Von Willebrand Factor Variants Research Articles

The common VWF variant p.Y1584C: detailed pathogenic examination of an enigmatic sequence change

BackgroundAs knowledge of the human genome has advanced, so too has the recognition that interpretation of the pathogenic nature of sequence variants can be challenging. The von Willebrand factor (VWF) gene exhibits a significant degree of sequence variability, and the first VWF variant associated with type 1 von Willebrand disease (VWD), c.4751 A>G, p.Y1584C, was described in 2003. However, since that time, the pathogenic nature of this variant has remained unclear, being assigned properties ranging from a risk factor to a pathogenic variant. ObjectivesTo provide additional evaluation on the interpretation of pathogenicity for this common VWF variant. MethodsFifty-eight subjects with only the p.Y1584C variant were recruited from 2 cohort studies (the Zimmerman Program and the Canadian type 1 VWD study). Clinical and laboratory phenotypes were assessed. ResultsThe prevalence of the p.Y1584C variant in our cohorts was 23- to 27-fold higher than that in large normal population databases. Significantly more p.Y1584C subjects had an abnormal bleeding score when compared to Y1584 individuals. In comparison with a group of 35 subjects without the p.Y1584C variant, subjects with the variant had lower mean VWF:antigen and VWF:ristocetin cofactor values and significantly higher VWF propeptide/VWF:antigen ratios suggestive of enhanced clearance. ConclusionCollectively, the results of this analysis suggest that p.Y1584C is likely pathogenic, however, due to influences such as incomplete penetrance, variable expressivity, and other genetic modifiers like ABO blood group, the straightforward assignment of pathogenicity to this variant is inevitably challenging.

Characterization and Quantification of Von Willebrand Factor Proteoforms in Von Willebrand Disease Patients and Healthy Controls: Insights from the Win-Study

Background: Von Willebrand disease (VWD) is a commonly inherited bleeding disorder which is characterized by either low (type 1) or absent (type 3) levels of Von Willebrand factor (VWF) or by the occurrence of dysfunctional VWF proteoforms (type 2) in plasma. The complexity of diagnosing and managing VWD arises from limited understanding of the diverse VWF proteoforms present in both healthy individuals as well as in VWD patients. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the plasma proteome and to characterize VWF proteoforms in Von Willebrand disease (VWD) patients, that were enrolled in the Willebrand in the Netherlands (WiN) 1 study, compared with healthy controls. Method: We selected type 1, type 2A, type 2M, type 2N and type 3 patients from the WiN cohort for which extensive laboratory- and genotype data were available. Plasma from 64 VWD patients and ten healthy controls was analyzed using a combination of discovery- and targeted mass spectrometry-based approaches. Results: Both discovery-based as well as targeted quantitative proteomics analysis revealed significant variation in VWF levels across the selected VWD patient group, which was in line with reported clinical laboratory data. Elevated VWF-propeptide/VWF ratios were observed in plasma samples from a range of VWD patients, with notable increases observed in VWD type 2A, B, and M, indicating accelerated clearance of these VWF proteoforms. Discovery-based proteomics revealed a strong VWF-F8 relationship in all VWD subtypes and healthy controls, except for type 2N VWD. We were able to identify peptides corresponding with common polymorphisms ( e.g. p.Thr798Ala, p.Gln852Arg, p.Thr1381Ala), for which the observed peptide distribution was in line with the minor allele frequency reported by the Broad institute. In addition, we identified peptides corresponding with 16 pathogenic VWF variants (e.g. p.Arg1306Trp, p. Phe1293Leu, p.Cys1190Arg, p.Arg1374His or p.Tyr1584Cys) of which p.Cys1190Arg wild-type and variant peptide aligned with the zygosity at DNA level (Figure X). Based on spike-in with stable isotope-labeled peptides, the variant-to-wildtype ratios varied among VWD patients with distinct pathogenic variants, ranging from 0.5-2.5 in type 2M (p.Phe1293Leu) and type 1 patients (p.Tyr1584Cys), <1 in type 2A patients (p.Arg1374His), to >8 in type 2B patients (p.Arg1306Trp), suggesting distinct stoichiometry of VWF variants among these patients (Figure 2). Conclusion: Our study highlights the feasibility of VWF proteoform identification and quantification from plasma and suggest a potential role in unravelling their contribution to the biological variations and clinical diversity observed in VWD. 1 De Wee et al., Determinants of bleeding phenotype in adult patients with moderate or severe von Willebrand disease. Thromb Haemost. 2012 Oct;108(4):683-92.

