title: The human factor H-related protein 4 (FHR-4). A novel short consensus repeat-containing protein is associated with human triglyceride-rich lipoproteins.
abstract: A novel apoprotein of an apparent molecular mass of 86 kDa in its unreduced form was identified in human triglyceride-rich lipoproteins. This protein was purified and the amino acid sequence of six proteolytic fragments was found to overlap with that of the factor H-related proteins. In parallel we identified the cDNA encoding a new complement factor H-related protein, termed FHR-4. The sequences of the new apoprotein overlapped with that of the FHR-4 protein. Similar to the previously described factor H-related proteins, FHR-4 contains a hydrophobic signal sequence followed by a stretch of five repetitive elements termed short consensus repeats. Recombinant FHR-4 protein was expressed in the baculovirus system and has an apparent molecular mass of 42 kDa. In addition a 84-kDa dimeric form of the recombinant FHR-4 was detected. Using an immunoaffinity column with antibodies raised against the recombinant FHR-4, we isolated a 86-kDa protein from human plasma. The different molecular mass of the recombinant FHR-4 and the dimeric FHR-4 in plasma is due to different carbohydrate moieties. The 86-kDa plasma protein and the novel apolipoprotein had identical mobility on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis and reacted with antisera raised against the reFHR-4 and the purified apoprotein. In conclusion, we have identified a novel factor H-related protein, FHR-4, in human plasma and demonstrate that this protein is present in triglyceride-rich lipoproteins in a dimeric form. This observation provides an intriguing new aspect on possible function(s) of this novel protein and the other factor H-related proteins.
authors.affiliation: Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard-Nocht-Strasse 74, 20359 Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Skerka
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hellwage
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tilkorn
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Buck
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Marti
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kampen
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Beisiegel
authors.forename: P F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Zipfel
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001053:Apolipoproteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D001483:Base Sequence; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000737:chemistry; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D006801:Humans; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D008079:Lipoproteins, VLDL / Q000737:chemistry*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D008970:Molecular Weight; D011487:Protein Conformation; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D001053:Apolipoproteins; D001798:Blood Proteins; C105092:CFHR4 protein, human; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D008074:Lipoproteins; D008079:Lipoproteins, VLDL; D014280:Triglycerides; C100631:factor H-related protein 1; C100632:factor H-related protein 2