Identification and characterization of a novel factor XIIa inhibitor in the hematophagous insect, Triatoma infestans (Hemiptera: Reduviidae).

Recently, we have cloned several Kazal-type serine protease inhibitors from the midgut of the Triatoma infestans bug. A single gene composed of multi Kazal-type domains, in tandem, encodes these inhibitors. In this work, we describe the purification and characterization of recombinant infestins 3-4 and 4, which are potent factor XIIa inhibitors (KI=67 pM and 128 pM, respectively). We also identified the first native factor XIIa inhibitor from a hematophagous insect. The factor XIIa inhibitory activity of infestin 4 demonstrates extremely efficient anticoagulant activity, prolonging activated partial thromboplastin time by approximately 3 times. Our results suggest that infestins perform a very important role in the T. infestans midgut during meal acquisition and digestion by controlling blood coagulation by means of inhibiting thrombin and factor XIIa.