Blood coagulation factor VII is a vitamin K dependent glycoprotein which in its activated form, factor VIIa, participates in the coagulation process by activating factor X and/or factor IX in the presence of Ca2+ and tissue factor. Three types of potential posttranslational modifications exist in the human factor VIIa molecule, namely, 10 gamma-carboxylated, N-terminally located glutamic acid residues, 1 beta-hydroxylated aspartic acid residue, and 2 N-glycosylated asparagine residues. In the present study, the amino acid sequence and posttranslational modifications of recombinant factor VIIa as purified from the culture medium of a transfected baby hamster kidney cell line have been compared to human plasma factor VIIa. By use of HPLC, amino acid analysis, peptide mapping, and automated Edman degradations, the protein backbone of recombinant factor VIIa was found to be identical with human factor VIIa. Neither recombinant factor VIIa nor human plasma factor VIIa was found to contain beta-hydroxyaspartic acid. In human plasma factor VIIa, the 10 N-terminally located glutamic acid residues were found to be fully gamma-carboxylated whereas 9 full and 1 partial gamma-carboxylated residues were found in the corresponding positions of the recombinant factor VIIa molecule. Asparagine residues 145 and 322 were found to be fully N-glycosylated in human plasma factor VIIa. In the recombinant factor VIIa, asparagine residue 322 was fully glycosylated whereas asparagine residue 145 was only partially (approximately 66%) glycosylated. Besides minor differences in the sialic acid and fucose contents, the overall carbohydrate compositions were nearly identical in recombinant factor VIIa and human plasma factor VIIa.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

SummaryPatients, receiving rFVIIa for treatment of bleeding disorders, have been followed for specific antibody formation. No antibodies against FVII were demonstrated in 170 patients, with hemophilia, or with acquired inhibitors to clotting factors. Of 6 FVII-deficient patients, one overdosed patient developed antibodies to human FVII. There was no indication of de novo formation of antibodies to potential contaminating foreign protein, which could be correlated to the rFVIIa treatment. Except for the FVII-deficient population, which may represent a risk group, rFVIIa appears to be immunologically safe for use in patient groups with bleeding disorders, including hemophilia A and B patients.

Coagulation factor VIII is a glycosylated, non-covalent heterodimer consisting of a heavy chain (A1-A2-B domains) and a light chain (A3-C1-C2 domains). The association of the chains, and the stability and function of the dimer depend on the presence of metal ions. We applied X-ray fluorescence, X-ray crystallographic structure determination with anomalous signals at different wavelengths, and colorimetric measurements to evaluate the metal binding sites in a recombinant factor VIII molecule, turoctocog alfa. We identified a metal binding site in domain A3 dominated by Cu(+) binding and a site in domain A1 dominated by Zn(2+) binding.

Coagulation factor VII contains ten ~,.carbox),glutamic acid residues in the N-terminal region (Gla-domailO which are essential for the hemostatie function of FVII. The pre~ent study shows that granulocyte cathepsin G degrades the Gla-domain of FVlla in vitro. Characterization of the truncated FVIIa by SDS-PAGE and N-terminal amino acid sequence analysis revealed that cleavage had occurred between Tyr-44 and Ser-45 and that further cleavage was only obtained on e~tensive cathepsin G exposure. Cleavage of vitamin K-dependent coagulation factors by ¢athepsin G may play a role in vivo, and it offers a convenient way of obtaining proteitas deprived of their Gin-domain for functional and structural studies.

The heavy chain of coagulation factor VII contains a serine esterase entity. A partial cleavage in the heavy chain occurs during purification and activation of the single‐chain zymogen, presumably as a result of autolysis. Neutrophil cathepsin G initially generates a Gla‐domainless FVIIa without coagulant activity. However, on extended exposure cleavage also occurs in the heavy chain, resulting in a complete loss of enzyme activity. Four cleavage sites on the heavy chain, two susceptible to trypsin‐like autolysis and two susceptible to chymotrypsin‐like cathepsin G‐mediated catalysis have been identified. The hydrolysis of peptide bonds in the heavy chain might contribute to regulation of the coagulation process in vivo.