Human Protein Z.

Protein Z was purified from human plasma by a four-step procedure which included barium citrate adsorption, ammonium sulfate fractionation, DEAE-Sepharose chromatography, and blue agarose chromatography with a yield of 20%. It is a 62,000 mol wt protein with an extinction coefficient of 12.0. The concentration of Protein Z in pooled, citrated plasma is 2.2 micrograms/ml and its half-life in patients starting warfarin anticoagulation therapy is estimated to be less than 2.5 d. The NH2-terminal sequence is Ala-Gly-Ser-Tyr-Leu-Leu-(Gla)-(Gla)-Leu-Phe-(Gla)-Gly-Asn-Leu. Neither Protein Z nor its cleavage products, which were obtained by treatment of Protein Z with thrombin or plasmin, incorporated [3H]diisopropyl fluorophosphate. The physiological function of Protein Z remains unknown.