Functional Assessment of VWD Type 2N Variants Using Mammalian Cell Displayed Surface-Tethered Von Willebrand Factor

Background von Willebrand factor (VWF) is a large plasma protein critical in hemostasis and thrombosis. Defects in VWF cause the inherited autosomal bleeding disorder von Willebrand disease (VWD). One critical function of VWF is to bind circulating coagulation factor VIII (FVIII) and protect it from rapid clearance. Type 2N VWD is a recessive form of VWD characterized by low FVIII levels due to impairment in VWF-FVIII binding. Type 2N VWD clinically is similar to mild-to-moderate hemophilia A, an X-linked bleeding disorder caused by deficiency in FVIII. It is critical to distinguish type 2N VWD from hemophilia A because the treatments are different. VWF genotyping can inform accurate diagnoses, treatment, and testing in relatives. With the rapid expansion of DNA sequencing, a growing number of DNA variants are being identified in the VWF gene. However, the interpretation of significance of these variants is often challenged by insufficient evidence to inform confident classification regarding pathogenicity. In vitro functional assays provide an avenue to develop the evidence needed to accurately assign functional significance to DNA variants. We adapted multiplexed surface tethering of extracellular proteins (MultiSTEP), our mammalian cell surface display system for secreted proteins, to display VWF and test the functional impact of VWF variants on VWF-FVIII binding. Methods We constructed a VWF cDNA of common VWF coding sequences by mutating rare variants to the more common nucleotides. The regions encoding the VWF propeptide were deleted (∆Pro-VWF). ∆Pro-VWF was cloned into our MultiSTEP cassette that provides a C-terminal flexible linker, Strep II tag, and CD28 transmembrane domain. Three VWF missense variants implicated in type 2N VWD (Table 1) that had varying levels of evidence to support classification of pathogenicity were chosen for study - VWF c.2561 G>A (p.R854Q), c.2572 T>A (p.C858S), and c.2635 G>A (p.D879N). Variants were subcloned into our ∆Pro-VWF cassette and then recombined into the genomically integrated MultiSTEP landing pad in HEK293 Freestyle cells. Following induction of expression, VWF-displaying cells were incubated with recombinant FVIII. VWF expression was measured using a polyclonal anti-VWF antibody, and VWF-FVIII binding was detected with two different monoclonal antibodies to FVIII. Cells were incubated with fluorescently-conjugated secondary antibodies and cell surface VWF and FVIII abundance determined by flow cytometry. Results We show that ∆Pro-VWF robustly displays in our MultiSTEP system and binds FVIII. All three VWF missense variants express VWF at levels similar to ∆Pro-VWF. Relative to ∆Pro-VWF all three variants show marked impairment in VWF-FVIII binding (Figure 1), providing strong in vitro evidence for pathogenicity in type 2N VWD useful in variant reinterpretation (bold column in Table 1). Conclusions We have developed an in vitro mammalian cell surface display system for the interrogation of VWF variants and adapted it to study VWF-FVIII binding. The Pathogenic variant p.R854Q shows decreased VWF-FVIII binding in this assay, as expected. The Likely Pathogenic variant p.D879N and the Variant of Uncertain Significance p.C858S both exhibit a profound loss of VWF-FVIII binding in this assay. Our results provide evidence for reclassification of p.C858S to Likely Pathogenic for type 2N VWD. We expect our system can be used at scale to similarly interrogate the functional significance of a multiplexed library of VWF variants and improve variant interpretation in VWD.

Genetic variations of type 2 and type 3 von Willebrand diseases in Thailand

AimsVon Willebrand disease (VWD) is an inherited haemostatic disorder with a wide range of bleeding phenotypes based on von Willebrand factor (VWF) levels. Multiple assays including VWF gene analysis are...

Association of Genetic and Allelic Variants of Von Willebrand Factor (VWF), Glutathione S-Transferase and Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha with Ischemic Stroke Susceptibility and Progression in the Saudi Population.

Stroke is a key cerebrovascular disease and important cause of death and disability worldwide, including in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). It has a large economic burden and serious socioeconomic impacts on patients, their families and the community. The incidence of ischemic stroke is probably increased by the interaction of GSTT1 and GSTM1 null genotypes with high blood pressure, diabetes and cigarette smoking. The roles of VWF, GSTs and TNF-alpha gene variations in the induction of stroke are still uncertain and require further examination. In the current study, we studied the associations of SNPs in the genes VWF, GSTs and TNF-alpha with stroke in the Saudi population. Genotyping was performed using the ARMS -PCR for TNF-alpha, AS-PCR for VWF and multiplex PCR for GSTs. The study included 210 study subjects: 100 stroke cases and 110 healthy controls. We obtained significant distributions of VWF rs61748511 T > C, TNF-alpha rs1800629 G > A and GST rs4025935 and rs71748309 genotypes between stroke cases and the healthy controls (p < 0.05). The results also indicated that the TNF-alpha A allele was associated with risk of stroke with odd ratio (OR) = 2.22 and risk ratio = RR 2.47, p < 0.05. Similarly, the VWF-TC genotype and C allele were strongly linked with stroke with OR = 8.12 and RR 4.7, p < 0.05. In addition, GSTT1 and GSTT1 null genotype was strongly associated with stroke predisposition with OR = 8.30 and RR = 2.25, p < 0.0001. We conclude that there is a possible strong association between the VWF-T > C, TNF-alpha G > A, GSTT1 gene variants and ischemic stroke susceptibility in the Saudi population. However, future well-designed and large-scale case-control studies on protein-protein interactions and protein functional studies are required to verify these findings and examine the effects of these SNPs on these proteins.

Phenotypic and genotypic (exon 28) characterization of patients diagnosed with von Willebrand disease type 1 in Eastern Saudi Arabia.

