Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Complement C4”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 199 records · Page 11Linked to original sources

Complement C4 fixation by the anti-La(SSB) found in normal donors and in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

The discovery that a common systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) autoantibody (anti-La/SSB) occurs in normal individuals has made it possible to compare the specific complement binding capacity of normal autoantibody with SLE patient autoantibody. Normal donors with elevated levels of anti-La(SSB) binding were compared to negative normal donors and to 3 patients with SLE with high levels of anti-La(SSB) binding in assays for anti-La(SSB) and for the capacity of anti-La(SSB) to bind C4. The anti-La(SSB) found in normal sera and in SLE patient sera had no identical specific capacity to fix C4. For the case of anti-La(SSB), the autoantibody structure in relation to its specific capacity to activate complement, at least to the extent of fixing C4, does not differentiate SLE patients from normal individuals with this autoantibody.

Antibodies, Antinuclear↗

Murine complement C4 is not required for experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.

In vitro studies have demonstrated that myelin and myelin-derived proteins activate both the classical and alternative complement pathways. More recently, studies have shown that mice deficient in factor B, a protein required for activation of the alternative pathway, have attenuated experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), the animal model for multiple sclerosis. The relative contribution of the classical pathway to the pathogenesis of EAE has remained unexplored. To address this question, we performed EAE using mice deficient in C4 (C4-/-), a protein required for full activation of the classical pathway. We found that deletion of the C4 gene does not significantly change either the time of onset or the severity and tempo of myelin oligodendrocyte-induced EAE compared with controls with a fully intact complement system. We observed similar levels of cellular infiltration (CD11b+ macrophages and CD3+ T cells) and demyelination in the two kinds of mice. Despite this, ribonuclease protection assays demonstrated a two- to fourfold increase in several pro-inflammatory cytokines in C4-/- mice with EAE, including interleukin-beta (IL-1beta), IL-18, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), IP-10, and RANTES. These results support the conclusion that the contribution of murine complement to the pathogenesis of demyelinating disease is realized via the alternative pathway.

Animals↗

HLA and complement C4 studies in psoriasis vulgaris.

BACKGROUND: Psoriasis vulgaris is known to be associated with the presence of certain HLA antigens and complement factors but only studies of Western populations have been reported. We investigated the HLA and complement profile in Indian patients with psoriasis vulgaris. METHODS: Sixty-seven patients and 132 normal subjects were typed for class I antigens using 262 sera, and 55 patients and 104 normal subjects were typed for class II antigens using 174 sera. The sera from patients and normals were sent to Japanese laboratories for the study of class III antigens. RESULTS: The study revealed that patients had an increased frequency of A1 (p < 0.0025), B17 (p < 0.0025), Cw6 (p < 0.001) DR7 (p < 0.05) and DQw3 (p < 0.005) when compared to normal controls. Analysis of two and three antigen haplotypes revealed a significant increase in the incidence of all haplotypes involving those antigens which showed a high frequency among patients. A significant association was also found with complement factors C4A6.3 and C4A6,X. However, the relative risk was high for C4BQO (10.73). CONCLUSIONS: Psoriasis in Indians is associated with the A1, B17 and Cw6 but not with B13 antigens and the complement allotypes mentioned above. The strong association with C4 factors may be as a result of a close linkage between the class III region and Ir genes.

Adolescent↗

Polymorphism of the human complement C4 and steroid 21-hydroxylase genes. Restriction fragment length polymorphisms revealing structural deletions, homoduplications, and size variants.

Several autoimmune disorders as well as congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) are either associated or closely linked with genetic variants of the fourth component of complement (C4A and C4B) and the enzyme steroid 21-hydroxylase (21-OH). These proteins are encoded by genes that are located downstream from the genes for complement proteins, C2 and factor B (BF) between HLA-B and -DR in the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). Previous studies of variants and null alleles were based on electrophoretic mobility of C4 protein and linkage with disease phenotypes. These data did not permit analysis of the basis for the observed null alleles and duplicated variants. We studied this region of the MHC in 126 haplotypes for a structural analysis of the four adjacent loci, C4A, 21-OHA, C4B, and 21-OHB. About half of the C4 genes typed as C4 null are deleted and several unrecognized homoduplicated C4 alleles were detected. Hence the frequencies of different C4 structural variants must be recalculated based on a direct analysis of the genes. Analysis of the C4/21-OH genes of patients with the classical (salt-wasting) form of CAH showed that some involve a deletion of the C4B and 21-OHB genes; whereas for two only the 21-OHB gene is deleted, i.e., the C4B gene is present. Together, these data provide a better understanding of the mechanisms generating and importance of deleted C4 and 21-OH null alleles in human disease.

