Quaternary Organization of GPIb-IX Complex and Insights Into Bernard-Soulier Syndrome Revealed by the Crystal Structures of GPIbβ Ectodomain and a GPIbβ/GPIX Chimera

Abstract 2195

Platelet glycoprotein (GP)Ib-IX receptor complex contains three subunits, GPIbα, GPIbβ and GPIX, which assemble with a ratio of 1:2:1. Dysfunction in surface expression of the complex leads to Bernard-Soulier syndrome (BSS). We have crystallized the GPIbβ ectodomain (GPIbβ_E) and determined the structure to reveal a single leucine-rich repeat with N- and C-terminal disulfide bonded capping regions. The central region of the structure can be divided into concave parallel β-sheet and convex loops. The crystal structure of a GPIbβ_E/GPIX_E chimera that contains three non-continguous convex loops of GPIX and retains a GPIbβ-binding site of GPIX (Mo et al. J. Thromb. Haemost. 7:1533–40, 2009) was also determined. The chimera, but not GPIbβ_E, forms a homotetramer in the crystal, revealing a quaternary interface between GPIbβ and GPIX ectodomains. Central to this interface is residue Tyr106 from GPIbβ that inserts into a shallow and largely hydrophobic pocket generated by two convex loops from GPIX. Mutagenesis studies confirmed this interface as a valid representation of interactions between GPIbβ and GPIX in the full-length complex. Eight GPIbβ missense mutations identified from BSS patients were examined in transiently transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells for changes to the GPIb-IX complex surface expression. Six of the eight mutations lead to secretion defect and/or misfolding of GPIbβ_E. In contrast, the other two mutations, A108P and P74R, were found to maintain normal secretion and folding of GPIbβ_E but were unable to support GPIX surface expression. The close structural proximity of these mutations to Tyr106 and the GPIbβ_E interface with GPIX indicates that residues Ala108 and Pro74 in GPIbβ are located at the GPIbβ_E/GPIX_E interfaces. Based on the tetrameric arrangement of the chimera structure, we propose a structural model for the GPIb-IX complex that embodies its organizing principles and helps to provide mechanistic insights on its assembly, function and regulation.