Von Willebrand factor (VWF) is a plasma glycoprotein that plays a key role in hemostasis. Mutations in this protein can result in von Willebrand disease (VWD), the most common form of bleeding disorder in humans. Patients with type 1 VWD have a quantitative plasmatic deficiency of normal structural and functional VWF. Our study aimed to investigate the phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of VWD type 1 patients in eastern Saudi Arabia, focusing on exon 28. We included patients previously diagnosed with WWD type 1 at the King Fahad teaching hospital in Al Khobar and their family members. The correlations between various phenotypic data and genotypic (exon 28) were analyzed using statistical software (SPSS) version 21. While these variants were generally considered benign with minor clinical effects, our analysis did identify two pathogenic variants that could lead to severe VWD symptoms. Specifically, we found these two pathogenic variants in three VWD patients from Saudi Arabia, providing essential insights into pathogenic VWD mutations in this population. Our study, therefore, sheds light on the prevalence of VWF variants in the eastern province of the Kingdom and highlights the need for continued research into the genetic causes of VWD in this region.

Genetic determinants of enhanced von Willebrand factor clearance from plasma

BackgroundEnhanced von Willebrand factor (VWF) clearance from plasma is associated with von Willebrand disease (VWD). However, the genetic background of this disease mechanism is not well defined. ObjectiveTo determine VWF variants that are associated with reduced VWF survival. MethodsTwo hundred fifty-four patients with VWD (type 1 = 50 and type 2 = 204) were investigated, and the results were compared with 120 healthy controls. The patients were comprehensively characterized for phenotypic and genetic features. The ratio of VWF propeptide (VWFpp)/VWF antigen (VWFpp ratio) was used to establish in each patient the VWF clearance state. ResultsOut of 92 variants associated with type 1 (7 were novel) and type 2 VWD, 19 had a VWFpp ratio ranging from 1.7 to 2.2, 24 had a VWFpp ratio between 2.3 and 2.9, and 24 variants had a ratio of ≥3. The VWFpp median ratio in healthy controls was 0.98 (0.55-1.6) so that a cut-off value of >1.6 was considered an indicator of accelerated VWF clearance from plasma. An enhanced VWF clearance was observed in 34% of type 1 cases, 100% of type 1 Vicenza cases, 81% of 2A cases, 77% of 2B cases, 88% of 2M cases, and 36% of 2N cases. ConclusionsAn accelerated VWF clearance was found in most patients with type 2A, 2B, and 2M VWD, with a lower proportion of type 1 and 2N. Sixty-seven different variants alone or in combination with other variants were associated with an increased VWFpp ratio. The variants with the highest VWFpp ratio were mostly located in the D3-A1 VWF domains.

Ristocetin dependent cofactor activity in von Willebrand disease diagnosis: Limitations of relying on a single measure

BackgroundVon Willebrand disease (VWD) is a common inherited bleeding disorder, however the diagnosis can be complicated by a subjective bleeding history and issues with some current von Willebrand factor (VWF) laboratory assays. ObjectivesIn the Zimmerman Program, we sought to determine how often a type 1 diagnosis was based on a single low VWF ristocetin cofactor (VWF:RCo) level resulting from the common genetic variant p.D1472H or an isolated assay issue, if that low value was corroborated by the VWF glycoprotein‐IbM (VWF:GPIbM) assay, and if retesting confirmed original levels. MethodsNew patients being evaluated for bleeding were consented. Analysis included VWF sequencing, bleeding scores, and comparisons of local VWF antigen (VWF:Ag) and VWF:RCo to central VWF:Ag and VWF:GPIbM. ResultsA total of 18% of VWD subjects had a low local VWF:RCo, but normal VWF:Ag and normal central testing including VWF:GPIbM. Seventy percent of the low VWF:RCo cohort had no pathogenic VWF variants; however, 33% carried p.D1472H. Low VWF:RCo subjects with follow‐up local testing within 2 years showed those with p.D1472H continued to have low VWF:RCo and VWF:RCo/VWF:Ag ratio with normal VWF:GPIbM. Subjects without p.D1472H had an increase mean VWF:RCo, resulting in 59% with normal levels on repeat testing. ConclusionsThe diagnosis of VWD based on a single low VWF:RCo but normal VWF:Ag, was often attributed to p.D1472H or variability in VWF:RCo that was eliminated with VWF:GPIbM. Our study suggests that using VWF:RCo alone for diagnostic purposes may be insufficient while repeat VWF:RCo or VWF:GPIbM testing can be valuable in establishing a VWD diagnosis.

Molecular pathogenesis and heterogeneity in type 3 VWD families in U.S. Zimmerman program

BackgroundType 3 von Willebrand Disease (VWD) is a rare and severe form of VWD characterized by the absence of von Willebrand factor (VWF). ObjectivesAs part of the Zimmerman Program, we sought to explore the molecular pathogenesis, correlate bleeding phenotype and severity, and determine the inheritance pattern found in type 3 VWD families. Patients/Methods62 index cases with a pre‐existing diagnosis of type 3 VWD were analyzed. Central testing included FVIII, VWF:Ag, VWF:RCo, and VWFpp. Bleeding symptoms were quantified using the ISTH bleeding score. Genetic analysis included VWF sequencing, comparative genomic hybridization and predictive computational programs. Results75% of subjects (46) had central testing confirming type 3, while 25% were re‐classified as type 1‐Severe or type 1C. Candidate VWF variants were found in all subjects with 93% of expected alleles identified. The majority were null alleles including frameshift, nonsense, splice site, and large deletions, while 13% were missense variants. Additional studies on 119 family members, including 69 obligate carriers, revealed a wide range of heterogeneity in VWF levels and bleeding scores, even amongst those with the same variant. Co‐dominant inheritance was present in 51% of families and recessive in 21%, however 28% were ambiguous. ConclusionThis report represents a large cohort of VWD families in the U.S. with extensive phenotypic and genotypic data. While co‐dominant inheritance was seen in approximately 50% of families, this study highlights the complexity of VWF genetics due to the heterogeneity found in both VWF levels and bleeding tendencies amongst families with type 3 VWD.

