Specific factor VIII-related antigen fragmentation: an in vivo and in vitro phenomenon.

Factor VIII concentrates have been shown to have reduced ability to correct the bleeding time defect in von Willebrand's disease and to have abnormal mobility of their VIIIR:Ag on crossed immunoelectrophoresis. This report concerns the partial characterization of a fragment of VIIIR:Ag that lacks some of the normal antigenic determinants present on VIIIR:Ag. It is present in commercial factor VIII concentrates, but not in cryoprecipitate, and is recovered from the plasma of hemophilic patients who have been infused with these concentrates. The fragment is also produced during disseminated intravascular coagulation. Although it has a similar mobility on SDS agarose electrophoresis to the smallest multimer of VIIIR:Ag, they are not immunologically identical.