Multimeric composition of expressed mutant VWF.

The Tyr87Ser-VWF and WT-VWF plasmid constructs were transiently expressed in COS-7 cells, and the expressed proteins analyzed on 1.5% agarose-SDS gels (see “Materials and methods”). The type of VWF plasmid transfected is listed above the lanes, with normal plasma run for comparison purposes (lane 1). Two separate transfections of Tyr87Ser-VWF plasmids in COS-7 cells have been analyzed on this Western blot (lanes 2 and 3). Compared with the WT-VWF (lane 4), there is clearly a lack of multimerization by the Tyr87Ser (lanes 2 and 3) VWF defect, and only dimers are visualized.