Summary
Protein C inhibitor (PCI, SerpinA5) is a heparin-binding serpin which can penetrate
through cellular membranes. Selected negatively charged phospholipids like unsaturated
phosphatidylserine and oxidised phosphatidylethanolamine bind to PCI and stimulate
its inhibitory activity towards different proteases. The interaction of phospholipids
with PCI might also alter the lipid distribution pattern of blood cells and influence
the remodelling of cellular membranes. Here we showed that PCI is an additional binding
partner of phosphatidic acid (PA), cardiolipin (CL), and phosphoinositides (PIPs).
Protein lipid overlay assays exhibited a unique binding pattern of PCI towards different
lipid species. In addition PA, CL, and unsaturated, monophosphorylated PIPs stimulated
the inhibitory property of PCI towards activated protein C in a heparin like manner.
As shown for kallistatin (SerpinA4) and vaspin (SerpinA12), the incubation of cells
with PCI led to the activation of protein kinase B (AKT), which could be achieved
through direct interaction of PCI with PIPs. This model is supported by the fact that
PCI stimulated the PIP-dependent 5-phosphatase SHIP2 in vitro, which would result in AKT activation. Hence the interaction of PCI with different
lipids might not only stimulate the inhibition of potential target protease by PCI,
but could also alter intracellular lipid signalling.
Keywords
Protease inhibitors - phospholipids - coagulation factors - signal transduction -
SERPINs