What is Thrombin

THROMBIN(activated Factor II [IIa]) is a coagulation protein that has many effects in the coagulation cascade. It is a serine protease (EC 3.4.21.5) that converts soluble fibrinogen into insoluble strands of fibrin, as well as catalyzing many other coagulation-related reactions.

Activation of prothrombin is crucial in physiological and pathological coagulation. Various rare diseases involving prothrombin have been described (e.g., hypoprothrombinemia). Anti-thrombin antibodies in autoimmune disease may be a factor in the formation of the lupus anticoagulant also known as ( antiphospholipid syndrome ).

In addition to its activity in the coagulation cascades, thrombin also promotes platelet activation, via activation of protease-activated receptors on the platelet.


Thrombin, a potent vasoconstrictor and mitogen, is implicated as a major factor in vasospasm following subarachnoid hemorrhage. Blood from a ruptured cerebral aneurysm clots around a cerebral artery, releasing thrombin. This can induce an acute and prolonged narrowing of the blood vessel, potentially resulting in cerebral ischemia and infarction (stroke).


Due to its high proteolytic specificity, thrombin is a valuable biochemical tool. The thrombin cleavage site (Leu-Val-Pro-Arg-Gly-Ser) is commonly included in linker regions of recombinant fusion protein constructs. Following purification of the fusion protein, thrombin can be used to selectively cleave between the Arginine and Glycine residues of the cleavage site, effectively removing the purification tag from the protein of interest with a high degree of specificity.


References
^ McMillen, S.I. (1984), None of These Diseases (Old Tappan, NJ: Revell)
^ Schmidt A (1872). "Neue Untersuchungen ueber die Fasserstoffesgerinnung". Pflüger's Archiv für die gesamte Physiologie 6: 413–538. doi:10.1007/BF01612263.

Recommended Reading
Further reading
Esmon CT (1995). "Thrombomodulin as a model of molecular mechanisms that modulate protease specificity and function at the vessel surface". Faseb J 9 (10): 946–55. PMID 7615164.
Lenting PJ, van Mourik JA, Mertens K (1999). "The life cycle of coagulation factor VIII in view of its structure and function". Blood 92 (11): 3983–96. PMID 9834200.
Plow EF, Cierniewski CS, Xiao Z, et al. (2002). "AlphaIIbbeta3 and its antagonism at the new millennium". Thromb. Haemost 86 (1): 34–40. PMID 11487023.
Maragoudakis ME, Tsopanoglou NE, Andriopoulou P (2002). "Mechanism of thrombin-induced angiogenesis". Biochem. Soc. Trans 30 (2): 173–7. doi:10.1042/ (inactive 28 June 2008). PMID 12023846.
Howell DC, Laurent GJ, Chambers RC (2002). "Role of thrombin and its major cellular receptor, protease-activated receptor-1, in pulmonary fibrosis". Biochem. Soc. Trans 30 (2): 211–6. doi:10.1042/ (inactive 28 June 2008). PMID 12023853.
Firth SM, Baxter RC (2003). "Cellular actions of the insulin-like growth factor binding proteins". Endocr. Rev 23 (6): 824–54. doi:10.1210/er.2001-0033. PMID 12466191.
Minami T, Sugiyama A, Wu SQ, et al. (2004). "Thrombin and phenotypic modulation of the endothelium". Arterioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Biol 24 (1): 41–53. doi:10.1161/01.ATV.0000099880.09014.7D. PMID 14551154.
De Cristofaro R, De Candia E (2004). "Thrombin domains: structure, function and interaction with platelet receptors". J. Thromb. Thrombolysis 15 (3): 151–63. doi:10.1023/B:THRO.0000011370.80989.7b. PMID 14739624.
Tsopanoglou NE, Maragoudakis ME (2004). "Role of thrombin in angiogenesis and tumor progression". Semin. Thromb. Hemost 30 (1): 63–9. doi:10.1055/s-2004-822971. PMID 15034798.
Bode W (2007). "Structure and interaction modes of thrombin". Blood Cells Mol. Dis 36 (2): 122–30. doi:10.1016/j.bcmd.2005.12.027. PMID 16480903.
Wolberg AS (2007). "Thrombin generation and fibrin clot structure". Blood Rev 21 (3): 131–42. doi:10.1016/j.blre.2006.11.001. PMID 17208341.
Degen S: Prothrombin. In: High K, Roberts H, eds. Molecular Basis of Thrombosis and Hemostasis. New York, NY: Marcel Dekker; 1995:75.
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