Characterization of the integrin specificities of disintegrins isolated from American pit viper venoms

A new series of homologous disintegrins was isolated from the venoms of new world pit viper genus Bothrops, Crotalus, and Lachesis. The relative activities of each disintegrin in blocking adhesive protein binding activities of GPIIb-IIIa, alpha v beta 3, and alpha 5 beta 1 were determined and correlated with their primary amino acid sequences. Four disintegrins contained the RGDW sequence and were found to be approximately twice as effective in blocking the binding of fibrinogen to GPIIb-IIIa than inhibiting the binding of vitronectin to alpha v beta 3 in solid-phase ligand binding assays (IC50 = 7.3 and 17.2 nM, respectively). A second group of seven disintegrins contained the RGDNP sequence and were found to be more potent inhibitors of vitronectin binding to alpha v beta 3 than fibrinogen binding to GPIIb-IIIa (IC50 = 4.3 and 19 nM, respectively). The RGDNP containing disintegrins were also greater than 10-fold more potent than RGDW containing disintegrins in blocking the adhesion of cells mediated by alpha 5 beta 1. These data illustrate that amino acid sequences immediately adjacent to the RGD site of disintegrins can create an extended RGD locus which coupled with conformational display of the RGD sequence may be involved in determining integrin selectivity and affinity. This information has been used in separate studies to design conformationally constrained integrin antagonists with high affinity for platelet GPIIb-IIIa.