High-molecular-weight kininogen

kininogen 1
Identifiers
Symbol KNG1
Alt. symbols KNG, BDK
Entrez 3827
HUGO 6383
OMIM 612358
RefSeq NM_001102416
UniProt P01042
Other data
Locus Chr. 3 q21-qter

High molecular weight kininogen (HMWK or HK) is a circulating plasma protein which participates in the initiation of blood coagulation, and in the generation of the vasodilator bradykinin via the Kallikrein-kinin system. HMWK is inactive until it either adheres to binding proteins beneath an endothelium disrupted by injury, thereby initiating coagulation; or it binds to intact endothelial cells or platelets for functions other than coagulation.

Other names

In the past, HMWK has been called HMWK-kallikrein factor, Flaujeac factor (1975),[1] Fitzgerald factor (1975),[2] and Williams-Fitzgerald-Flaujeac factor, - the eponyms being for people first reported to have HMWK deficiency. Its current accepted name is to contrast it with low molecular weight kininogen (LMWK) which has a similar function to HMWK in the tissue (as opposed to serum) kinin-kallikrein system.

Structure and Function

HMWK is an alpha-globulin with six functional domains. It circulates as a single-chain 626 amino acid polypeptide . The heavy chain contains domains 1, 2, and 3; the light chain, domains 5 and 6. Domain 4 links the heavy and light chains.

The domains contain the following functional sites:

HMWK is one of four proteins which interact to initiate the contact activation pathway (also called the intrinsic pathway) of coagulation: the other three are Factor XII, Factor XI and prekallikrein. HMWK is not enzymatically active, and functions only as a cofactor for the activation of kallikrein and factor XII. It is also necessary for the activation of factor XI by factor XIIa.

HMWK is also a precursor of bradykinin;[3] this vasodilator is released through positive feedback by kallikrein.

HMWK is a strong inhibitor of cysteine proteinases. Responsible for this activity are domains 2 and 3 on its heavy chain.[4]

Genetics

The gene for both LMWK and HMWK is located on the 3rd chromosome (3q26).[5]

Measurement

Measurement of HMWK is usually done with mixing studies, in which plasma deficient in HMWK is mixed with the patient's sample and a partial thromboplastin time (PTT) is determined. Results are expressed in % of normal - a value under 60% indicates a deficiency.

Clinical features

The existence of HMWK was hypothesised in 1975 when several patients were described with a deficiency of a class of plasma protein and a prolonged bleeding time and PTT.[6] There is no increased risk of bleeding or any other symptoms, so the deficiency is a trait, not a disease.

References

  1. Wuepper KD, Miller DR, Lacombe MJ (1975). "Flaujeac trait. Deficiency of human plasma kininogen". J. Clin. Invest. 56 (6): 1663–72. doi:10.1172/JCI108248. PMC 333145. PMID 127805.
  2. Waldmann R, Abraham JP, Rebuck JW, Caldwell J, Saito H, Ratnoff OD (1975). "Fitzgerald factor: a hitherto unrecognised coagulation factor". Lancet 1 (7913): 949–51. PMID 48123.
  3. Stefan Offermanns; Walter Rosenthal (2008). Encyclopedia of Molecular Pharmacology. Springer. pp. 673–. ISBN 978-3-540-38916-3. Retrieved 11 December 2010.
  4. Higashiyama S, Ohkubo I, Ishiguro H, Kunimatsu M, Sawaki K, Sasaki M (April 1986). "Human high molecular weight kininogen as a thiol proteinase inhibitor: presence of the entire inhibition capacity in the native form of heavy chain". Biochemistry 25 (7): 1669–75. doi:10.1021/bi00355a034. PMID 3635411.
  5. Fong D, Smith DI, Hsieh WT (1991). "The human kininogen gene (KNG) mapped to chromosome 3q26-qter by analysis of somatic cell hybrids using the polymerase chain reaction". Hum. Genet. 87 (2): 189–92. doi:10.1007/BF00204179. PMID 2066106.
  6. Colman RW, Bagdasarian A, Talamo RC, Scott CF, Seavey M, Guimaraes JA, Pierce JV, Kaplan AP (1975). "Williams trait. Human kininogen deficiency with diminished levels of plasminogen proactivator and prekallikrein associated with abnormalities of the Hageman factor-dependent pathways". J. Clin. Invest. 56 (6): 1650–62. doi:10.1172/JCI108247. PMC 333144. PMID 1202089.