Bernhard Lämmle

von Willebrand factor-cleaving protease in thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura and the hemolytic-uremic syndrome.

BACKGROUND Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura and the hemolytic-uremic syndrome are severe microvascular disorders of platelet clumping with similar signs and symptoms. Unusually large multimers of von Willebrand factor, capable of agglutinating circulating platelets under high shear stress, occur in the two conditions. We investigated the prevalence of von Willebrand factor-cleaving protease deficiency in patients with familial and nonfamilial forms of these disorders. METHODS Plasma samples were obtained from 53 patients with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura or hemolytic-uremic syndrome. Von Willebrand factor-cleaving protease was assayed in diluted plasma samples with purified normal von Willebrand factor as the substrate. The extent of the degradation of von Willebrand factor was assessed by electrophoresis in sodium dodecyl sulfate-agarose gels and immunoblotting. To determine whether an inhibitor of von Willebrand factor-cleaving protease was present, we measured the protease activity in normal plasma after incubation with plasma from the patients. RESULTS We examined 30 patients with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura and 23 patients with the hemolytic-uremic syndrome. Of 24 patients with nonfamilial thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, 20 had severe and 4 had moderate protease deficiency during an acute event. An inhibitor found in 20 of these patients was shown to be IgG in five of five tested plasma samples. Of 13 patients with nonfamilial hemolytic-uremic syndrome, 11 had normal levels of activity of von Willebrand factor-cleaving protease during the acute episode, whereas in 2 patients, the activity was slightly decreased. All 6 patients with familial thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura lacked von Willebrand factor-cleaving protease activity but had no inhibitor, whereas all 10 patients with familial hemolytic-uremic syndrome had normal protease activity. In vitro proteolytic degradation of von Willebrand factor by the protease was studied in 5 patients with familial and 7 patients with nonfamilial hemolytic-uremic syndrome and was normal in all 12 patients. CONCLUSIONS Nonfamilial thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura is due to an inhibitor of von Willebrand factor-cleaving protease, whereas the familial form seems to be caused by a constitutional deficiency of the protease. Patients with the hemolyticuremic syndrome do not have a deficiency of von Willebrand factor-cleaving protease or a defect in von Willebrand factor that leads to its resistance to protease.

Survival and relapse in patients with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura.

Survival of patients with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) improved dramatically with plasma exchange treatment, revealing risk for relapse. The Oklahoma TTP Registry is a population-based inception cohort of all 376 consecutive patients with an initial episode of clinically diagnosed TTP (defined as microangiopathic hemolytic anemia and thrombocytopenia with or without signs and symptoms of ischemic organ dysfunctions) for whom plasma exchange was requested, 1989 to 2008. Survival was not different between the first and second 10-year periods for all patients (68% and 69%, P = .83) and for patients with idiopathic TTP (83% and 77%, P = .33). ADAMTS13 activity was measured in 261 (93%) of 282 patients since 1995. Survival was not different between patients with ADAMTS13 activity < 10% (47 of 60, 78%) and patients with 10% or more (136 of 201, 68%, P = .11). Among patients with ADAMTS13 activity < 10%, an inhibitor titer of 2 or more Bethesda units/mL was associated with lower survival (P = .05). Relapse rate was greater among survivors with ADAMTS13 activity < 10% (16 of 47, 34%; estimated risk for relapse at 7.5 years, 41%) than among survivors with ADAMTS13 activity of 10% or more (5 of 136, 4%; P < .001). In 41 (93%) of 44 survivors, ADAMTS13 deficiency during remission was not clearly related to subsequent relapse.

The incidence of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura‐hemolytic uremic syndrome: all patients, idiopathic patients, and patients with severe ADAMTS‐13 deficiency

Summary.  Background: Accurate estimates of the incidence of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) are important to assess the resources required for current treatments as well as to anticipate the need to develop new treatments. Previous estimates have been indirect and have not reported data on patients with ADAMTS‐13 deficiency. Objective: To determine the incidence of patients with TTP‐hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) in three categories: all patients with clinically suspected TTP‐HUS, patients with idiopathic TTP‐HUS, and patients with severe ADAMTS‐13 deficiency. Methods: Incidence rates were estimated from the Oklahoma TTP‐HUS Registry, analyzing all 206 consecutive patients from January 1, 1996 to June 30, 2004 who were treated with plasma exchange for their initial episode of clinically suspected TTP‐HUS. ADAMTS‐13 activity was measured in 186 (90%) of the 206 patients. Results: The age–sex–race standardized annual incidence rates were 11.29 × 106 (95% CI: 9.70–12.88) for all patients with clinically suspected TTP‐HUS; 4.46 × 106 (95% CI: 3.43–5.50) for patients with idiopathic TTP‐HUS; and 1.74 × 106 (95% CI: 1.06–2.41) for patients with severe ADAMTS‐13 deficiency (<5% activity). In all three categories, the incidence rates were greater for women and for blacks. For patients with severe ADAMTS‐13 deficiency, the age–sex standardized incidence rate ratio of blacks to non‐blacks was 9.29 (95% CI: 4.33–19.93). Conclusions: Accurate incidence rate estimates for all patients with clinically suspected TTP‐HUS, idiopathic TTP‐HUS, and TTP associated with severe ADAMTS‐13 deficiency have been determined. The greater incidence among women and blacks is comparable with their increased risk for other autoimmune disorders.

von Willebrand factor-mediated platelet adhesion is critical for deep vein thrombosis in mouse models.

