To examine the cellular basis for secretion defect-type antithrombin deficiency, we expressed two mutants, P->stop (Pro 429 to stop codon) and AGlu (deletion of Glu 313 ). Pulse-chase experiments using stably transfected BHK cells showed that little ( < 5%) of P -> stop mutant as well as AGlu mutant was secreted and the total amount of radioactivity was significantly reduced, suggesting an intracellular degradation. The degradation was not inhibited by brefeldin A, indicating it occurring in a preGolgi apparatus. However, the degradation was strongly inhibited by proteasomal inhibitors, such as carbobenzoxy-L-leucyl-L-leucyl-L-leucinal (LLL), carbobenzoxy-L-leucyl-L-leucyl-L-norvalinal (LLnV) and lactacystin. By endoglycosidase H digestion and immunofluorescence staining, these mutants were shown to localize in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). These results suggest that the secretion defect-type mutants of antithrombin are degraded by proteasome through the ER-associated quality control mechanism in the cells.
Inherited antithrombin deficiency is associated with a predisposition for familial venous thromboembolic disease. Pleiotropic effect-type mutants of antithrombin that have an amino acid replacement in a distal hinge region including strands 1C, 4B, and 5B of the polypeptide chain are known to exhibit impaired interactions with both thrombin and heparin, coupled with a secretion defect. To examine the mechanism of pleiotropic effect-type antithrombin deficiency, we expressed three mutants, Oslo (Ala404-->Thr), Kyoto (Arg406-->Met), and Utah (Pro407-->Leu), in baby hamster kidney (BHK) cells, and compared their secretion rates, affinities for heparin and abilities to form thrombin-antithrombin (TAT) complexes with those of wild-type (Wt) antithrombin. Pulse-chase experiments showed that the Oslo- and Kyoto-mutants were secreted at rates similar to Wt antithrombin. In contrast, the Utah-mutant underwent partial intracellular degradation. The intracellular degradation of the Utah-mutant was not inhibited by lysosomotropic inhibitors, but by proteasome inhibitors such as carbobenzoxy-L-leucyl-L-leucyl-L-leucinal (LLL) and lactacystin, indicating that a part of the Utah-mutant was degraded by proteasome through quality control in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Crossed immunoelectrophoresis in the presence of heparin showed that only the Oslo-mutant lacks heparin-binding ability. Incubation with thrombin showed that the Kyoto- and Utah-mutants, but not the Oslo-mutant, formed a weak but detectable TAT complex. Furthermore, heparin enhanced the TAT complex formation by the Kyoto- and Utah-mutants, suggesting heparin cofactor activities of these mutants. These results show that each of the Oslo-, Kyoto-, and Utah-mutants exhibits different properties as to secretion, intracellular degradation and functional activity, although they are grouped as pleiotropic effect-type mutants.
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