Phenotypic and genetic characterizations of the Milan cohort of von Willebrand disease type 2

Abstractvon Willebrand disease (VWD) type 2 is caused by qualitative abnormalities of von Willebrand factor (VWF). This study aimed to determine the genotypic and phenotypic characterizations of a large VWD type 2 cohort from Milan. We included 321 patients (54% female) within 148 unrelated families from 1995 to 2021. Patients were fully characterized using laboratory phenotypic tests, and the genotypic diagnosis was confirmed by target genetic analysis using Sanger sequencing. Patients were diagnosed with type 2A (n = 98; 48 families), 2B (n = 85; 38 families), 2M (n = 112; 50 families), or 2N (n = 26; 12 families). Eighty-two unique VWF variants, including 8 novel variants, were found. The potential pathogenic effect of novel variants was assessed by in silico analysis. Most patients were heterozygous for a single variant (n = 259; 81%), whereas 37 cases (11%) had 2 variants (4 homozygous, 9 in trans, and 24 in cis). Twenty-five patients (8%) had ≥3 variants, mainly as a result of gene conversions. Among the 82 distinct variants identified, 5 different types, including missense (n = 64), gene conversion (n = 10), synonymous (n = 1), deletion (n = 4), and splice (n = 3), were observed. The results from this large cohort showed that VWD type 2 is invariably due to variants that do not prevent the synthesis of the protein, and a vast majority of patients (88%) had missense variants. Given the complexity of type 2 diagnosis and the necessity of performing several phenotypic tests, genetic analysis for patients suspected of having type 2 is beneficial to establish the correct diagnosis.

Unraveling the molecular basis underlying nine putative splice site variants of von Willebrand factor

Approximately 10% of von Willebrand factor (VWF) gene variants are suspected to disrupt messenger RNA (mRNA) processing, the number of which might be underestimated due to the lack of transcript assays. In the present study, we provided a detailed strategy to evaluate the effects of nine putative splice site variants (PSSVs) of VWF on mRNA processing as well as protein properties and establish their genotype-phenotype relationships. Eight of nine PSSVs affected VWF splicing: c.322A>T, c.1534-13_1551delinsCA, and c.8116-2del caused exon skipping; c.221-2A>C, c.323+1G>T, and c.2547-13T>A resulted in the activation of cryptic splice sites; c.2684A>G led to exon skipping and activation of a cryptic splice site; c.2968-14A>G created a new splice site. The remaining c.5171-9del was likely benign. The efficiency of nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) was much higher in platelets compared to leukocytes, impairing the identification of aberrant transcripts in 4 of 8 PSSVs. The nonsense variant c.322A>T partially impaired mRNA processing, leaking a small amount of correct transcripts with c.322T (p.Arg108*), while the missense variant c.2684A>G totally disrupted normal splicing of VWF, rather than produced mutant protein with the substitution of Gln895Arg. The results of this study would certainly add novel insights into the molecular events behind von Willebranddisease.

Multifaceted pathomolecular mechanism of a VWF large deletion involved in the pathogenesis of severe VWD

AbstractAn in-frame heterozygous large deletion of exons 4 through 34 of the von Willebrand factor (VWF) gene was identified in a type 3 von Willebrand disease (VWD) index patient (IP), as the only VWF variant. The IP exhibited severe bleeding episodes despite prophylaxis treatment, with a short VWF half-life after infusion of VWF/factor VIII concentrates. Transcript analysis confirmed transcription of normal VWF messenger RNA besides an aberrant deleted transcript. The IP endothelial colony-forming cells (ECFCs) exhibited a defect in the VWF multimers and Weibel-Palade bodies (WPBs) biogenesis, although demonstrating normal VWF secretion compared with healthy cells. Immunostaining of IP-ECFCs revealed subcellular mislocalization of WPBs pro-inflammatory cargos angiopoietin-2 (Ang2, nuclear accumulation) and P-selectin. Besides, the RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis showed upregulation of pro-inflammatory and proangiogenic genes, P-selectin, interleukin 8 (IL-8), IL-6, and GROα, copackaged with VWF into WPBs. Further, whole-transcriptome RNA-seq and subsequent gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis indicated the most enriched GO-biological process terms among the differentially expressed genes in IP-ECFCs were regulation of cell differentiation, cell adhesion, leukocyte adhesion to vascular endothelial, blood vessel morphogenesis, and angiogenesis, which resemble downstream signaling pathways associated with inflammatory stimuli and Ang2 priming. Accordingly, our functional experiments exhibited an increased endothelial cell adhesiveness and interruption in endothelial cell–cell junctions of the IP-ECFCs. In conclusion, the deleted VWF has a dominant-negative impact on multimer assembly and the biogenesis of WPBs, leading to altered trafficking of their pro-inflammatory cargos uniquely, which, in turn, causes changes in cellular signaling pathways, phenotype, and function of the endothelial cells.

