A B S T R A C T The role of fibrinogen as a cofactor for platelet aggregation was examiined by measuring the binding of 1251-labeled hulnan fibrinogen to gelfiltered human platelets both before and after platelet stimulation by ADP and

Transmembrane helices of integrin alpha and beta subunits have been implicated in the regulation of integrin activity. Two mutations, glycine-708 to asparagine-708 (G708N)and methionine-701 to asparagine-701, in the transmembrane helix of the beta3 subunit enabled integrin alphaIIbbeta3 to constitutively bind soluble fibrinogen. Further characterization of the G708N mutant revealed that it induced alphaIIbbeta3 clustering and constitutive phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase. This mutation also enhanced the tendency of the transmembrane helix to form homotrimers. These results suggest that homomeric associations involving transmembrane domains provide a driving force for integrin activation. They also suggest a structural basis for the coincidence of integrin activation and clustering.

A variety of methods exist for the design or selection of antibodies and other proteins that recognize the water-soluble regions of proteins; however, companion methods for targeting transmembrane (TM) regions are not available. Here, we describe a method for the computational design of peptides that target TM helices in a sequence-specific manner. To illustrate the method, peptides were designed that specifically recognize the TM helices of two closely related integrins (alphaIIbbeta3 and alphavbeta3) in micelles, bacterial membranes, and mammalian cells. These data show that sequence-specific recognition of helices in TM proteins can be achieved through optimization of the geometric complementarity of the target-host complex.

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Formation of nitric oxide-derived oxidants has been linked to development of atherosclerosis and associated thrombotic complications. Although systemic levels of protein nitrotyrosine predict risk for coronary artery disease, neither specific proteins targeted for modification nor functional consequences that might contribute to disease pathogenesis have been defined. Here we report a selective increase in circulating levels of nitrated fibrinogen in patients with coronary artery disease. Exposure of fibrinogen to nitrating oxidants, including those produced by the myeloperoxidase-hydrogen peroxide-nitrite system, significantly accelerates clot formation and factor XIII cross-linking, whereas exposure of fibrinogen to non-nitrating oxidants decelerates clot formation. Clots formed with fibrinogen exposed to nitrating oxidants are composed of large bundles made from twisted thin fibrin fibers with increased permeation and a decrease in storage modulus G value, suggesting that these clots could be easily deformed by mechanical stresses. In contrast, clots formed with fibrinogen exposed to non-nitrating oxidants showed decreased permeation with normal architecture. Fibrinogen modified by exposure to physiologic nitration systems demonstrated no difference in the rate of plasmin-induced clot lysis, platelet aggregation, or binding. Thus, increased levels of fibrinogen nitration may lead to a pro-thrombotic state via acceleration in formation of fibrin clots. The present results may account, in part, for the association between nitrative stress and risk for coronary artery disease.Epidemiological studies have indicated that increased levels of circulating fibrinogen is an independent predictor of coronary heart disease and in some cases of premature death from cardiovascular disease, although a causative relationship between high levels of fibrinogen and cardiovascular disease has not been firmly established (1-4). Fibrinogen is a multifunctional protein essential for hemostasis. It is a 340-kDa glycoprotein, consisting of three non-identical peptide chains A␣, B␤, and ␥, which are linked together by 29 disulfide bonds (5). During coagulation, the soluble fibrinogen is converted to insoluble fibrin polymers. The process is initiated by thrombin, a serine protease, which catalyzes the cleavage first of two fibrinopeptides from the amino termini of the A␣ chains and then two fibrinopeptides from the amino termini B␤ chains. Upon release of the fibrinopeptides, the remaining fibrin monomers aggregate spontaneously to form ordered fibrin polymers (5). The clot is stabilized by the formation of covalent bonds introduced by the action of a transglutaminase, factor XIII (6). Under physiological conditions, fibrinolysis is dependent on the binding of circulating plasminogen and tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) 1 to fibrin clots. Urokinase and tPA convert plasminogen to the active protease plasmin, which then cleaves fibrin polymers to soluble fragments completing the coagulation and clot resolution cycle.A major cause...