Factor VIII (FVIII) is activated by thrombin-catalyzed cleavage at Arg372, Arg740, and Arg1689. Our previous studies suggested that thrombin interacted with the FVIII C2 domain specific for cleavage at Arg1689. An alternative report demonstrated, however, that a recombinant (r)FVIII mutant lacking the C2 domain retained >50% cofactor activity, indicating the presence of other thrombin-interactive site(s) associated with cleavage at Arg1689. We have focused, therefore, on the A3 acidic region of FVIII, similar to the hirugen sequence specific for thrombin interaction (54-65 residues). Two synthetic peptides, spanning residues 1659-1669 with sulfated Tyr1664 and residues 1675-1685 with sulfated Try1680, inhibited thrombin-catalyzed FVIII activation and cleavage at Arg1689. Treatment with 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-carbodiimide to cross-link thrombin with either peptide showed possible contributions of both 1664-1666 and 1683-1684 residues for thrombin interaction. Thrombin-catalyzed activation and cleavage at Arg1689 in the alanine-substituted rFVIII mutants within 1663-1666 residues were similar to those of wild type (WT). Similar studies of 1680-1684 residues, however, demonstrated that activation and cleavage by thrombin of the FVIII mutant with Y1680A or D1683A/E1684A, in particular, were severely or moderately reduced to 20 to 30% or 60 to 70% of WT, respectively. Surface plasmon resonance-based analysis revealed that thrombin interacted with both Y1680A and D1683A/E1684A mutants with approximately sixfold weaker affinities of WT. Cleavage at Arg1689 in the isolated light-chain fragments from both mutants was similarly depressed, independently of the heavy-chain subunit. In conclusion, the 1680-1684 residues containing sulfated Tyr1680 in the A3 acidic region also contribute to a thrombin-interactive site responsible for FVIII activation through cleavage at Arg1689.
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