Proof of the one-hit mechanism of complement-induced lysis.
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A sensitive assay of complement (C) activation via either the classical or alternative pathway was developed by evaluating assembly of the terminal complexes (C5b-9)2 or SC5b-9. Activation of serum containing [125I]C7 resulted in the formation of a stable, radiolabeled complex which was separable from its precursors by sedimentation in an air-driven ultracentrifuge. The radioactivity in the sediment was directly proportional to the amount of complex formed and assembly of the complex could be detected after C activation by aggregated IgG in concentrations as low as 10 micrograms/ml. Mild detergents such as Triton X-100 could be included in the reaction mixture, because they affected neither the assembly nor the integrity of the complexes. The assay, which detects both assembly of the membrane attack complex (MAC or (C5b-9)2) on target membranes and formation of SC5b-9 in fluid phase, measures the potential of certain substances to trigger the cytolytic phase of C regardless of whether the classical or alternative pathway was activated. However, by using serum depleted of either factor B or C1q, activation of either pathway can be assessed individually.
The present study describes the development of membranous glomerulopathy (MGP) with high proteinuria in DZB rats exposed to mercuric chloride (HgCl2). IgG1 and IgG2a antibodies, eluted from glomeruli with subepithelial immune deposits, bind to the interface of the GBM and epithelial cells. High reactivity to GBM was demonstrated by ELISA and Western blotting, which could be absorbed for 30% by laminin or laminin-associated extracellular matrix components. No reactivity was found with type IV collagen, fibronectin, heparan sulfate proteoglycans, or tubular brush border antigens. Absorption to GBM removed the reactivity to renal antigens. Passively transferred eluted antibodies bind in a predominantly linear pattern along the GBM, causing focal ultrastructural transformations of the podocytes. These results suggest that this type of HgCl2-induced MGP, associated with epithelial cell injury and proteinuria, is caused by autoantibodies to basement membrane components which are located at the epithelial cell-basement membrane interface and may be involved in cell-matrix binding.
The possible contribution of additional immunologic variables to the susceptibility of late complement component-deficient individuals to meningococcal disease has not been systematically examined in previous studies. Thus, we studied three groups of patients: (1) 24 healthy individuals, (2) 8 complement-sufficient individuals with a history of recurrent bacterial meningitis, and (3) 19 complement-deficient individuals with prior meningococcal infection. No statistical differences were noted among the three groups for the following parameters: the absolute number and the percentage of lymphocytes; CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD20+, and CD16+ cells; and the CD4+/CD8+ ratio. The concentration of C4 and circulating immune complexes was also similar among the groups. The concentrations of IgG, IgM, and IgA were slightly, but significantly, decreased in the complement-deficient individuals. Of interest, the coefficient of spontaneous and lipopolysaccharide-stimulated activation of neutrophils was significantly depressed in the deficient individuals. We hypothesize that the terminal complement components may participate in maximal neutrophil activation.
The ability of nucleated cells to survive limited complement attack has been attributed to metabolic processes unique to these cells, such as rapid elimination of terminal complement complexes (TCC) from their surfaces. The biochemical processes activated by complement channels responsible for cell defense remain poorly defined. Metabolic inhibitors affecting membrane lipid turnover have been shown to increase the complement-mediated cell death. Whether these metabolic inhibitors increase lytic susceptibility of target cells by reducing the rate of TCC elimination has not been previously evaluated. In the present study, inhibitors of membrane lipid transmethylation and lysolecithin reacylation were evaluated in view of the observations that TCC concurrently increase lipid transmethylation and inhibit lysolecithin reacylation, and the inhibition of lipid transmethylation correlates with increased complement-mediated cell death. We have measured the formation as well as the elimination of C5b-9 on the target membrane that affect the outcome of cell death. Our results in the present communication indicated that inhibitors of transmethylation and lysolecithin reacylation increased TCC-mediated cell death through distinct pathways, the former by allowing more efficient deposition of TCC, and the latter by impairing TCC elimination.
