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Infections and hypocomplementemia.

The complement system, phagocytic leukocytes, and antibodies constitute the "department of defense" in the battle against infections caused by pyogenic microorganisms. Complement components are capable of directly killing (by lysis) certain susceptible bacteria and are the source of chemotactic peptides and heat-labile opsonin, which facilitate recognition and killing of microbes by phagocytic cells. When these vital functions are compromised, as in individuals with inherited deficiencies of complement components, the result is unusual susceptibility to severe infections.

Complement Activation

Serum complement (C3, BF, C4) types in Swedish Saamis.

Serum complement (C3, BF, C4) types were examined in Swedish Saamis (Lapps). In agreement with previous studies, a very low frequency of the C3*F allele (0.033) was found. Compared to Swedes and other Caucasian populations, Swedish Saamis showed a significantly increased frequency of the BFS, C4A4 and C4B2 variants, and a lower frequency of C4 deficiency. BFS, C4A4 and C4B2 show haplotype associations and thus the frequency of the S-A4-B2 complotype is significantly increased among the Saamis. Although the serum complement constitution of the Saamis shows some similarity with that of Asiatic Mongoloid populations it is unlikely to be due to Asiatic ethnic influence. The marked genetic deviations of the Saamis from all other populations has often been interpreted as a result of the founder effect and genetic drift. In this particular case, however, immunogenetic adaptation appears to be a plausible alternative explanation for the deviations in genetic complement factors.

Adaptation, Biological

Complement and glomerular disease - a natural history study.

Over a 5-year period we have performed sequential measurements of a range of complement components in 127 patients. Each had a well-characterised glomerular lesion and there was no evidence of an underlying connective tissue disorder. In 17 patients with varied histopathology, who did not have C3 nephritic factor, there was a persisting complement defect which was present during remission in the patients we were able to study. The finding of such defects is consistent with the thesis that primary complement system abnormalities predispose to the development of glomerular lesions. Interestingly, these abnormalities did not influence the prognosis of our patients. In 12 other cases without C3 nephritic factor, complement levels were below the normal range when the glomerular lesion was active but returned to it in remission; these were secondary changes. We showed by discriminant analysis that some circulating complement component levels, assessed in relation to each other and without reference to a statistically derived 'normal' range, discriminated between histological subgroups and had prognostic significance as well. These patterns could not be distinguished until the data were stored and analysed by computer.

Analysis of Variance

Expression of complement receptor CR2 (CD21) on human subcorneal keratinocytes in normal and diseased skin.

Human keratinocytes are able to synthesize and express cell surface moieties characteristic of effector and/or accessory cells of the immune system (CD16, CD36, HLA-DR, intercellular adhesion molecule-1). In the present study, skin biopsies from healthy volunteers, from patients with psoriasis vulgaris (PV), mycosis fungoides (MF), purpura pigmentosa chronica (PPC), acute urticaria (AU) and from positive tuberculin skin tests were investigated with regard to the reactivity with the monoclonal antibodies to complement receptors CR1 CR2 and CR3 by means of a multistep immunoperoxidase method. In the clinically involved skin of all patients with PV, MF or PPC, and in biopsies obtained from positive tuberculin tests, specific epidermal intercellular staining with OKB7 and Leu anti-CR2 was seen on subcorneal keratinocytes. This finding suggests a differentiation-linked expression of CR2 on human keratinocytes in cytokine-mediated skin diseases whereas CR1 and CR3 are apparently not expressed.

Antigens, CD

Activation of the alternative pathway of complement in psoriatic lesional skin.

The complement system may play an important role in the inflammatory reaction of psoriasis. While the classical pathway of the complement has been shown to be activated in psoriasis, there have been few reports on the involvement of the alternative pathway in the inflammatory reactions in psoriasis. Complement fragments, C4d and Bb, are released at the time of the classical and alternative pathway activation, respectively. The presence of the C4d or Bb fragment, therefore, denotes a preceding complement activation through the classical and/or alternative pathway. In the present study, we have measured the levels of C4d and Bb in psoriatic scale extracts using enzyme immunoassay techniques. The scales of these dermatoses contained higher levels of C4d and Bb detectable by enzyme immunoassay than those in the stratum corneum of noninflammatory skin. These results suggest that the alternative as well as the classical pathway of complement are activated in psoriatic lesional skin.

Complement Activation

Cell surface proteins reacting with activated complement components.

The biologic activities mediated by the products of complement activation include cellular, bacterial, and viral lysis, inflammation, phagocytosis, and immunoregulation. These responses are achieved through the interaction of the activated forms of several of the complement proteins with cell membrane proteins. This report reviews aspects of the structure, ligand specificity, and function of the various complement receptors with particular emphasis on those receptors which bind to the activated fragments of C3. In addition, we briefly summarize the surface proteins on foreign particles that bind C3 and their possible role in the pathogenesis of these organisms.

Animals

Ba and Bb fragments of factor B activation: fragment production, biological activities, neoepitope expression and quantitation in clinical samples.

