CULTURED HUMAN ENDOTHELIAL CELLS BIND AND INTERNALIZE HIGH MOLECULAR WEIGHT KININOGEN

Abstract

The presence of High Molecular Weight kininogen (HMWK) was demonstrated in cultured human endothelial cells (EC) by immunofluorescence techniques. Using an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay a concentration of 58 ng HMWK/10 cells was determined. Immunoprecipitation studies performed with lysed metabolically labelled endothelial cells and mono-specific antisera directed against HMWK suggested that HMWK is not synthesized by the endothelial cells. Endothelial cells cultured in the presence of HMWK-depleted serum did not contain HMWK. This, suggests that endothelial cells can internalize HMWK. Using 125I-HMWK it was demonstrated that cultured endothelial cells bind HMWK in a time-dependent, specific and saturable.way. The cells were found to internalize 125I-HMWK, since I-HMWK was detected in solubilized endothelial cells after the cell bound 125I-HMWK had been eluted with dextran sulphate.The binding of I-HMWK required the presence of zinc ions. Optimal binding of 125I-HMWK was observed at 50 μM Zn++ . Calcium ions inhibited the Zn++ dependent binding of 125I-HMWK |25EC. In the presence of 3 mM CaCl2 the total binding of 125I-HMWK was significantly decreased, and a .concentration of 200 μM Zn++ was Required for the binding of 125I-HMWK to thecells. Higher,. Ca concentrations did not further decrease the binding of 125I-HMWK. Analysis of tl^e binding data by the ligand computer program indicated 3.2 x 10 binding sites per cell for HMWK with a Kd of 35 nM at 50 μM ZnCl2 and 1 mM CaCl2. Specify binding of HMWK did also occur at physiological plasma Zn++ concentrations. Half maximal binding was observed at HMWK concentrations of ± 105 nM at 10 μM ZnCl2 and 45 nM at 25 μM ZnCl2. The HMWK binding sites were saturatecT at HMWK concentrations of 130 nM with 1.6 x 10 molecules of HMWK bound per cell and at 80 nM with 2.8 x 10 molecules of HMWK bound per cell at 10 and 25 pM ZnCl2 respectively. These results suggest that at physiological zinc, calcium and HMWK concentrations the HMWK binding sites on the endothelial cell are saturated. The presence of HMWK on the endothelial cell surface may play a role in the initiation of the intrinsic coagulation pathway. M ZnCl2 and 45 nM at 25 μM ZnCl2. The HMWK binding sites were saturatecT at HMWK concentrations of 130 nM with 1.6 x 10 molecules of HMWK bound per cell and at 80 nM with 2.8 x 10 molecules of HMWK bound per cell at 10 and 25 μM ZnCl2 respectively. These results suggest that at physiological zinc, calcium and HMWK concentrations the HMWK binding sites on the endothelial cell are saturated. The presence of HMWK on the endothelial cell surface may play a role in the initiation of the intrinsic coagulation pathway. M ZnCl2 and 45 nM at 25 μM ZnCl2. The HMWK binding sites were saturatecT at HMWK concentrations of 130 nM with 1.6 x 10 molecules of HMWK bound per cell and at 80 nM with 2.8 x 10 molecules of HMWK bound per cell at 10 and 25 μM ZnCl2 respectively. These results suggest that at physiological zinc, calcium and HMWK concentrations the HMWK binding sites on the endothelial cell are saturated. The presence of HMWK on the endothelial cell surface may play a role in the initiation of the intrinsic coagulation pathway. M ZnCl2 and 45 nM at 25 μM ZnCl2. The HMWK binding sites were saturatecT at HMWK concentrations of 130 nM with 1.6 x 10 molecules of HMWK bound per cell and at 80 nM with 2.8 x 10 molecules of HMWK bound per cell at 10 and 25 μM ZnCl2 respectively. These results suggest that at physiological zinc, calcium and HMWK concentrations the HMWK binding sites on the endothelial cell are saturated. The presence of HMWK on the endothelial cell surface may play a role in the initiation of the intrinsic coagulation pathway.M ZnCl2 and 45 nM at 25 μM ZnCl2. The HMWK binding sites were saturatecT at HMWK concentrations of 130 nM with 1.6 x 16 molecules of HMWK bound per cell and at 80 nM with 2.8 x 106 molecules of HMWK bound per cell at 10 and 25 μM ZnCl2 respectively. These results suggest that at physiological zinc, calcium and HMWK concentrations the HMWK binding sites on the endothelial cell are saturated. The presence of HMWK on the endothelial cell surface may play a role in the initiation of the intrinsic coagulation pathway.