Identification of a VPS33B-Binding Protein That Facilitates Alpha Granule Formation In Human Megakaryocytes and Platelets.

Abstract 1444

Human platelets contain α-granules, dense (δ-) granules and lysosomes that release their contents upon platelet activation. Platelet granule release is important for hemostasis, since patients with inherited granule defects have bleeding problems. α-granules are absent in the gray platelet and ARC syndromes, while deficient δ-granules are observed in isolation, in combination with α-granule deficiency, or as part of a syndrome in the Hermansky-Pudlak, Chediak-Higashi and Griscelli syndromes. The biogenesis of α-granules is poorly understood. Our laboratory has identified VPS33B as a central player in the formation of platelet α-granules. VPS33B has yet to be characterized in detail, however, its homolog VPS33A is known to be part of a multiprotein complex involved intracellular vesicle trafficking. Studies in our laboratory suggest that VPS33B is also part of a multiprotein complex. We performed a yeast two-hybrid library screen with VPS33B as bait and found another member of the complex: the unidentified gene product of chromosome 14 open reading frame 133 (C14orf133). Sequence analysis indicated this to be human VPS16B. Our studies show that VPS16B specifically binds to VPS33B but not its homologue, VPS33A. Furthermore, we show that VPS33B forms a distinct complex from that of its homologue VPS33A. VPS16B was found to co-localize with trans-Golgi, late endosome and α-granule markers in megakaryocytic Dami cells. Ongoing studies suggest that knockdown of VPS16B affects α-granule formation. We conclude that VPS16B, much like its binding partner VPS33B, plays a crucial role in megakaryocyte and platelet α-granule biogenesis.