Met343Val mutation disrupts the shuttling of Trp380 leading to a low-activity conformer of activated protein C and causes thrombosis

Background: Protein C (PC) pathway serves as a major defense mechanism against thrombosis by the activation of PC through the thrombin-thrombomodulin (TM) complex and subsequent inactivation of the activated factor V (FVa) and Factor VIII (FVIIIa) with the assistance of protein S, thereby contributing to hemostatic balance. We identified two unrelated patients who suffered from recurrent thrombosis and carried the same heterozygous mutation c.1153A>G, p. Met343Val (M343V) in PROC gene. This mutation had not been previously reported.

Objectives: To explore the molecular basis underlying the anticoagulant defect in patients carrying the M343V mutation in PROC.

Methods: We expressed PC-M343V variant in mammalian cells and characterized its properties through coagulation assays.

Results: Our findings demonstrated that while activation of mutant zymogen by thrombin-TM was slightly affected, cleavage of chromogenic substrate by APC-M343V was significantly impaired. However, Ca²⁺ increased the cleavage efficiency by approximately 50%. Additionally, there was a severe reduction in affinity between APC-M343V and Na⁺. Furthermore, the inhibitory ability of APC-M343V towards FVa was markedly impaired. Structural and simulation analyses suggested that Val343 might disrupt the potential hydrogen bonds with Trp380 and cause Trp380 to orient closer to His211, potentially interfering with substrate binding and destabilizing the catalytic triad of APC.

Conclusion: The M343V mutation in patients adversely affects the reactivity and/or folding of the active site as well as the binding of the physiological substrate to the protease, resulting in impaired protein C anticoagulant activity, ultimately leading to thrombosis.

anticoagulant; mutation; protein C; thrombosis.