An apparently higher molecular weight gamma-chain variant in a new congenital abnormal fibrinogen Tochigi characterized by the replacement of gamma arginine-275 by cysteine.

A gamma-chain variant with an apparently higher molecular weight than the normal gamma-chain was detected in a new congenital abnormal fibrinogen with impaired polymerization of the fibrin monomer and with normal release of fibrinopeptides A and B in a 51-year-old male. Purified fibrinogen analyzed on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) under the reduced condition in the system of Laemmli contained two protein bands in the gamma-chain region (molecular weight, 50,500 as compared with 50,000 for the normal), both with normal crosslinking ability. The presence of two types of gamma-chains was more clearly detected when reduced and carboxymethylated fibrinogen was analyzed by SDS-PAGE or when reduced fragment D2 was analyzed on SDS-PAGE followed by Western blotting, and identified by positive staining for anti gamma-chain monoclonal antibody. Cyanogen bromide- or lysylendopeptidase-cleavage of purified gamma-chains analyzed on reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography showed the decrease of one peptide compared with the normal and the appearance of an abnormal peptide peak. Amino acid sequence analysis demonstrated that the gamma arginine-275 of gamma-chain variant was replaced by a cysteine. These data suggest that some regions or conformations containing gamma 275 will affect the polymerization of fibrin monomers. The propositus' two daughters had the same abnormal fibrinogen. This unique inherited abnormal fibrinogen was designated as fibrinogen Tochigi, and the gamma-chain variant as gamma Tochigi.