Full-length human tissue factor pathway inhibitor inhibits human activated protein C in the presence of heparin

Abstract

Previous studies have demonstrated that tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) purified from a hepatoma cell line failed to inhibit human activated protein C (APC) or human thrombin. In the present study, we have examined the ability of full-length TFPI and a truncated form of TFPI lacking the third Kunitz-type domain and C-terminal tail (TFPI 1–161) to inhibit the amidolytic activity of human APC in the presence and absence of heparin. TFPI readily inhibited APC amidolytic activity only in the presence of heparin, whereas TFPI 1–161 failed to inhibit APC amidolytic activity in the presence or absence of heparin. Optimal inhibition of APC by TFPI was observed at 1 U/ml heparin. The results of competition studies between factor Xa and APC for inhibition by TFPI in the presence of heparin suggested that the second Kunitz-type domain in TFPI was responsible for the inhibition of APC.