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Semin Thromb Hemost 2021; 47(07): 855-861
DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1726373
Review Article

The Biological Significance of von Willebrand Factor O-Linked Glycosylation

Soracha Ward
1   Haemostasis Research Group, Irish Centre for Vascular Biology, School of Pharmacy and Bimolecular Sciences, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
,
Jamie M. O'Sullivan
1   Haemostasis Research Group, Irish Centre for Vascular Biology, School of Pharmacy and Bimolecular Sciences, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
,
James S. O'Donnell
1   Haemostasis Research Group, Irish Centre for Vascular Biology, School of Pharmacy and Bimolecular Sciences, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
2   National Coagulation Centre, St James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
› Author Affiliations Funding This work was supported through a Science Foundation Ireland Principal Investigator Award (11/PI/1066; to J.S.O'D.).
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Abstract

Glycosylation is a key posttranslational modification, known to occur on more than half of all secreted proteins in man. As such, the role of N- and O-linked glycan structures in modulating various aspects of protein biology is an area of much research. Given their prevalence, it is perhaps unsurprising that variations in glycan structures have been demonstrated to play critical roles in modulating protein function and have been implicated in the pathophysiology of human diseases. von Willebrand factor (VWF), a plasma glycoprotein that is essential for normal hemostasis, is heavily glycosylated, containing 13 N-linked and 10 O-linked glycans. Together, these carbohydrate chains account for 20% of VWF monomeric mass, and have been shown to modulate VWF structure, function, and half-life. In this review, we focus on the specific role played by O-linked glycans in modulating VWF biology. Specifically, VWF O-linked glycans have been shown to modulate tertiary protein structure, susceptibility to ADAMTS13 proteolysis, platelet tethering, and VWF circulatory half-life.

Keywords

von Willebrand factor - O glycan - lectin - glycan - clearance

Authors' Contributions

All of the authors drafted the first version of different sections of the manuscript and all critically reviewed the final manuscript.




Publication History

Article published online:
15 June 2021

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