodes of TTP, two of whom were seropositive for HIV, a severe deficiency in the vWF-cleaving proteinase activity was detected in 100 percent of the cases. Inhibitory IgG antibodies to the proteinase were found in at least two third of the TTP plasmas. The deficiency was highly specific since it was not detected in 16 plasmas obtained at remission of TTP or 74 plasmas obtained from normal subjects as well as patients with thrombocytopenia, hemolysis, or thrombosis due to other causes. This project will expand the study on the prevalence and causes of the vWF proteinase deficiency in HIV-related and idiopathic TTP and other disorders with thrombocytopenia and microangiopathic hemolysis, will isolate and clone the vWF proteinase, and will explore, in in vitro and in vivo models, how a deficiency in vWF-cleaving metalloproteinase may lead to platelet thrombosis as encountered in TTP.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01HL062136-03
Application #
6343646
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG5-AARR-6 (01))
Program Officer
Ganguly, Pankaj
Project Start
1999-01-01
Project End
2003-12-31
Budget Start
2001-01-01
Budget End
2001-12-31
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2001
Total Cost
$263,247
Indirect Cost
Name
Montefiore Medical Center (Bronx, NY)
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
New York
State
NY
Country
United States
Zip Code
10467
Tsai, Han-Mou (2014) A mechanistic approach to the diagnosis and management of atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome. Transfus Med Rev 28:187-97
Tsai, Han-Mou (2013) Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura and the atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome: an update. Hematol Oncol Clin North Am 27:565-84
Tsai, Han-Mou (2013) Untying the knot of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura and atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome. Am J Med 126:200-9
Tsai, Eugenia; Chapin, John; Laurence, Jeffrey C et al. (2013) Use of eculizumab in the treatment of a case of refractory, ADAMTS13-deficient thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura: additional data and clinical follow-up. Br J Haematol 162:558-9
Tsai, Han-Mou (2012) Autoimmune thrombotic microangiopathy: advances in pathogenesis, diagnosis, and management. Semin Thromb Hemost 38:469-82
Tsai, Han-Mou (2012) von Willebrand factor, shear stress, and ADAMTS13 in hemostasis and thrombosis. ASAIO J 58:163-9
Tsai, Han-Mou (2010) Pathophysiology of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura. Int J Hematol 91:1-19
Tsai, Han-Mou (2010) Excessive activation of the complement system in atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome: is it ready for prime time? Kidney Int 77:267-9
Larrea, Luis; Calabuig, María; Roldán, Vanesa et al. (2009) The influence of riboflavin photochemistry on plasma coagulation factors. Transfus Apher Sci 41:199-204
Tsai, Han-Mou (2009) Mechanisms of microvascular thrombosis in thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura. Kidney Int Suppl :S11-4

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