The presence of γ′ chain impairs fibrin polymerization

A fraction of fibrinogen molecules contain an alternatively spliced variant chain called γ’. Plasma levels of this variant have been associated with both myocardial infarction and venous thrombosis. Because clot structure has been associated with cardiovascular risk, we examined the effect of γ’ chain on clot structure

River otter hair structure facilitates interlocking to impede penetration of water and allow trapping of air

Unlike many other mammals spending a considerable amount of time in water, river otters (Lutra canadensis (Schreber, 1777)) do not have a thick layer of body fat. Instead, they have a very densely packed layer of thin underhairs. The structure of river otter hair was examined by scanning electron microscopy and polarizing light microscopy. Guard hairs were hollow and became thicker distally and then tapered to a point and had different cuticle scales in proximal and distal regions. The cuticle of the thin underhairs had a striking pattern of sharply sculpted fins with deep grooves between them; usually there were four fins at each level, rotated 45° with respect to those at an adjacent level. Underhairs varied in diameter and the scales were sometimes petal-shaped. Polarizing light microscopy images showed interlocking arrangements of the underhairs that help to impede the penetration of water. Also, these images showed that the grooves between fins or petals of underhairs entrap air bubbles. The structure of the hairs allows them to interact loosely with each other, despite variations in size and structure. Furthermore, the nature of the interactions between the fins and depressions allows space between the hairs that can trap air bubbles to increase the thermal insulation of the otter\u27s coat. © 2005 NRC

Homophenotypic Aalpha R16H fibrinogen (Kingsport): uniquely altered polymerization associated with slower fibrinopeptide A than fibrinopeptide B release

We detail for the first time the uniquely altered fibrin polymerization of homophenotypic Aalpha R16H dysfibrinogen. By polymerase chain reaction amplification and DNA sequencing, our new proposita's genotype consisted of a G>A transition encoding for Aalpha R16H, and an 11 kb Aalpha gene deletion. High-performance liquid chromatography disclosed fibrinopeptide A release approximately six times slower than its fibrinopeptide B. Turbidimetric analyses revealed unimpaired fibrin repolymerization, and abnormal thrombin-induced polymerization (1-7 mumol/l fibrinogen, > 96% coagulable), consisting of a prolonged lag time, slow rate, and abnormal clot turbidity maxima, all varying with thrombin concentration. For example, at 0.2-3 U/ml, the resulting turbidity maxima ranged from lower to higher than normal control values. By scanning electron microscopy, clots formed by 0.3 and 3 thrombin U/ml displayed mean fibril diameters 42 and 254% of the respective control values (n = 400). Virtually no such differences from control values were demonstrable, however, when clots formed in the presence of high ionic strength (micro = 0.30) or of monoclonal antibeta(15-42)IgG. The latter also prolonged the thrombin clotting time approximately three-fold. Additionally, thrombin-induced clots displayed decreased elastic moduli, with G' values of clots induced by 0.3, 0.7 and 3 thrombin U/ml corresponding to 11, 34, and 45% of control values. The results are consistent with increased des-BB fibrin monomer generation preceding and during polymerization. This limited the inherent gelation delay, decreased the clot stiffness, and enabled a progressively coarser, rather than finer, network induced by increasing thrombin concentrations. We hypothesize that during normal polymerization these constitutive des-BB fibrin monomer properties attenuate their des-AA fibrin counterparts

Hypodysfibrinogenaemia due to production of mutant fibrinogen alpha-chains lacking fibrinopeptide A and polymerisation knob 'A'

Inherited disorders of fibrinogen are rare and affect either the quantity (hypofibrinogenaemia and afibrinogenaemia) or the quality of the circulating fibrinogen (dysfibrinogenaemia) or both (hypodysfibrinogenaemia). Extensive allelic heterogeneity has been found for all these disorders: in congenital afibrinogenaemia for example more than 40 mutations, the majority in FGA , have been identified in homozygosity or in compound heterozygosity. Numerous mutations have also been identified in patients with hypofibrinogenaemia, many of these patients are in fact heterozygous carriers of afibrinogenaemia mutations. Despite the number of genetic analyses performed, the study of additional patients still allows the identification of novel mutations. Here we describe the characterization of a novel FGA intron 2 donor splice-site mutation (Fibrinogen Montpellier II) identified in three siblings with hypodysfibrinogenaemia. Functional analysis of RNA produced by the mutant minigene in COS-7 cells revealed that the mutation led to the in-frame skipping of exon 2. Western blot analysis of COS-7 cells expressing an exon 2 deleted FGA cDNA revealed that an alpha-chain lacking exon 2, which codes in particular for fibrinopeptide A and polymerisation knob 'A', has the potential to be assembled into a hexamer and secreted. Analysis of precipitated fibrinogen from patient plasma showed that the defect leads to the presence in the circulation of alpha-chains lacking knob 'A' which is essential for the early stages of fibrin polymerisation. Fibrin made from purified patient fibrinogen clotted with thrombin displayed thinner fibers with frequent ends and large pores