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Thromb Haemost 1989; 61(03): 437-441
DOI: 10.1055/s-0038-1646610
Original Article
Schattauer GmbH Stuttgart

Isolation and Structural Charaderization of a Potent Inhibitor of Coagulation Factor Xa from the Leech Haementeria ghilianii

Cindra Condra
Merck Sharp & Dohme Research Laboratories, West Point, PA, USA
,
Elka Nutt
Merck Sharp & Dohme Research Laboratories, West Point, PA, USA
,
Christopher J Petroski
Merck Sharp & Dohme Research Laboratories, West Point, PA, USA
,
Ellen Simpson
Merck Sharp & Dohme Research Laboratories, West Point, PA, USA
,
P A Friedman
Merck Sharp & Dohme Research Laboratories, West Point, PA, USA
,
J W Jacobs
Merck Sharp & Dohme Research Laboratories, West Point, PA, USA
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Received 21 December 1988

Accepted after revision 17 February 1989

Publication Date:
24 July 2018 (online)

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Summary

The present work reports the discovery and charactenzation of an anticoagulant protein in the salivary gland of the giant bloodsucking leech, H. ghilianii, which is a specific and potent inhibitor of coagulation factor Xa. The inhibitor, purified to homogeneity, displayed subnanomolar inhibition of bovine factor Xa and had a molecular weight of approximately 15,000 as deduced by denaturing SDS-PAGE. The amino acid sequence of the first 43 residues of the H. ghilianii derived inhibitor displayed a striking homology to antistasin, the recently described subnanomolar inhibitor of factor Xa isolated from the Mexican leech, H. officinalis. Antisera prepared to antistasin cross-reacted with the H. ghilianii protein in Western Blot analysis. These data indicate that the giant Amazonian leech, H. ghilianii, and the smaller Mexican leech, H. officinalrs, have similar proteins which disrupt the normal hemostatic clotting mechanisms in their mammalian host’s blood.

Keywords

Leech - Haementeria - Anticoagulant - Factor Xa - Antistasin
 

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