Adrenal Hyperplasia, Congenital↗

Structural differences between the two human complement C4 isotypes affect the humoral immune response.

An animal model has been used to address the question of the biological importance of the known structural difference between the two isotypes of human C4, i.e., C4A and C4B. Guinea pigs deficient in C4 were reconstituted transiently with either human C4A or C4B protein and immunized with the bacteriophage phi X174. Results from this study showed that C4A-reconstituted animals made a secondary response, i.e., switch from IgM to IgG; whereas the C4B-reconstituted animals did not.

Animals↗

Is partial deletion of the complement C4 genes associated with sudden infant death?

The two C4 loci C4A and C4B in 61 cases of sudden infant death (SID), 93 living controls and 7 cases of infectious death were studied. In the SID group 13.1% showed deletion of the C4A gene, while 2.5% of the cases showed deletion of the C4B gene. This was not significantly different from neither the controls nor the infectious death group. We were not able to confirm that deletion of the C4B gene is associated with SID. However, in the SID group deletion of either the C4A or the C4B gene was associated with signs of infections prior to death (P = 0.035). This observation may indicate that a proportion of SID victims are more vulnerable to infections than other infants.

Adult↗

Murine sex-limited protein (Slp) antigenic sites in human complement component C4.

Human complement component C4 is encoded by two HLA-linked loci, A and B. In the mouse, the H-2 region contains structural genes for two serum proteins that react with antibodies to human C4, but one of these proteins (Slp) has no C4 hemolytic activity. Because the product of C4-A locus in man has low hemolytic activity, a previous report suggests it may be the homologue of murine Slp. We show here that Slp antigenic determinants are found in human C4. However, they are expressed in the products of both loci A and B, that is, C4A and C4B, since both proteins were specifically immunoprecipitated by the IgG fraction of alloantisera to mouse Slp. Therefore, Slp-associated structural features are preserved in evolution, although they do not seem to be relevant to the hemolytic properties of C4.

Alleles↗

Studies on the binding of complement factor C4 in human platelets. Complement activation by means of cold agglutinins.

Normal human platelets were investigated by immunofluorescence techniques for the natural occurrence of and uptake capacity for complement factor C4. Fractions of human platelets were found to carry none or very little C4. Activated C4 was readily taken up by the majority of platelets in vitro. Complement could be activated with pathological cold agglutinins (CA) of mono- or polyclonal types, all with specificity for the I antigen. Complement activation seen in normal human sera was probably due to naturally occurring CA with anti-I specificity. Thrombin potentiated the complement-activating capacity of CA, and complement factor C1 enhanced and stabilized the binding of CA to platelets.

Agglutinins↗

[Complement C3 and C4 levels in serum from acute viral hepatitis].

Serial measurements of C3 and C4 complement components were performed in 50 patients with acute, uncomplicated viral hepatitis, in the beginning of the symptoms and in the peaks of serum transaminases. There were 17 patients diagnosed as having Hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection and 33 patients diagnosed as having Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. There were 4 women and 46 men with a mean age of 22.1 years. In the sera of 50 healthy control subjects serum C3 and C4 complement components measured, this group was composed of 15 women and 35 men with a mean age of 26 years. The complement component levels were observed to be reduced in both viral infections, where the reduction in C3 serum concentration was found to be statistically significant but reduction in C4 serum concentration was not.

Acute Disease↗

[Early post myocardial infarction syndrome--a trial of assessment based on clinical course and immunologic tests].

The study analysed clinical and immunological course of 22 patients (aged 56.3 +/- 9.5) with fever (38.5 degrees C) and greatly increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) in the first week after myocardial infarction. The control group consisted of 25 patients (aged 50.7 +/- 11.2) without inflammatory and infectious diseases. Clinical courses of the disease, chest x-ray, echocardiography, leucocytosis and serial CK-MB levels were analysed. The immunological investigations involved quantitative estimation of IgG, C3 complement, C4 complement and the identification of T and B lymphocytes on the basis of the rosette tests A, E and EAC. Post myocardial infarction syndrome (PMIS) manifested by fever and greatly increased ESR we observed in 64% of examined patients, but fully manifested PMIS in 14% with tendency to recurrences. We found the differences in immunological examinations compared to the control group. Pericardial effusion occurred in 64% of the patients. The treatment with corticosteroids brought dramatic relief of the symptoms with objective improvement of clinical condition. Patients with high temperature with accompanying greatly raised ESR in the first week after MI may demonstrate abortive form of the post myocardial infarction syndrome.

Aged↗