Identification and Mechanistic Analysis of a Novel Tick-Derived Inhibitor of Thrombin

PLoS One. 2015 Aug 5;10(8):e0133991. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0133991. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

A group of peptides from the salivary gland of the tick Hyalomma marginatum rufipes, a vector of Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever show weak similarity to the madanins, a group of thrombin-inhibitory peptides from a second tick species, Haemaphysalis longicornis. We have evaluated the anti-serine protease activity of one of these H. marginatum peptides that has been given the name hyalomin-1. Hyalomin-1 was found to be a selective inhibitor of thrombin, blocking coagulation of plasma and inhibiting S2238 hydrolysis in a competitive manner with an inhibition constant (Ki) of 12 nM at an ionic strength of 150 mM. It also blocks the thrombin-mediated activation of coagulation factor XI, thrombin-mediated platelet aggregation, and the activation of coagulation factor V by thrombin. Hyalomin-1 is cleaved at a canonical thrombin cleavage site but the cleaved products do not inhibit coagulation. However, the C-terminal cleavage product showed non-competitive inhibition of S2238 hydrolysis. A peptide combining the N-terminal parts of the molecule with the cleavage region did not interact strongly with thrombin, but a 24-residue fragment containing the cleavage region and the C-terminal fragment inhibited the enzyme in a competitive manner and also inhibited coagulation of plasma. These results suggest that the peptide acts by binding to the active site as well as exosite I or the autolysis loop of thrombin. Injection of 2.5 mg/kg of hyalomin-1 increased arterial occlusion time in a mouse model of thrombosis, suggesting this peptide could be a candidate for clinical use as an antithrombotic.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Anticoagulants / chemistry
  • Anticoagulants / isolation & purification*
  • Anticoagulants / pharmacology*
  • Blood Coagulation / drug effects*
  • Blood Coagulation Tests
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Peptides / chemistry
  • Peptides / isolation & purification*
  • Peptides / pharmacology*
  • Platelet Aggregation / drug effects
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Thrombin / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Thrombin / metabolism
  • Thrombosis / drug therapy
  • Ticks / chemistry*

Substances

  • Anticoagulants
  • Peptides
  • Thrombin