BIOCHEMICAL-CHARACTERIZATION OF PROCOAGULANT ALBUMIN

Procoagulant albumin (Pro-Alb) is an anionic form of albumin isolated from normal human plasma that regulates vascular endothelial cell hemo static properties, including induction of tissue factor activity. We i nvestigated the biochemical modification of Pro-Alb that was associate d with procoagulant - inducing activity. Tryptic digestion of Pro-Alb identified greatest bioactivity in the carboxy-terminus of the molecul e, a region associated with lipid binding sites. Activated charcoal tr eatment and phopholipase C digestion reduced the procoagulant-inducing activity of Pro-Alb, and Pro-Alb contained 2.3-fold more phosphorus t han inactive albumin. We conclude that modification of albumin by phos pholipid imparts tissue factor-inducing activity to Pro-Alb. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.