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and its complication, pulmonary embolism, are frequent causes of disability and mortality. Although blood flow disturbance is considered an important triggering factor, the mechanism of DVT initiation remains elusive. Here we show that 48-hour flow restriction in the inferior vena cava (IVC) results in the development of thrombi structurally similar to human deep vein thrombi. von Willebrand factor (VWF)-deficient mice were protected from thrombosis induced by complete (stasis) or partial (stenosis) flow restriction in the IVC. Mice with half normal VWF levels were also protected in the stenosis model. Besides promoting platelet adhesion, VWF carries Factor VIII. Repeated infusions of recombinant Factor VIII did not rescue thrombosis in VWF(-/-) mice, indicating that impaired coagulation was not the primary reason for the absence of DVT in VWF(-/-) mice. Infusion of GPG-290, a mutant glycoprotein Ibα-immunoglobulin chimera that specifically inhibits interaction of the VWF A1 domain with platelets, prevented thrombosis in wild-type mice. Intravital microscopy showed that platelet and leukocyte recruitment in the early stages of DVT was dramatically higher in wild-type than in VWF(-/-) IVC. Our results demonstrate a pathogenetic role for VWF-platelet interaction in flow disturbance-induced venous thrombosis.

Association of two silent polymorphisms of platelet glycoprotein la/lla receptor with risk of myocardial infarction: a case-control study

BACKGROUND The platelet membrane glycoprotein Ia/IIa plays a major part in platelet function as a primary receptor for collagen. A previous report showed a variation of glycoprotein Ia/IIa receptor density and function associated with two silent and linked polymorphisms (807C/T and 873G/A) within the glycoprotein Ia gene. Because platelet thrombus formation is implicated in the pathogenesis of acute myocardial infarction, we investigated these polymorphisms among patients who had had a myocardial infarction. METHODS We did a 2/1 case-control study including 177 patients (median age 57.0 [range 32-72] years) and 89 controls with same age and sex. Distributions of the 807C/T and 873G/A polymorphisms were investigated by genotyping DNA by PCR, single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis, and sequencing. FINDINGS The prevalence of the homozygous 807T/873A genotype was 2.9 times higher among patients with myocardial infarction than among controls (16.4% vs 5.6%, p=0.022). There was an association between patients homozygous for the 807T/873A allele and myocardial infarction (odds ratio 3.3 [95% CI 1.2-8.8]), which was strongest in a subgroup of smokers. The homozygous 807T/873A genotype remained an independent risk factor for myocardial infarction (p=0.005) when age, sex, smoking, hypertension, diabetes, body-mass index, LDL-cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol, and fibrinogen were adjusted for by logistic regression. INTERPRETATION The 807T/873A homozygosity of the platelet glycoprotein Ia/IIa gene polymorphism, associated with differences in surface collagen receptor density and activity, appears to be an independent risk factor for acute myocardial infarction. Our findings need to be confirmed in a larger, prospective study that includes patients from different populations and cardiovascular risk groups.

Elevated nucleosome levels in systemic inflammation and sepsis

ObjectiveMultiple organ dysfunction syndrome is a frequent complication of severe sepsis and septic shock and has a high mortality. We hypothesized that extensive apoptosis of cells might constitute the cellular basis for this complication. DesignRetrospective study. SettingMedical and surgical wards or intensive care units of two university hospitals. PatientsFourteen patients with fever, 15 with systemic inflammatory response syndrome, 32 with severe sepsis, and eight with septic shock. InterventionsNone. Measurements and Main ResultsWe assessed circulating levels of nucleosomes, specific markers released by cells during the later stages of apoptosis, with a previously described enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in these 69 patients with fever, systemic inflammatory response syndrome, severe sepsis, or septic shock. Severity of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome was assessed with sepsis scores, and clinical and laboratory variables. Elevated nucleosome levels were found in 64%, 60%, 94%, and 100% of patients with fever, systemic inflammatory response syndrome, severe sepsis, or septic shock, respectively. These levels were significantly higher in patients with septic shock as compared with patients with severe sepsis, systemic inflammatory response syndrome, or fever, and in nonsurvivors as compared with survivors. In patients with advanced multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, nucleosome levels correlated with cytokine plasma levels as well as with variables predictive for outcome. ConclusionsPatients with severe sepsis and septic shock have elevated plasma levels of nucleosomes. We suggest that apoptosis, probably resulting from exposure of cells to excessive amounts of inflammatory mediators, might by involved in the pathogenesis of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome.

