Thromb Haemost 2005; 93(05): 889-896
DOI: 10.1160/TH04-03-0193
Platelets and Blood Cells
Schattauer GmbH

Characterization of a myeloma patient with a life-threatening hemorrhagic diathesis: presence of a lambda dimer protein inhibiting shear-induced platelet aggregation by binding to the A1 domain of vonWillebrand factor

Atsushi Shinagawa
1   Department of Internal Medicine, Hitachi General Hospital, Hitachi, Ibaraki, Japan
,
Hiroshi Kojima
2   Division of Hematology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
,
Michael C. Berndt
3   Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
,
Shin Kaneko
2   Division of Hematology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
,
Kazumi Suzukawa
2   Division of Hematology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
,
Yuichi Hasegawa
2   Division of Hematology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
,
Osamu Shigeta
4   Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
,
Toshiro Nagasawa
2   Division of Hematology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
› Author Affiliations
Financial support: This work was in part supported by National Heart Foundation of Australia
Further Information

Publication History

Received 28 March 2004

Accepted after resubmission 27 January 2005

Publication Date:
11 December 2017 (online)

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Summary

We have identified a patient with IgD λ-type multiple myeloma who was characterized by a severe bleeding tendency, especially after puncture of arterial vessels. Both the bleeding time (>25 min) and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) were prolonged. To clarify the underlying pathogenesis, we purified the APTT-prolonging activity from the patient’s serum. The purified protein was a highly negatively-charged homodimer of the λ light chain. The λ dimer protein (M-protein) inhibited ristocetin-and high shear-induced platelet aggregation, dependent on platelet glycoprotein Ibα (GPIbα), but not epinephrine-, collagen-, ADP-, thrombin-, or botrocetin-induced platelet aggregation. The λ dimer protein inhibited the binding of platelets to immobilized or ristocetin-treated von Willebrand factor (VWF). Furthermore, a 39/34 kD fragment of VWF encompassing the A1 domain specifically bound to the immobilized λ dimer protein in the presence of ristocetin, suggesting that the λ dimer protein directly binds to the A1 domain of VWF. To help elucidate the binding site within the A1 domain, binding of ristocetin-treated VWF to the immobilized λ dimer protein was assayed in the presence of various anti-A1 domain monoclonal antibodies. Based on these data, we conclude that the λ dimer protein binds to the region of the A1 domain composed of helices α3 and α4 and thus interferes with VWF-GPIbα interaction. The existence of a protein that inhibits high shear-induced platelet aggregation in acquired von Willebrand disease (VWD) has only rarely been reported. The results suggest that the hemostatic function in arteries with high shear force is profoundly disrupted if the binding of GPIbα to VWF is abrogated, supporting the relevance of shear-induced VWF interaction with GPIbα in the initiation of the hemostatic process.