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Resealed erythrocyte ghosts have been used to define the kinetics of tracer exchange across the membrane-bound terminal complex of the complement cascade (C5b-9). Under steady-state conditions and at net chemical equilibrium, C5b-9 ghosts showed no significant lysis above control levels as measured by hemoglobin efflux. In 1 mM sucrose at 37 degrees C, [14C]sucrose isotopic exchange diffusion into C5b-9 ghosts occurred at 4.8 (+/- 0.5, SEM) X 10(-20) mol sec-1 per functional lesion, equivalent to an apparent permeability coefficient of 4.8 X 10(-14) cm3 sec-1 for the single C5b-9 lesion. No significant uptake of [14C]sucrose above control levels was observed in C5b67 ghosts. The apparent rate of tracer permeation through the complement lesion is one to two orders of magnitude slower than predicted by a model of a transmembrane channel of dimensions permitting free diffusion of sucrose. The data support earlier assertions from this laboratory that diffusion of small molecules across the complement lesion in biological membranes is significantly restricted.
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Moloney leukemia virus activated both the classical and alternative pathways of human complement. About 500,000 virions were required to detect activation of the classical pathway whereas 5,000 times as many virions were necessary to initiate the alternative pathway, indicating that in this system only the former is of biological significance. Disruption of the virus with Triton X-100 destroyed its ability to initiate the alternative pathway without affecting its ability to activate the classical pathway. After ultracentrifugation of disrupted virus the active component could be recovered in the supernate and was isolated by isoelectric focusing in granulated gels. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic and analysis and cyanogen bromide digestion studies revealed that the activity resided in a methionine-containing protein having a pI of 7.5 and a molecular weight of approximately equal to 15,000 daltons. The purified protein interacts strongly with Clq and efficiently activates Cl. RNase and lipolytic enzymes had no effect on the isolated protein but incubation with trypsin resulted in loss of activity. Enzymatic digestion studies of surface-labeled virus indicate that the active protein is a viral membrane protein. On the basis of these results it is concluded that the complement receptor of Moloney leukemia virus is the surface protein p15E.
There is now convincing evidence that the complement system is involved in the pathogenesis of at least some of the manifestations of human rheumatic diseases. Complement measurements in serum and/or pathologic fluids from patients with these disorders not only reflect this involvement but also may provide important clues regarding the activity and extent of the disease processes. Future studies should provide additional information concerning the usefulness of such measurements for predicting the outcome of specific therapeutic regimens, and perhaps also be the basis for the evolution of new and more rational forms of therapy.
Two sensitive sandwich ELISAs based on monoclonal antibodies directed to native C6 and C7 allowed the detection and quantitation of these complement proteins in 20 out of 37 serum samples from individuals who had previously been classified as deficient in these proteins as assessed by immunochemical and/or functional assays. Furthermore, serum from four C6-deficient and one combined C6-/C7-deficient individual showed an increase in the terminal complement complex (TCC) and a decrease in native C6 and C7 after complement activation as assayed by specific ELISAs. Despite their (incomplete) deficiencies, these individuals therefore possess functionally active terminal complement proteins with respect to their ability to generate the TCC. As these individuals have no history of a susceptibility to neisserial infections, even low concentrations of functionally active C6 and C7 may provide sufficient protection against those micro-organisms whose destruction requires TCC formation.
Coronavirus MHV-JHM infection of rodents can result in demyelinating encephalomyelitis. We analysed histological changes induced by coronavirus MHV-JHM infection in Lewis rats. Besides an acute disease (AE), chronic panencephalitis (CPE) and subacute demyelinating encephalomyelitis (SDE) were induced. These disease types were differentiated by the incubation period, the localization of lesions, the type of tissue damage and distribution of virus antigen. In AE and CPE, virus antigen was detected in neurons, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes, whereas in SDE neurons lacked virus antigen. Viral nucleocapsid protein (N) was present in the cytoplasm and the spike protein (S) was displayed on the surface of infected neural cells. However, expression of S protein relative to N protein was severely impaired in SDE lesions. Quantitative analysis of infiltrating inflammatory cells revealed that the number of macrophages and T cells were similar in lesions of AE, CPE and SDE. In contrast to that, SDE lesions contained a significantly higher number of IgG + B cells and plasma cells. In addition active demyelinating SDE lesions displayed an enhanced IgG content and deposits of complement C9. These results indicate that virus induced primary demyelination could be a consequence of antibody mediated cytotoxicity. Furthermore, a reduction in the number of cells producing spike protein in the chronic forms of the disease indicates down-regulation of this protein, possibly mediated by anti-S antibodies.
