Functional analysis of the C-terminal flanking sequence of platelet glycoprotein Ib alpha using canine-human chimeras

Platelet glycoprotein Ib-IX-V (GPIb-IX-V) mediates adhesion to von Willebrand factor (vWF) in (patho)physiological thrombus formation. vWF binds the N-terminal 282 residues of GPIb alpha, consisting of an N-terminal flank (His1-Ile35), 7 leucine-rich repeats (Leu36-Ala200), a C-terminal flank (Phe201-Gly268), and a sulfated tyrosine sequence (Asp269-Glu282). By expressing canine-human chimeras of GPIb alpha on Chinese hamster ovary cells, binding sites for functional anti-GPIb alpha antibodies to individual domains were previously mapped, and it was shown that leucine-rich repeats 2 to 4 were required for optimal vWF recognition under static or flow conditions. Using novel canine-human chimeras dissecting the C-terminal flank, it is now demonstrated that (1) Phe201-Glu225 contains the epitope for AP1, an anti-GPIb alpha monoclonal antibody that inhibits both ristocetin- and botrocetin-dependent vWF binding; (2) VM16d, an antibody that preferentially inhibits botrocetin-dependent vWF binding, recognizes the sequence Val226-Gly268, surrounding Cys248, which forms a disulfide-bond with Cys209; (3) vWF binding to chimeric GPIb alpha is comparable to wild-type in 2 chimeras in which the sixth leucine-rich repeat was of the same species as the first disulfide loop (Phe201-Cys248) of the C-terminal flank, suggesting an interaction between these domains may be important for optimal vWF binding; and (4) replacing the C-terminal flank second disulfide loop (Asp249-Gly268) in human GPIb alpha with the corresponding canine sequence enhanced vWF binding under static and flow conditions, providing the first evidence for a gain-of-function phenotype associated with the second loop of the C-terminal flank.