Factor B is a centrally important component of the alternative complement pathway. Alternative pathway activation results in factor B cleavage and production of the amino-terminal Ba and the carboxyl-terminal Bb fragments which have molecular weights of approximately 30,000 and 63,000 daltons, respectively. Both Ba and Bb fragments have been reported to express a variety of biological activities in vitro. Thus, binding of Ba and Bb fragments to specific B lymphocyte surface receptors modulates proliferation of prestimulated B cells. In addition, the enzymatically active Bb fragment induces activation and spreading of human and murine macrophages and monocytes as well as regulates C5a des Arg chemotactic activity. The fractional catabolic rate and metabolism of factor B in vivo is similar to that of C3, C4 and C5 complement proteins, which are among the most metabolically active plasma proteins in the circulatory system. Factor B hyperconsumption and increased catabolism, concomitant with factor B fragment production, occurs in a wide variety of diseases, including gram-negative sepsis, autoimmune diseases and burns. Measurement of alternative pathway activation in vivo has been attempted utilized a number of different techniques to quantitate factor B fragments in biological fluids. However, the recent development of enzyme immunoassays (EIA) employing monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) reactive with factor B fragment neoepitopes provides the best approach currently available for the quantitation of factor B activation fragments. Results obtained using these new MoAb-based EIAs have indicated that factor B fragment concentrations were elevated, as compared with normal donor levels, in EDTA plasma samples obtained from patients with rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Plasma concentrations of factor B fragments, especially Ba fragment levels, in these patients showed a positive correlation with disease activity scores. One of the highest disease activity correlations was obtained with Ba fragment measurements in SLE plasma samples. In fact, the results strongly suggested that quantitation of Ba fragment levels in SLE plasma samples more accurately reflected disease activity and was a more sensitive predictor of impending flare in these patients than any other test(s) currently available.

Antibodies, Monoclonal

Early- and late-phase activation of complement evaluated by plasma levels of C3d,g and the terminal complement complex.

Activation of the initial part (early phase) and terminal part (late phase) of the complement cascade was examined. C3d,g and the fluid-phase terminal complement complex were quantified and compared after spontaneous in vitro activation and after acute in vivo activation caused by extracorporeal circulation during coronary artery surgery. The results suggest that there is a close but not complete correlation between early- and late-phase activation of complement, that C3d,g and the terminal complement complex have different elimination rates in vivo, and that these two indicators are valuable for evaluation of early- and late-phase activation, respectively.

Complement Activation

Generation of C3d,g and C3d by urokinase-treated plasma in association with fibrinolysis.

In the breakdown of fluid phase C3 in plasma, the process of conversion of iC3b to C3c and 'C3d' has not been elucidated. Using fluorescent labeled iC3b as a substrate, urokinase (UK) treated but not normal plasma was found to exhibit effective 'C3d' production. To address the relationship between the fibrinolytic activity specific for UK-activated plasma and this 'C3d' production, an assay system was developed that permitted the simultaneous determination of both activities. This method indicated that 'C3d' generation paralleled that of plasmin-dependent fibrinogen degradation. A Km of iC3b for plasmin was 3.0 X 10(-6) mol/l which is similar to the Km of fibrinogen. Plasmin cleavage of iC3b gave rise to C3d1 (Mr 42,000) and C3d2 (Mr 28,000). Purified plasmin C3d1 showed the same Mr and pI as C3d,g prepared from iC3b, by H and I. C3d2 was derived from C3d1. From these in vitro experiments with urokinase-treated plasma, we conclude that in parallel with fibrinolysis efficient cleavage of fluid phase iC3b to C3c + C3d,g and C3d occurs and we hypothesize that this is one mechanism for the generation of C3d in vivo.

Complement C3

The association of circulating endotoxin with the development of the adult respiratory distress syndrome.

Despite extensive investigation, the pathogenesis of the adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) remains uncertain. As yet, there is no clear explanation of why some patients at risk for ARDS develop the syndrome, whereas others do not. Neutrophils and complement fragments have been implicated in the acute lung injury, but it is clear from published data that evidence of complement activation alone predicts neither the development nor the severity of ARDS. We investigated whether the combination of endotoxin, a leukocyte-priming agent, and complement fragments, leukocyte-stimulating agents, was associated with the development of ARDS. Ninety-eight patients were identified as being either at risk for the development of ARDS or having ARDS, and serial blood samples were obtained. There was no correlation between C5 fragments and the development of ARDS. C3 fragment levels were increased in 89% of the patients with ARDS, but they were also increased in 62% of patients at risk. Endotoxin was detected in 74% of the plasma samples obtained from patients at risk who subsequent developed ARDS and in 64% of the plasma samples obtained from the patients with ARDS. In contrast, only 22% of the plasma samples obtained from the patients at risk who did not develop ARDS had measurable endotoxin. We suggest that the combination of endotoxin and complement fragments may be one mechanism involved in the development of ARDS.

Adult

Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and serum complement activity in pulmonary sarcoidosis.