Genotypes of European and Iranian patients with type 3 von Willebrand disease enrolled in 3WINTERS-IPS

AbstractType 3 von Willebrand disease (VWD3) is a rare and severe bleeding disorder characterized by often undetectable von Willebrand factor (VWF) plasma levels, a recessive inheritance pattern, and heterogeneous genotype. The objective of this study was to identify the VWF defects in 265 European and Iranian patients with VWD3 enrolled in 3WINTERS-IPS (Type 3 Von Willebrand International Registries Inhibitor Prospective Study). All analyses were performed in centralized laboratories. The VWF genotype was studied in 231 patients with available DNA (121 [115 families] from Europe [EU], and 110 [91 families] from Iran [IR]). Among 206 unrelated patients, 134 were homozygous (EU/IR = 57/77) and 50 were compound heterozygous (EU/IR = 43/7) for VWF variants. In 22 patients, no or only one variant was found. A total of 154 different VWF variants (EU/IR = 101/58 [5 shared]) were identified among the 379 affected alleles (EU/IR = 210/169), of which 48 (EU/IR = 18/30) were novel. The variants p.Arg1659*, p.Arg1853*, p.Arg2535*, p.Cys275Ser, and delEx1_Ex5 were found in both European and Iranian VWD3 patients. Sixty variants were identified only in a single allele (EU/IR = 50/10), whereas 18 were recurrent (≥3 patients) within 144 affected alleles. Nine large deletions and one large insertion were found. Although most variants predicted null alleles, 21% of patients carried at least 1 missense variant. VWD3 genotype was more heterogeneous in the European population than in the Iranian population, with nearly twice as many different variants. A higher number of novel variants were found in the Iranian VWD3 patients.

A Novel Von Willebrand Factor Fragment Acts As a Chaperone to Prolong the Half-Life of Recombinant Human FVIII (Simoctocog Alfa) in Hemophilia a Dogs and FVIII/VWF Double Knockout Mice

Introduction/Objective: Subcutaneous (SC) drug delivery represents a convenient method of administration compared to intravenous (IV) delivery. However, due to very low bioavailability this route is not yet applicable for the administration of FVIII as a therapy for hemophilia A (HA). von Willebrand factor (VWF), in particular the D'D3 domains, is known to protect FVIII from proteolytic degradation, rapid clearance and binding to membranes. Therefore VWF represents a promising candidate for a strategy to increase FVIII bioavailability after SC treatment. Different VWF fragments containing at least the D'D3 domains were engineered in order to achieve high FVIII binding affinity, prolonged half-life of the VWF fragment, and consequently high bioavailability of FVIII.Materials/Methods: A modified VWF fragment (OCTA12) or an unmodified D'D3 domain, both with a C-terminal Strep-Tag, was transiently expressed in HEK293 cells and purified by Strep-Tactin® affinity chromatography. Recombinant human FVIII (rhFVIII, simoctocog alfa) complexed with OCTA12, D'D3 or full-length plasma-derived VWF (flVWF, Wilate®) was administered via IV route to FVIII/VWF double knockout (FVIII/VWF DKO) mice at 240 IU FVIII/kg in order to test the ability of the fragments to stabilize FVIII in circulation. Blood samples were taken at 5 minutes and 1, 4, 8, 12, 24, 36 and 48 hours after treatment and analyzed for FVIII activity. Subsequently, IV and SC administration of the complex of rhFVIII and OCTA12 or rhFVIII alone was evaluated in a HA dog model. For this purpose, HA dogs were treated according to the scheme presented in Table 1. Blood samples were taken at 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 24, 32, 48, 72 and 94 hours after treatment and analyzed for FVIII activity.Results: Five minutes after IV administration of rhFVIII complexed with different VWF variants to FVIII/VWF DKO mice, peak activity levels were determined (expressed in % mean ± SEM, n = 15): rhFVIII alone 78.9 ± 6.1; rhFVIII/D'D3 351.2 ± 22.3; rhFVIII/OCTA12 295.9 ± 17.4; rhFVIII/flVWF 404.4 ± 20.5. The FVIII activity levels were significantly higher (statistically evaluated by Student's t-test) when rhFVIII was administered with any VWF variant in comparison to rhFVIII administered alone. The three co-administered VWF species D'D3, OCTA12 or flVWF did not differ significantly in terms of measured FVIII levels. rhFVIII administered alone was rapidly cleared from the circulation (T1/2 = 0.07 h). Co-administration with flVWF or D'D3 resulted in a 4.5- or 6.4-fold prolongation of the half-life respectively (T1/2 = 0.32 h and T1/2 = 0.45 h respectively). The highest half-life prolonging effect (14.7-fold) was measured when rhFVIII was co-administered with OCTA12 (T1/2 = 1.03 h). The IV administration of rhFVIII alone (200 IU/kg) or complexed with OCTA12 (100 IU/kg) in the HA dog resulted in peak FVIII activity level of 215% or 134% respectively at 30 minutes post-infusion (mean of two injections). The SC administration of rhFVIII complexed with OCTA12 resulted in a 10.8% activity level at 30 minutes post-infusion and reached a peak level of 24.6% at 8 h post-infusion (mean of three injections). For calculation of bioavailability, the area under the curve (AUC) of FVIII activity after IV administration of rhFVIII alone was defined as 100%. The AUC of IV-administered rhFVIII/OCTA12 complex at 100 IU/kg (half the dose) was 90%. Bioavailability of FVIII after SC administration of the rhFVIII/OCTA12 complex was 37.7%.Conclusions: The co-administration of rhFVIII with the novel engineered VWF fragment OCTA12 results in high FVIII bioavailability after SC administration in HA dogs. The bioavailability of FVIII was also increased after IV administration of the FVIII/OCTA12 complex in FVIII/VWF DKO mice and HA dogs. Moreover, when complexed with OCTA12, FVIII exhibits prolonged half-life in FVIII/VWF DKO mice. [Display omitted] DisclosuresSolecka-Witulska:Octapharma Biopharmaceuticals GmbH: Employment. Kannicht:Octapharma Biopharmaceuticals GmbH: Employment.

