Factor XIIIa Incorporates Thymosin β4 Preferentially into the Fibrin(ogen) αC-Domains

It was shown recently that tissue transglutaminase and presumably plasma transglutaminase, factor XIIIa, can covalently incorporate into fibrin(ogen) a physiologically active peptide, thymosin beta(4) [(Huff et al. (2002) FASEB J. 16, 691-696]. To clarify the mechanism of this incorporation, we studied the interaction of thymosin beta(4) with fibrinogen, fibrin, and their recombinant fragments, the gamma-module (gamma-chain residues 148-411), and the alphaC-domain (Aalpha-chain residues 221-610) and its truncated variants by immunoblot and ELISA. No significant noncovalent interaction between them was detected in the absence of activated factor XIII, while in its presence thymosin beta(4) was effectively incorporated into fibrin and to a lesser extent into fibrinogen. The incorporation at physiological concentrations of fibrin(ogen) and factor XIII was significant with molar incorporation ratios of thymosin beta(4) to fibrinogen and fibrin of 0.2 and 0.4, respectively. Further experiments revealed that although activated factor XIII incorporates thymosin beta(4) into the isolated gamma-module and alphaC-domain, in fibrin the latter serves as the major incorporation site. This site was further localized to the COOH-terminal portion of the alphaC-domain including residues 392-610.