The pleiotropic role of the fibrinogen gamma' chain in hemostasis.
A fraction of fibrinogen contains a differently spliced gamma chain called gamma', which presents itself mainly as heterodimer with the common gammaA chain as gammaA/gamma' fibrinogen. The gamma' chain differs from the gammaA chain in its C-terminus and has important functional implications for fibrinogen. The presence of the gamma' chain modulates thrombin and FXIII activity, influences clot architecture, and eliminates a platelet-binding site. Associations of gammaA/gamma' fibrinogen levels with arterial and venous thrombosis have been reported, indicating that the functional effects of gammaA/gamma' fibrinogen may contribute to the pathology of thrombosis. This review summarizes the key biologic aspects of this interesting variant of fibrinogen and discusses inconsistencies in current reports.
Uitte de Willige
Shirley
S
Division of Cardiovascular & Diabetes Research, Section on Mechanisms of Thrombosis, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom. s.uittedewillige@leeds.ac.uk
Standeven
Kristina F
KF
Philippou
Helen
H
Ariëns
Robert A S
RA
D017398:Alternative Splicing; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D019281:Dimerization; D005176:Factor XIII / Q000378:metabolism; D015241:Fibrinogens, Abnormal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006487:Hemostasis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010974:Platelet Aggregation; D020836:Protein Structure, Quaternary; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012307:Risk Factors; D013917:Thrombin / Q000378:metabolism; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology
D015241:Fibrinogens, Abnormal; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C527521:fibrinogen gamma'; D005176:Factor XIII; D013917:Thrombin