The Receptor for the Globular “Heads” of C1q, gC1q-R, Binds to Fibrinogen/Fibrin and Impairs Its Polymerization

The 33-kDa cellular C1q binding protein, designated gC1q-R was previously shown to bind a number of plasma proteins involved in the coagulation and kinin systems. This study demonstrates the interaction between recombinant gC1q-R and fibrinogen. Using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, biotinylated gC1q-R was found to bind to microplate-immobilized fibrinogen in a manner which was specific and inhibited by excess soluble fibrinogen or polyclonal antibodies directed against either gC1q-R or fibrinogen. Moreover, gC1q-R inhibited fibrin polymerization in a dose-dependent manner. Reptilase induced fibrin clot formation was completely inhibited by gC1q-R at a 2:1 molar ratio (gC1q-R:fibrinogen), and repolymerization of thrombin induced fibrin monomers was similarly abrogated. At equivalent molar concentrations, gC1q-R appeared to be a more potent inhibitor of fibrin polymerization than fibrinogen, a well-known inhibitor. Moreover, in the presence of both gC1q-R and soluble fibrinogen, the effect of each inhibitor on fibrin polymerization was additive. When plasmin derived fibrinogen degradation products, including the C-terminal D domain (D-100) or the N-terminal E domain, were immobilized on microtiter plates, gC1q-R bound to fibrinogen fragment D-100, but not to fragment E. Further digestion of fibrinogen fragment D-100 by plasmin to fragment D-60 resulted in loss of gC1q-R binding. Thus, gC1q-R binds to the D domain of fibrinogen/fibrin, and the carboxyterminal segment of at least the fibrinogen/fibrin γ chain appears important for this interaction. These observations may suggest a potential role for gC1q-R in modulating fibrin formation particularly at local sites of immune injury or inflammation.