scholarly journals The Intriguing Relationships of von Willebrand Factor, ADAMTS13 and Cardiac Disease

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (9) ◽  
pp. 115
Author(s):  
Benjamin Reardon ◽  
Leonardo Pasalic ◽  
Emmanuel J. Favaloro

von Willebrand factor (VWF) is an adhesive protein involved in primary hemostasis and facilitates platelet adhesion to sites of vascular injury, thereby promoting thrombus formation. VWF exists in plasma as multimers of increasing size, with the largest (high molecular weight; HMW) expressing the greatest functional activity. A deficiency of VWF is associated with a bleeding disorder called von Willebrand disease (VWD), whereas an excess of VWF, in particular the HMW forms, is associated with thrombosis. ADAMTS13 (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin type 1 motif-13), also known as VWF-cleaving protease, functions to moderate the activity of VWF by cleaving multimers of VWF and limiting the expression of the largest multimers of VWF. A deficiency of ADAMTS13 is therefore associated with an excess of (HMW forms of) VWF, and thus thrombosis. Indeed, any disturbance of the VWF/ADAMTS13 ratio or ‘axis’ may be associated with pathophysiological processes, including prothrombotic tendency. However, both thrombosis or bleeding may be associated with such disturbances, depending on the presenting events. This review evaluates the relationship of VWF and ADAMTS13 with cardiac disease, including cardiac failure, and associated pathophysiology.

2021 ◽  
Vol 47 (02) ◽  
pp. 192-200
Author(s):  
James S. O'Donnell

AbstractThe biological mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of type 2 and type 3 von Willebrand disease (VWD) have been studied extensively. In contrast, although accounting for the majority of VWD cases, the pathobiology underlying partial quantitative VWD has remained somewhat elusive. However, important insights have been attained following several recent cohort studies that have investigated mechanisms in patients with type 1 VWD and low von Willebrand factor (VWF), respectively. These studies have demonstrated that reduced plasma VWF levels may result from either (1) decreased VWF biosynthesis and/or secretion in endothelial cells and (2) pathological increased VWF clearance. In addition, it has become clear that some patients with only mild to moderate reductions in plasma VWF levels in the 30 to 50 IU/dL range may have significant bleeding phenotypes. Importantly in these low VWF patients, bleeding risk fails to correlate with plasma VWF levels and inheritance is typically independent of the VWF gene. Although plasma VWF levels may increase to > 50 IU/dL with progressive aging or pregnancy in these subjects, emerging data suggest that this apparent normalization in VWF levels does not necessarily equate to a complete correction in bleeding phenotype in patients with partial quantitative VWD. In this review, these recent advances in our understanding of quantitative VWD pathogenesis are discussed. Furthermore, the translational implications of these emerging findings are considered, particularly with respect to designing personalized treatment plans for VWD patients undergoing elective procedures.


Haematologica ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 96 (6) ◽  
pp. 881-887 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Daidone ◽  
L. Gallinaro ◽  
M. Grazia Cattini ◽  
E. Pontara ◽  
A. Bertomoro ◽  
...  

1994 ◽  
Vol 86 (2) ◽  
pp. 327-332 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edith Fressinaud ◽  
Augusto B. Federici ◽  
Giancarlo Castaman ◽  
Chantal Rothschild ◽  
Francesco Rodeghiero ◽  
...  

1987 ◽  
Author(s):  
F Toti ◽  
A Stierlé ◽  
M L Wiesel ◽  
A Schwartz ◽  
J M Freyssinet ◽  
...  

Von Willebrand disease (vWD) is an inherited disorder of primary hemostasis caused by deficiency or structural abnormalities of von Willebrand factor (vWF). VWF circulates in plasma and is also present in platelets. Plasma vWF, the carrier protein for factor VIII, is a large multimeric glycoprotein composed of identical subunits linked by disulfide bridges. Plasma and platelet vWF display distinct multimeric electrophoretic patterns. The different vWD subtypes can be classified either by the determination of vWFantigen (vWFíAg) and/or by multimer distribution. Antibodies to human vWF were raised in laying hens by intramuscular injections of purified human vWF. Immunoglobulins were isolated from egg yolks by selective polyethylene glycol and ammonium sulfate precipitations. These antibodies appeared to be monospecific, as they did not react with the plasma proteins of a patient with severe vWD. The pullets received weekly 50 μg vWF for 4 weeks and then had monthly injections. The antibodies occurred as early as the third injection, the yield being 300 to 500 mg of immunoglobulin per week (6-7 eggs). The titre could be constant over periods greater than 1 year. These immunoglobulins to vWF were tested in vWFíAg electroimmunoassays and for the multimer analysis of plasma and platelet vWF by electrophoresis and immunoblotting techniques. In no case could a difference be detected between assays performed with rabbit monospecific antiserum or with yolk immunoglobulins to human vWF. Ten to 12 multimers could be revealed for normal plasma vWF and up to 12 to 14 bands for normal platelet vWF (1.7% agarose). In the case of vWD, the electrophoresis patterns were identical with both antibodies. Thus, antibodies to vWF raised in laying hens are a suitable tool to detect and to characterize vWD. Although they do not interact with protein A, yolk antibodies are certainly advantageous to produce, as they do not contain IgM or IgA. Immunoglobulin fractions can contain up to 10 % of specific antibodies. Since they are available in larger quantities and are easy to isolate, larger homogeneous batches of antibodies can be obtained. This method may easily be applied to develop antibodies to a variety of antigens.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Junxian Yang ◽  
Zhiwei Wu ◽  
Quan Long ◽  
Jiaqi Huang ◽  
Tiantian Hong ◽  
...  

Both neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) and von Willebrand factor (VWF) are essential for thrombosis and inflammation. During these processes, a complex series of events, including endothelial activation, NET formation, VWF secretion, and blood cell adhesion, aggregation and activation, occurs in an ordered manner in the vasculature. The adhesive activity of VWF multimers is regulated by a specific metalloprotease ADAMTS13 (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin type 1 motifs, member 13). Increasing evidence indicates that the interaction between NETs and VWF contributes to arterial and venous thrombosis as well as inflammation. Furthermore, contents released from activated neutrophils or NETs induce the reduction of ADAMTS13 activity, which may occur in both thrombotic microangiopathies (TMAs) and acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Recently, NET is considered as a driver of endothelial damage and immunothrombosis in COVID-19. In addition, the levels of VWF and ADAMTS13 can predict the mortality of COVID-19. In this review, we summarize the biological characteristics and interactions of NETs, VWF, and ADAMTS13, and discuss their roles in TMAs, AIS, and COVID-19. Targeting the NET-VWF axis may be a novel therapeutic strategy for inflammation-associated TMAs, AIS, and COVID-19.


2009 ◽  
Vol 121 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 167-176 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Jacques Michiels ◽  
Huub H.D.M. van Vliet ◽  
Zwi Berneman ◽  
Wilfried Schroyens ◽  
Alain Gadisseur

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