Von Willebrand factor propeptide missense variants affect anterograde transport to Golgi resulting in ER retention.

von Willebrand disease (VWD), the most prevalent congenital bleeding disorder, arises from a deficiency in von Willebrand factor (VWF), which has crucial roles in hemostasis. The present study investigated functional consequences and underlying pathomolecular mechanisms of several VWF propeptide (VWFpp) missense variants detected in our cohort of VWD patients for the first time. Transient expression experiments in HEK293T cells demonstrated that four out of the six investigated missense variants (p.Gly55Glu, p.Val86Glu, p.Trp191Arg, and p.Cys608Trp) severely impaired secretion. Their cotransfections with the wild-type partly corrected VWF secretion, displaying loss of large/intermediate multimers. Immunostaining of the transfected HEK293 cells illustrated the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) retention of the VWF variants. Docking of the COP I and COP II cargo recruitment proteins, ADP-ribosylation factor 1and Sec24, onto the N-terminal VWF model (D1D2D'D3) revealed that these variants occur at VWFpp putative interfaces, which can hinder VWF loading at the ER exit quality control. Furthermore, quantitative and automated morphometric exploration of the three-dimensional immunofluorescence images showed changes in the number/size of the VWF storage organelles, Weibel-Palade body (WPB)-like vesicles. The result of this study highlighted the significance of the VWFpp variants on anterograde ER-Golgi trafficking of VWF as well as the biogenesis of WPB-like vesicles.

Gain-of-Function Variant p.Pro2555Arg of von Willebrand Factor Increases Aggregate Size through Altering Stem Dynamics.

The multimeric plasma glycoprotein (GP) von Willebrand factor (VWF) is best known for recruiting platelets to sites of injury during primary hemostasis. Generally, mutations in the VWF gene lead to loss of hemostatic activity and thus the bleeding disorder von Willebrand disease. By employing cone and platelet aggregometry and microfluidic assays, we uncovered a platelet GPIIb/IIIa-dependent prothrombotic gain of function (GOF) for variant p.Pro2555Arg, located in the C4 domain, leading to an increase in platelet aggregate size. We performed complementary biophysical and structural investigations using circular dichroism spectra, small-angle X-ray scattering, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, molecular dynamics simulations on the single C4 domain, and dimeric wild-type and p.Pro2555Arg constructs. C4-p.Pro2555Arg retained the overall structural conformation with minor populations of alternative conformations exhibiting increased hinge flexibility and slow conformational exchange. The dimeric protein becomes disordered and more flexible. Our data suggest that the GOF does not affect the binding affinity of the C4 domain for GPIIb/IIIa. Instead, the increased VWF dimer flexibility enhances temporal accessibility of platelet-binding sites. Using an interdisciplinary approach, we revealed that p.Pro2555Arg is the first VWF variant, which increases platelet aggregate size and shows a shear-dependent function of the VWF stem region, which can become hyperactive through mutations. Prothrombotic GOF variants of VWF are a novel concept of a VWF-associated pathomechanism of thromboembolic events, which is of general interest to vascular health but not yet considered in diagnostics. Thus, awareness should be raised for the risk they pose. Furthermore, our data implicate the C4 domain as a novel antithrombotic drug target.

Von Willebrand factor antigen levels are associated with burden of rare nonsynonymous variants in the VWF gene

Approximately 35% of patients with type 1 von Willebrand disease (VWD) do not have a known pathogenic variant in the von Willebrand factor (VWF) gene. We aimed to understand the impact of VWF coding variants on VWD risk and VWF antigen (VWF:Ag) levels, studying 527 patients with low VWF and VWD and 210 healthy controls. VWF sequencing was performed and VWF:Ag levels assayed. A combined annotation-dependent depletion (CADD) score >20 was used as a predicted pathogenicity measure. The number of rare nonsynonymous VWF variants significantly predicted VWF:Ag levels (P = 1.62 × 10−21). There was an association between average number of rare nonsynonymous VWF variants with VWD type 1 (P = 2.4 × 10−13) and low VWF (P = 1.6 × 10−27) compared with healthy subjects: type 1 subjects possessed on average >2 times as many rare variants as those with low VWF and 8 times as many as healthy subjects. The number of rare nonsynonymous variants significantly predicts VWF:Ag levels even after controlling for presence of a variant with a CADD score >20 or a known pathogenic variant in VWF (P = 2.7 × 10−14). The number of rare nonsynonymous variants in VWF as well as the presence of a variant with CADD >20 are both significantly associated with VWF levels. The association with rare nonsynonymous variants holds even when controlling for known pathogenic variants, suggesting that additional variants, in VWF or elsewhere, are associated with VWF:Ag levels. Patients with higher VWF:Ag levels with fewer rare nonsynonymous VWF gene variants could benefit from next-generation sequencing to find the cause of their bleeding.

