Biochemical characterization of procoagulant albumin

Procoagulant albumin (Pro-Alb) is an anionic form of albumin isolated from normal human plasma that regulates vascular endothelial cell hemostatic properties, including induction of tissue factor activity. We investigated the biochemical modification of Pro-Alb that was associated with procoagulant-inducing activity. Tryptic digestion of Pro-Alb identified greatest bioactivity in the carboxy-terminus of the molecule, a region associated with lipid binding sites. Activated charcoal treatment and phopholipase C digestion reduced the procoagulant-inducing activity of Pro-Alb, and Pro-Alb contained 2.3-fold more phosphorus than inactive albumin. We conclude that modification of albumin by phospholipid imparts tissue factor-inducing activity to Pro-Alb.