Cloning and expression of cDNA encoding antistasin, a leech-derived protein having anti-coagulant and anti-metastatic properties
Research article published in Gene (1989)
Abstract
As a factor Xa inhibitor, antistasin is a potent anti-coagulant and anti-metastatic agent that is found in the salivary gland of the Mexican leech Haementaria officinalis. cDNA clones that encode antistasin have been isolated. Subsequent sequence analysis and comparison with the amino acid sequence of the mature protein indicates that antistasin is produced as a pre-protein containing a 17-amino acid signal peptide. Antistasin exists as at least two variants. By sequence analysis of multiple cDNA clones, we found two additional sites for amino acid substitutions, confirming variants that differ from each other by amino acid changes at a minimum of four residues. These sequence variations appear to be the result of allelic variation rather than gene duplication as deduced from DNA blot analyses. Sequence data suggest that antistasin may have evolved from a smaller ancestral gene by a duplication event giving rise to a two-fold structural homology between the N- and C-terminal halves of the molecule. Insect cells transfected with a recombinant baculovirus expressed antistasin which was biologically active and had an electrophoretic mobility identical to that of the native molecule.
Abstract sourced from PubMed (NCBI) for the cited record. See the original publication for the authoritative version.
Resumen
As a factor Xa inhibitor, antistasin is a potent anti-coagulant and anti-metastatic agent that is found in the salivary gland of the Mexican leech Haementaria officinalis.
Por qué esto importa para la hirudoterapia
Este estudio aisló y caracterizó clones de ADNc que codifican la antistasina, un inhibidor del factor Xa con propiedades anticoagulantes y antimetastásicas, procedente de la glándula salival de la sanguijuela mexicana Haementaria officinalis. El análisis de secuencia reveló que la antistasina se produce como una preproteína con un péptido señal de 17 aminoácidos, existe en al menos dos variantes debido a variación alélica y puede haber evolucionado mediante duplicación de un gen ancestral más pequeño. La antistasina recombinante expresada en baculovirus fue biológicamente activa, con movilidad electroforética idéntica a la de la molécula nativa. Esto es directamente relevante para el ámbito de la ASH, ya que caracteriza un anticoagulante potente del secretoma salival de la sanguijuela a nivel molecular y demuestra su expresión recombinante funcional. No obstante, el estudio es de biología molecular preclínica sin datos in vivo ni clínicos de hirudoterapia, por lo que la relevancia terapéutica sigue siendo indirecta.
Citación
Cloning and expression of cDNA encoding antistasin, a leech-derived protein having anti-coagulant and anti-metastatic properties.
Han JH et al. · Gene, 1989
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Añadido a la biblioteca ASH: May 27, 2026 · Última actualización del sitio: June 18, 2026