Fibrin glue in surgery: frequent development of inhibitors of bovine thrombin and human factor V

Summary. We report on a 34‐year‐old woman whose plasma showed a marked prolongation of thrombin time (TT) (< 200 s) using bovine thrombin. The patient had previously been exposed twice to topical bovine thrombin contained in fibrin glue during cardiac surgery. TT was normal when human thrombin was used as reagent. The patients purified IgG reacted with bovine prothrombin and bovine thrombin in immunoblotting studies but showed virtually no cross‐reaction with human thrombin. In addition, following surgery, factor V clotting activity (FV:C) was reduced to 9% of normal. The inhibitor of bovine thrombin persisted over a period of more than a year, while the level of FV:C progressively returned to normal within this time period.

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura

Summary.  This overview summarizes the history of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) from its initial recognition in 1924 as a most often fatal disease to the discovery in 1997 of ADAMTS‐13 deficiency as a major risk factor for acute disease manifestation. The cloning of the metalloprotease, ADAMTS‐13, an essential regulator of the extremely adhesive unusually large von Willebrand factor (VWF) multimers secreted by endothelial cells, as well as ADAMTS‐13 structure and function are reviewed. The complex, initially devised assays for ADAMTS‐13 activity and the possible limitations of static in vitro assays are described. A new, simple assay using a recombinant 73‐amino acid VWF peptide as substrate will hopefully be useful. Hereditary TTP caused by homozygous or double heterozygous ADAMTS‐13 mutations and the nature of the mutations so far identified are discussed. Recognition of this condition by clinicians is of utmost importance, because it can be easily treated and – if untreated – frequently results in death. Acquired TTP is often but not always associated with severe, autoantibody‐mediated ADAMTS‐13 deficiency. The pathogenesis of cases without severe deficiency of the VWF‐cleaving protease remains unknown, affected patients cannot be distinguished clinically from those with severely decreased ADAMTS‐13 activity. Survivors of acute TTP, especially those with autoantibody‐induced ADAMTS‐13 deficiency, are at a high risk for relapse, as are patients with hereditary TTP. Patients with thrombotic microangiopathies (TMA) associated with hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, neo‐plasia and several drugs, usually have normal or only moderately reduced ADAMTS‐13 activity, with the exception of ticlopidine‐induced TMA. Diarrhea‐positive‐hemolytic uremic syndrome (D+ HUS), mainly occurring in children is due to enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli infection, and cases with atypical, D− HUS may be associated with factor H abnormalities. Treatment of acquired idiopathic TTP involves plasma exchange with fresh frozen plasma (FFP), and probably immunosuppression with corticosteroids is indicated. We believe that, at present, patients without severe acquired ADAMTS‐13 deficiency should be treated with plasma exchange as well, until better strategies become available. Constitutional TTP can be treated by simple FFP infusion that rapidly reverses acute disease and – given prophylactically every 2–3 weeks – prevents relapses. There remains a large research agenda to improve diagnosis of TMA, gain further insight into the pathophysiology of the various TMA and to improve and possibly tailor the management of affected patients.

Circulating DNA and myeloperoxidase indicate disease activity in patients with thrombotic microangiopathies.

Thrombotic microangiopathies (TMAs) are a group of life-threatening disorders characterized by thrombocytopenia, fragmentation of erythrocytes, and ischemic organ damage. Genetic disorders, autoimmune disease, and cancer are risk factors for TMAs, but an additional, unknown trigger is needed to bring about acute disease. Recent studies suggest that DNA and histones are released during inflammation or infection and stimulate coagulation, thrombosis, thrombocytopenia, and organ damage in mice. We show that extracellular DNA and histones as well as markers of neutrophils are present in acute TMAs. Analysis of plasma from TMA patients of different clinical categories revealed elevated levels of DNA-histone complexes and myeloperoxidase (MPO) from neutrophil granules as well as S100A8/A9, a heterocomplex abundant in neutrophil cytosol. During therapy of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, a subtype of TMAs often associated with severe ADAMTS13 (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin type 1 motifs, member 13) deficiency, plasma DNA and MPO were inversely correlated with platelet counts, and their levels indicated amelioration or exacerbation of the disease. ADAMTS13 deficiency together with increased levels of plasma DNA and MPO were characteristic for acute thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura. A minor infection often precedes acute TMA and extracellular DNA and histones released during the inflammatory response could provide the second hit, which precipitates acute TMA in patients with pre-existing risk factors.

ADAMTS13 gene defects in two brothers with constitutional thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura and normalization of von Willebrand factor‐cleaving protease activity by recombinant human ADAMTS13

Summary. Genetic analysis of the ADAMTS13 locus identified six mutations in the ADAMTS13 genes of two brothers suffering from constitutional thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP): a stop codon leading to a truncated protein on the paternal ADAMTS13 allele and five amino acid exchanges on the maternal allele, three of which were single nucleotide polymorphisms. The other two mutations, not detected in 230 sequenced alleles of healthy control subjects, are, therefore, probably responsible, alone or as part of a combination, for the severe ADAMTS13 deficiency. We also investigated the feasibility of using recombinant ADAMTS13 (rADAMTS13) for normalization of von Willebrand factor‐cleaving protease (VWF‐cp) activity in plasma of the two congenitally deficient patients. Addition of rADAMTS13 to their plasma restored the VWF‐processing pattern to normal, suggesting the potential usefulness of rADAMTS13 for therapy and prophylaxis of familial TTP.