Procoagulant Activity of Laminaria Japonica Derived Fucoidan (BAX513) Depends on the Interaction with the C-Terminus of Tissue Factor Pathway Inhibitor

Abstract 4417

BAX513, a fucoidan derived from the brown seaweed Laminaria japonica, and other non-anticoagulant sulfated polysaccharides (NASPs) improve coagulation in hemophilic blood and plasma. Fucoidans are heterogeneous, polysulfated molecules with procoagulant activities in a wide concentration range. Tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) has been described as a potential target for the procoagulant activity of NASPs (Liu et al. Thromb Haemost 2006; 95:68). In the current study, we investigated the interaction of BAX513 with TFPI proteins to gain a detailed understanding of the mechanism of action of BAX513. We used calibrated automated thrombography to monitor the activity of BAX513 in normal, FX and TFPI-deficient plasma. TFPI plasma levels were varied by the addition of truncated TFPI (TFPI1-160) and TFPI-domain specific antibodies. Initiating thrombin generation by addition of FXa to plasma deficient in both, FX and FVIII-showed a BAX513-dose dependent increase of thrombin generation, which was completely abolished when TFPI-specific polyclonal antibodies were present. Furthermore, when full-length TFPI was inhibited in plasma and instead supplemented with increasing amounts of TFPI 1–160, BAX513 did not show any activity. The data are further supported by surface plasmon resonance experiments (BiaCore) exploring the BAX513-TFPI interaction. A high affinity interaction was only observed for BAX513 with full-length TFPI but not for BAX513 with TFPI1-160. Our findings support a mechanism of action in which BAX513 acts as a potent dose-dependent TFPI antagonist that requires the highly charged C-terminus of TFPI to unfold its full potential. Understanding the mechanism of action of BAX513 supports the development of BAX513 as a promising new therapeutic for hemophiliacs and FVIII-inhibitor patients.