In vivo modulation of a dominant‐negative variant in mouse models of von Willebrand disease type 2A

Unlabelled Box AbstractBackgroundTreatment options for patients suffering from von Willebrand disease (VWD) are limited. Von Willebrand factor (VWF) is a polymeric protein that undergoes regulated dimerization and subsequent multimerization during its biosynthesis. Numerous heterozygous variants within the VWF gene display a dominant‐negative effect and result in severe VWD. Previous studies have suggested that preventing the assembly of wild‐type and mutant heteropolymers using siRNAs may have beneficial effects on VWF phenotypes in vitro. ObjectivesTo study heterozygous dominant‐negative variants in vivo, we developed a mouse model of VWD‐type 2A and tested two independent strategies to modulate its detrimental effect. MethodsThe p.P1127_C1948delinsR deletion/variant, causing defective VWF multimerization, was expressed in mice as a model of VWD‐type 2A variant. Two corrective strategies were applied. For the first time in a mouse model of VWD, we applied siRNAs selectively inhibiting translation of the mutant transcripts and we combined the VWD‐type 2A deletion with the Cys to Arg substitution at position 2773, which is known to prevent dimerization. ResultsThe RNA silencing approach induced a modest but consistent improvement of the VWF multimer profile. However, due to incomplete efficiency, the dominant‐negative effect of the original variant could not be completely prevented. In contrast, the DNA approach resulted in increased antigen levels and restoration of a normal multimer profile. ConclusionsOur data showed that preventing the detrimental impact of dominant‐negative VWF variants by independent molecular mechanisms has beneficial consequences in vivo, in mouse models of dominant VWD.

A Novel VWD Variant Identified in a Multi-Generational Canadian Ojibway Kindred with a Type 2B VWD Phenotypic Expression

Introduction: Type 2 VWD is caused by variants in the von Willebrand factor (VWF) gene leading to impaired function. Distinction between subtypes of Type 2 has traditionally relied on a panel of assays including VWF antigen (VWF:Ag), VWF ristocetin-cofactor activity (VWF:RCo), VWF multimers, and Factor VIII (FVIII:C). In type 2A, there is either impaired synthesis or accelerated degradation of the more adhesive VWF high molecular weight multimers (HMWMs). In type 2B, enhanced VWF-platelet interactions result in binding and removal of the HMWMs, impairing platelet adhesion. Type 2B VWD can manifest spontaneous platelet agglutination and thrombocytopenia. The inheritance patterns of Type 2A and 2B VWD are generally described to be autosomal dominant and fully penetrant. We identified a multigenerational Canadian First Nations Ojibway kindred with VWD harboring a missense variant in exon 28 (A&amp;gt;T transversion at nucleotide 4898), leading to a single amino acid substitution (p.Asn1633Ile). Some individuals in the kindred are heterozygous, and some homozygous, for the causative variant. Objectives: The objective of this case series are to describe the genetic basis and pattern of inheritance of this variant of VWD, and to characterize the laboratory hemostasis characteristics in the affected individuals. Methods: A retrospective case review was conducted on all affected individuals in the kindred known or suspected to harbour this variant. There were 20 individuals seen at our centre over 32 years who were included in this study. We collected clinical and laboratory data to characterize the bleeding phenotype. Results: Sixteen of the 20 individuals in the study were known or inferred to be heterozygous, and 4 were homozygous. We were able to examine laboratory hemostasis in ten individuals in the study (Table 1). The platelet count, FVIII:C and VWF:Ag levels were within or slightly above reference range for all individuals. In the heterozygous individuals, VWF:RCo was mildly reduced, VWF multimer testing showed loss of HMWMs, and ristocetin-induced platelet aggregation (RIPA) testing normal aggregation to a higher dose (1.25 mg/ml), a pattern consistent with mild Type 2A VWD (Table 1). In homozygous individuals, VWF:RCo was markedly reduced, and while RIPA was minimal with low-dose ristocetin, aggregation to the higher dose was normal despite the very low ristocetin cofactor activity in the plasma. The PFA-100 (collagen-epinephrine) closure times were markedly prolonged in the homozygous subjects and in one heterozygous subject, exceeding 300 seconds. Discussion/Conclusion: This novel VWF variant confers a laboratory phenotype consistent with type 2A VWD in the heterozygotes. Homozygotes have more severely impaired hemostatic function. The conventional hallmark of type 2B VWD (hyperresponsiveness to low-dose ristocetin) was not seen, but the fact that full aggregation was obtained in homozygotes despite ristocetin cofactor activities of only 5-6% in the plasma suggests some degree of hyperaggregability, and hence a phenotype more in keeping with Type 2B than 2A. In the future, it would be interesting to see how this missense variant affects GP1b binding to VWF, as RIPA and VWF:RCo are not entirely comparable assays. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Genotype Analysis of Adolescents with Heavy Menstrual Bleeding and Low Von Willebrand Activity - Report of a Multi-Center Study

