Deletion of murine kininogen gene 1 (mKng1) causes loss of plasma kininogen and delays thrombosis

Blood. 2008 Feb 1;111(3):1274-81. doi: 10.1182/blood-2007-06-092338. Epub 2007 Nov 13.

Abstract

High-molecular-weight kininogen (HK) plays an important role in the assembly of the plasma kallikrein-kinin system. While the human genome contains a single copy of the kininogen gene, 3 copies exist in the rat (1 encoding K-kininogen and 2 encoding T-kininogen). Here, we confirm that the mouse genome contains 2 homologous kininogen genes, mKng1 and mKng2, and demonstrate that these genes are expressed in a tissue-specific manner. To determine the roles of these genes in murine development and physiology, we disrupted mKng1, which is expressed primarily in the liver. mKng1(-/-) mice were viable, but lacked plasma HK and low-molecular-weight kininogen (LK), as well as DeltamHK-D5, a novel kininogen isoform that lacks kininogen domain 5. Moreover, despite normal tail vein bleeding times, mKng1(-/-) mice displayed a significantly prolonged time to carotid artery occlusion following Rose Bengal administration and laser-induced arterial injury. These results suggest that a single gene, mKng1, is responsible for production of plasma kininogen, and that plasma HK contributes to induced arterial thrombosis in mice.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Bradykinin / blood
  • Gene Deletion
  • Genetic Vectors / genetics
  • Homozygote
  • Kininogens / chemistry
  • Kininogens / deficiency
  • Kininogens / genetics
  • Kininogens / metabolism*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Plasma / metabolism*
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Thrombosis / genetics
  • Thrombosis / metabolism*
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Kininogens
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Bradykinin