Heparin Cofactor II (HCII)

In the coagulation cascade, heparin cofactor II inhibits thrombin by formation of a bimolecular complex in the presence and absence of heparin. This complex is stable to denaturants and essentially irreversible. In addition to heparin, a wide variety of polyanionic compounds accelerate inhibition of thrombin by HCII. Noteworthy among these compounds is dermatan sulfate, which accelerates inhibition of thrombin by HCII, but not antithrombin III. This feature has been utilized to develop a plasma based assay specific for heparin cofactor II. Although HCII shows only ~25% sequence homology to other serpins, the reactive site peptide (COOH-terminal 36 amino acids) released on inhibition of thrombin is 53% homologous to that released from antithrombin III (AT III) by thrombin. The scissile bond in HCII is Leu-Ser which is unusual for an arginine specific protease inhibitor. In contrast to AT III, the only coagulation protease inhibited by HCII is thrombin. Other proteases inhibited by HCII include a-chymotrypsin, neutrophil cathepsin G and streptomyces griseus protease B. The major physiologic role of heparin cofactor II may remain to be discovered.\n\nApplications: \nSuitable for use in ELISA andWestern Blot. Other applications not tested.\n\nRecommended Dilution:\nELISA: 10ug/ml\nWestern Blot: 10ug/ml\nOptimal dilutions to be determined by the researcher.\n\nStorage and Stability:\nMay be stored at 4 degrees C for short-term only. For long-term storage, store at -20 degrees C. Aliquots are stable for at least 12 months at -20 degrees C. For maximum recovery of product, centrifuge the original vial after thawing and prior to removing the cap. Further dilutions can be made in assay buffer.

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