Identification of heparin interaction sites on thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor that modulate plasmin-mediated activation, thermal stability, and antifibrinolytic potential

Thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI) is a plasma zymogen that provides a molecular link between coagulation and fibrinolysis. Studies have shown that the presence of glycosaminoglycans accelerates TAFI activation by plasmin and stabilizes activated TAFI (TAFIa). Objectives: We aimed to define the elements of TAFI structure that allow these effects.

Basic residues in the dynamic flap of TAFIa define a functionally relevant heparin-binding site, but additional heparin-binding sites may be present on TAFI.

Based on crystallographic studies and homology to heparin-binding proteins, we performed mutagenesis of surface-exposed charged residues on TAFI that putatively constitute heparin-binding sites. We determined heparin binding, kinetics of activation by plasmin in the presence or absence of heparin, thermal stability, and antifibrinolytic potential of each variant.

Mutagenesis of Lys211 and Lys212 did not impair heparin binding but affected the ability of TAFI to be activated by plasmin. Mutagenesis of Lys306 and His308 did not impair heparin binding, but mutation of His308 had a severe negative effect on TAFI/TAFIa function. Mutation of Arg320 and Lys324 in combination markedly decreased heparin binding but had no effect on heparin-mediated acceleration of TAFI activation by plasmin while somewhat decreasing TAFIa stabilization by heparin. Mutagenesis of Lys327 and Arg330 decreased (but did not eliminate) heparin binding while decreasing the ability of heparin to accelerate plasmin-mediated TAFI activation, stabilize TAFIa, and increase the antifibrinolytic ability of TAFIa. A quadruple mutant of Arg320, Lys324, Lys327, and Arg330 completely lost heparin-binding ability and stabilization of the enzyme by heparin.