The role of fibronectin fragments and cell-attached transamidase on the binding of soluble fibrin to macrophages.

Proteolytic fragments from the N-terminus of the fibronectin subunit chains were shown to mediate the binding of 125-I-fibrin to macrophages. With increasing molecular weight of the fragments, binding activity decreased and intact plasma fibronectin was inactive. Fibrin binding to macrophages was a time dependent reaction and proceeded considerably faster than binding of fibrinogen. The binding reaction was inhibited by putrescine suggesting the involvement of a transamidase. Pericellular transamidase was demonstrated on macrophages by incorporation of 14-C-putrescine into fibronectin 30 kD-fragment. Expression of this enzyme appeared to be rate-limiting for the binding reaction which was accelerated after loading the cells with placental transamidase.