The C5b-9 complex derived from human serum and assembled on target sheep erythrocyte membranes is a thin-walled cylinder rimmed by an annulus at one end. The total height of the cylinder is 150 A, towards which the annulus contributes 30 A. The cylinder has an apparently uniform internal diameter of 100 A. The external diameter of the annulus is 200 A. The classical complement 'rings' visualized on membranes after complement lysis represent such C5b-9 cylinders perpendicularly oriented on the membranes. The thin-walled cylinder is anchored in the membrane matrix and the annulus located in the exterior membrane glycocalyx. At the sites of attachment of the C5b-9 complexes, the continuity of the membrane bilayer is disturbed and the presence of trans-membrane pores is indicated. The data essentially support the 'doughnut' theory of complement lysis.
BACKGROUND: Heart failure (HF) and its main subtypes, heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), impose an enormous health burden on elders. Assessment of the circulating proteome to illuminate pathogenesis could open new opportunities for treatment. METHODS: We conducted a plasma proteomics screen of incident HF and its subtypes in 2 older population-based cohorts, the CHS (Cardiovascular Health Study) and the AGES-RS (Aging, Gene/Environment Susceptibility-Reykjavik Study). The 2 studies used SomaLogic platforms, with 4404 aptamers in common. Multivariable Cox models were fit to evaluate individual-protein associations with HF, HFpEF, and HFrEF separately in each cohort, and study-specific associations were combined by fixed-effects meta-analysis. Replication was performed in the ARIC (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities) cohort. Two-sample Mendelian randomization of HF and its subtypes, along with colocalization analysis, was performed to support causal inference. RESULTS: Among 8599 participants, 1590 experienced incident HF (536 HFpEF, 471 HFrEF). There were 119 proteins associated with HF, 15 proteins with HFpEF, and 11 proteins with HFrEF, at Bonferroni-corrected significance. Among these, 9 have never previously been identified for cardiovascular diseases, and another 61 represent new associations with incident HF or its subtypes. Of these 70 proteins, 55 of the 66 available replicated externally. Mendelian randomization analysis revealed 7 proteins genetically associated with HF at nominal significance; 2 were separately associated with HFpEF, and another 2 with HFrEF. Seven of these 9 proteins (NPDC1 [neural proliferation differentiation and control protein 1], APOF [apolipoprotein F], LMAN2 [lectin, mannose-binding 2], ADIPOQ [adiponectin], CD14 [cluster of differentiation 14], ARHGAP1 [Rho GTPase-activating protein 1], C9 [complement 9]) showed new, possibly causal associations, although we did not detect evidence for colocalization. CONCLUSIONS: In this large-scale proteomic study involving 3 longitudinal cohorts of older adults, we identified and replicated 55 novel protein markers of HF or its subtypes, and 7 new, possibly causal proteins. These proteins may enhance risk prediction, improve understanding of pathobiology, and help prioritize targets for therapeutic development of these foremost disorders in elders.
One percent of circulating IgG in humans recognizes galactose alpha 1,3 galactose residues (anti-Gal) and is synthesized in response to stimulation by enteric bacteria. In this study, we found that the prevalence of binding of anti-Gal to blood isolates is significantly higher than its binding to normal stool isolates. When anti-Gal bound onto the lipopolysaccharide of a representative blood isolate, Serratia marcescens #21, it blocked its alternative complement pathway (ACP) lysis and made the organism serum resistant. In contrast, when anti-Gal bound to the capsular polysaccharide of a serum sensitive Serratia, #7, it increased ACP killing of this strain. The mechanism of blockade of ACP lysis by anti-Gal did not involve a decrease in the number of C3 molecules deposited onto Serratia #21 or an inhibition of the binding of C3b to its LPS, nor did it change the iC3b and C3d degradation products of bound C3b or prevent membrane attack complex formation on this organism. Our findings suggest that the effect of anti-Gal on immune lysis is dependent on the bacterial outer membrane structure to which it binds. We postulate that anti-Gal may play a role in the survival of selected Enterobacteriacae in Gram-negative sepsis by blocking ACP-mediated lysis of such bacteria by the nonimmune host, and that this effect depends on where anti-Gal finds its epitope on the bacterial outer membrane.