• Factor Xa activates PAR3 in the presence of EPCR by noncanonical cleavage at Arg41.• Noncanonical PAR3 activation induces Tie2 activation, upregulation and redistribution of ZO-1, and stabilization of tight junctions.Endothelial barrier protective effects of activated protein C (APC) require the endothelial protein C receptor (EPCR), protease-activated receptor (PAR) 1, and PAR3. In contrast, PAR1 and PAR3 activation by thrombin results in barrier disruption. Noncanonical PAR1 and PAR3 activation by APC vs canonical activation by thrombin provides an explanation for the functional selectivity of these proteases. Here we found that factor Xa (FXa) activated PAR1 at canonical Arg41 similar to thrombin but cleaved PAR3 at noncanonical Arg41 similar to APC. This unique PAR1-PAR3 activation profile permitted the identification of noncanonical PAR3 activation as a novel activation pathway for barrier protective tunica intima endothelial receptor tyrosine kinase 2 (Tie2). APC, FXa, and the noncanonical PAR3 tetheredligand peptide induced prolonged activation of Tie2, whereas thrombin and the canonical PAR3 tethered-ligand peptide did not. Tie2 activation by FXa required PAR3 and EPCR. FXa and the noncanonical PAR3 tethered-ligand peptide induced Tie2-and PAR3-dependent upregulation of tight-junction-associated protein zona occludens 1 (ZO-1), translocation of ZO-1 to cell-cell borders, and the formation of typical ZO-1 honeycomb patterns that are indicative of tight-junction stabilization. These data provide intriguing novel insights into the diversification of functional selectivity of protease signaling achievable by canonical and noncanonical PAR activation, such as the activation of vascular-protective Tie2 by noncanonical PAR3 activation. (Blood. 2014;124(23):3480-3489) Introduction Protease-activated receptors (PARs) are G protein-coupled receptors that comprise a subfamily of 4 receptors (PAR1, PAR2, PAR3, and PAR4). The PARs are unique in that they carry their own encrypted ligand encoded in the extracellular N-terminal tail. Proteolysis by coagulation or vascular proteases creates a new N-terminal tethered ligand that activates the PAR. Multiple proteases can activate PARs with each protease displaying a unique specificity for the different receptors.1 Efficient activation of PAR1 by thrombin is driven by binding of exosite I to the hirudin-like sequence of PAR1, thereby optimally positioning Arg41 in the active site of thrombin.2 Other proteases make use of coreceptors for efficient PAR activation. For instance, tissue factor permits PAR1 and PAR2 activation by the ternary complex, and the endothelial protein C receptor (EPCR) enhances activation of PAR1, PAR2, and PAR3 by activated protein C (APC).
3-5The requirement of PAR1 for APC's cytoprotective effects created a conundrum because PAR1 activation by thrombin generally results in opposite proinflammatory and endothelial barrier disruptive effects.
5,6The discordant effects of PAR1 activation by thrombin vs APC are perhaps most apparent for the regula...