In this work, using bronchoalveolar lavage fluids (BALF), we demonstrated the presence of complement within airways by assaying hemolytic activity of the whole classical pathway (CH50) and by measuring the complement component C2 (C2H50). Patients with sarcoidosis, patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), and healthy control subjects were compared. No CH50 activity was found in BALF from healthy control subjects (n = 9), but some activity (mean, 20 CH50) was associated with IPF (n = 7). Complement activities ranged from 40 to 554 CH50 in patients with sarcoidosis (n = 27). During the treatment, complement activity decreased in BALF from the few patients in our series who received corticotherapy. C2 hemolytic activity was detected in BALF from the normal control group (in the absence of CH50 activity). In the sarcoidosis and IPF groups when CH50 was present, the variations in the C2/CH50 ratio were studied. The high ratio observed in BALF from patients with sarcoidosis and a chronic derangement of alveolar structure suggests either an increased C2 production or an alternative complement pathway (C2-independent) activation within their lungs.

Adult

Human lymphocyte complement receptors. Quantitative requirements for C3 of normal and chronic lymphocyte leukemia lymphocytes.

Erythrocytes coated with varying amounts of human complement were used to detect lymphocytes with complement receptors from normal subjects and patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. The relationship between the percentage of lymphocytes rosetting and the quantity of C3 present on complement-coated erythrocytes were studied. Small quantities of C3 (less than 5 fg/erythrocyte) caused maximal rosetting of normal lymphocytes. Maximal rosetting with chronic lymphocytic leukemia lymphocytes was not reached until much greater amounts of C3 were used to coat the erythrocytes. This difference in sensitivity to erythrocyte-bound complement was not due to an increased fraction of complement receptor-bearing cells in the leukemic patients. This loss of sensitivity of the chronic lymphocytic leukemia lymphocyte for complement may play a role in the immune deficiency present in this disease.

Cell Membrane

Guinea pigs with inherited deficiencies of complement components C2 or C4 have characteristics of immune complex disease.

Guinea pigs genetically deficient in the second (C2) or fourth component of complement (C4) generally appear healthy in contrast to humans with a C2 or C4 deficiency. However, upon investigation of these genetic deficiencies in guinea pigs for signs of dysregulation in the humoral immune system and especially autoantibodies, many complement-deficient guinea pigs (greater than 50%) had elevated levels of serum IgM and higher concentrations of anti-hapten (dinitrophenyl) antibodies as signs of polyclonally stimulated antibody synthesis. In addition, a significant number of the complement-deficient animals, on average 30%, had IgM rheumatoid factors in their sera compared with less than 1% of the normal animals. These observations, therefore, indicate that guinea pigs, genetically deficient in C2 or C4, show characteristics of immune complex disease in general.

Aging

Pleural SC5b-9 in differential diagnosis of tuberculous, malignant, and other effusions.

A monoclonal antibody against soluble phase-terminal complement complex (SC5b-9) was used to try to differentiate pleural effusions of tuberculous vs malignant and other origin. Effusions of tuberculous origin showed a significantly higher SC5b-9 level than did plasma, suggesting activation of complement in the pleural space. All 26 patients with tuberculous effusions showed SC5b-9 levels in pleural fluid exceeding 2.0 mg/L, while 20 with malignant effusions had levels less than 2.0 mg/L. However, rheumatoid, some parapneumonic, and treated malignant effusions showed SC5b-9 levels above 2.0 mg/L. Considering a value exceeding 2.0 mg/L, the specificity and sensitivity of the SC5b-9 estimation in tuberculosis were 0.74 and 1.0, respectively. The mean values for C4d and Bb fragments of complement were significantly (p < 0.05) higher in the tuberculous than in the malignant effusions. However, the values for Bb in 16 (62 percent) of the 26 patients with tuberculous or malignant effusions were in the same range. The activity of adenosine deaminase (ADA) was higher in the tuberculous than in the malignant effusions. While 18 of 26 patients with tuberculous effusions showed an ADA value exceeding 50 mU/ml, the estimated cutoff point (sensitivity = 0.69), 35 of the 36 nontuberculous effusions showed a true negative value (specificity = 0.97). A correlation between ADA and SC5b-9 values was observed in pleural effusions. These observations suggest that the estimation of SC5b-9 in pleural fluid presents a new approach to differentiating tuberculous vs malignant effusions.

Adenosine Deaminase

Complement fragment C4d and Bb levels in inflammatory skin diseases (e.g. SLE, atopic dermatitis, erythroderma and pustulosis palmaris et plantaris) for assessment of complement activation.

The complement is one of the major effector system in the process of inflammation. Complement activation has been shown to occur in inflammatory dermatoses such as systemic lupus erythematosus, atopic dermatitis, erythroderma of unknown origin, and pustulosis palmaris et plantaris by the elevated blood levels of complement fragments. To clarify the complement activation, especially the alternative pathway involvement, we have measured the concentrations of classical pathway-specific C4d and alternative pathway-derived Bb in the plasma of patients with these inflammatory disorders at a mild to exacerbated stage. Only the SLE plasma showed significantly elevated Bb levels. These results suggest that assessments of plasma C4d and Bb levels may be of value in monitoring the involvement of the complement system in patients with inflammatory dermatoses with significant complement activation.

Adult