Introduction: Low von Willebrand factor (VWF) activity is prevalent in adolescents with heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB). There is a need to better genetically characterize these patients and improve our understanding of the pathophysiology of their bleeding risk. Methods: One of the main objectives of this multi-center, single arm, observational cohort study was to genotype adolescent females with HMB and low VWF (≥ 30 and ≤ 50 IU/dL) by means of whole exome sequencing (WES), to identify variants throughout the exome that may modulate risk for bleeding. Post-menarchal females &amp;lt; 21 years with HMB (defined as PBAC score &amp;gt;100) and low VWF were eligible for the study. All patients were enrolled by participating centers where blood samples were collected. Exome data for 86 cases and 900 unrelated pediatric (&amp;lt;21 years) controls taken from a genetic study on Chiari 1 Malformation (CM1) were aligned and sorted, and variants called using the Sentieon software package. Annotation including allele frequencies, function, amino acid change and Clinvar rating among others was obtained using ANNOVAR. Variants were retained if there was a genotype call rate of &amp;gt;0.8, GQ&amp;gt;20, AB between 0.3-0.7 and min DP&amp;gt;8. Case/control analyses included common and rare SNP associations, gene burden analysis of both rare nonsynonymous variants and ClinVar 'pathogenic' variants, and gene-set burden analyses. Variants were considered rare if they had a minor allele frequency of &amp;lt;1% in the Genome Aggregation Database (gnomAD). Count differences between cases/controls were determined by Fisher's Exact test. Results: Of the 113 subjects enrolled, 86 had sufficient blood samples collected for WES. The median age was 16.2 years (range: 11.5-19.6). 36% of cases showed variants in VWF vs. 26% of controls (p=0.14). After multiple test correction, WES revealed a significant common variant association in FERMT2 with an LD block with a frequency of 24% in cases and 6% in controls (p=7.5x10-7). Rare variant analysis showed a significant association with an intronic variant in ABCA13 (p=1.6x10-7). Among the gene burden analysis using rare nonsynonymous variants, 2 genes of interest passed multiple test correction: IL12B and DTNBP1. When using ClinVar 'pathogenic' variants as the input for the gene burden analysis, 4 genes of interest passed multiple test correction: HBM, MYLK, RUNX1 and CD36. Gene-set burden analysis revealed 5 significant pathways of interest, including platelet degranulation, platelet alpha granule lumen and erythrocyte differentiation. We then focused a subset of known risk genes and compared the number of missense, nonsense and ClinVar 'pathogenic' variants between cases and controls. GP6, and MTHFR had significantly more missense variants in controls vs. cases (p=0.003 and 0.01, respectively), and F13B approached significance, with more missense variants in controls than cases (p=0.07). Conclusion: We found VWF variants in 36% of subjects, in accordance with previous reports. We found novel SNP associations with variants in FERMT2 and ABCA13.FERMT2 encodes for the integrin, Kindlin 2, which has been shown to be critical for supporting vascular integrity. Several other relevant genes passed multiple test correction in gene burden analyses, including genes known to cause Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome (DTNBP1), familial platelet disorder (RUNX1), platelet glycoprotein IV deficiency (CD36) and aortic aneurysm (MYLK). This association with platelet disorders was strengthened by our gene-set burden results, which implicate several platelet-related pathways. These data suggest that while a subset of HMB patients may have their bleeding explained by variants in VWF, there is a role for other hemostasis, platelet biology and vascular integrity related gene variants which can contribute to the variation in bleeding severity in adolescents with low-VWF related HMB. Study supported by an investigator-initiated research grant from Shire US Inc., now part of Takeda Disclosures O'Brien: Bristol Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Mullins:Takeda, Bayer: Other: Advisory Board. Sidonio:Takeda: Research Funding. Ragni:Sangamo: Consultancy, Research Funding; Takeda: Research Funding; Bioverativ: Consultancy, Research Funding; Spark: Consultancy, Research Funding; BioMarin: Consultancy, Research Funding; Alnylam/Sanofi, ATHN, BioMarin, Bioverativ, Sangamo, Spark: Research Funding; Alnylam/Sanofi, BioMarin, Bioverativ, Spark: Consultancy; Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc., Baxalta/Takeda, BioMarin, Bioverativ, and Spark Therapeutics: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; American Thrombosis Hemostasis Network: Other: Committee work; Baxalta/Takeda, CSL Behring, Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, OPKO Biologics, and Vascular Medicine Institute: Research Funding. Kulkarni:Sanofi/ Bioverativ, Bayer, Biomarin, Shire/Takeda, Novo Nordisk, Freeline: Other: clinical trial research grants ; Bioverativ/Sanofi, BPL, Genentech, Kedrion, Novo Nordisk, Octapharma, Pfizer, Takeda, Catalyst Bioscience Bayer: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Srivaths:Shire US Inc., now part of Takeda: Research Funding.