Synthesis of protein C in human umbilical vein endothelial cells.

By monitoring the activation of protein C and the regulation of factor Xa-catalyzed thrombin formation by the activated protein C (APC) on the surface of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC), we found that functional protein C was synthesized in cultured HUVEC and expressed thereon in the presence of vitamin K. Furthermore, without exogenously added protein S, time-dependent and saturable accumulation of APC (20 fmol APC/10(5) cells) on the surface of HUVEC was observed. During prothrombin activation by the complex of membrane-bound factor Xa and endogenous factor Va formed on the surface of HUVEC, APC was generated, and the rate of thrombin formation decreased. Treatment of HUVEC with an antibody that inhibits the APC-catalyzed inactivation of endogenous factor Va clearly quenched the activity of surface-associated APC. Immunostaining of HUVEC with a horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-conjugated antibody that solely recognizes human protein C confirmed the presence of protein C on the surface of HUVEC. Northern blot analysis revealed that an about 1.8 kb mRNA species derived from HUVEC was hybridized with 32P-labeled protein C cDNA, as in the case of those from HepG2, which are known to synthesize normal protein C. The increase in the amount of protein C mRNA in HUVEC in parallel with cell growth provided supporting evidence for the synthesis of protein C during the culture of HUVEC. These results indicate that blood coagulation is regulated by endogenously generated and activated protein C, together with or without protein S, through inactivation of factor Va on the surface of endothelial cells.