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Recruitment of actin to the cytoskeletons of human monocyte-like cells activated by complement fragment C5a. Is protein kinase C involved?

U-937 cells differentiated by exposure to dibutyryl cyclic AMP respond to complement fragment C5a with a marked increase in cytoskeletal F-actin, which can be detected by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (f.a.c.s.) analysis of their rhodamine phalloidin-stained cytoskeletons. The C5a-induced increase in F-actin content can be prevented by prior exposure of the cells to cytochalasin B and pertussis toxin. It is insensitive to removal of extra cellular Ca2+, to cholera toxin or to neomycin. Phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), an activator of protein kinase C, does not induce actin polymerization in the differentiated cells. Both C5a and PMA stimulate superoxide production. The action of C5a on superoxide formation is also inhibited by neomycin, a phospholipase inhibitor. These results suggest that the cytoskeletal response to C5a requires activation of a G protein, but probably does not involve phospholipase C and protein kinase C, and is not highly dependent on the availability of Ca2+. Phospholipase C and kinase C may, however, be components of the pathway leading from C5a binding to superoxide production.

Actins↗

Antiphospholipid antibody-dependent C5b-9 formation.

The relationship between the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies (APA) and the production of the terminal membrane attack complex (MAC) of complement (C5b-9) was studied. Serum samples from known high positive APA patients induced platelet activation and destruction which was inhibited by heat-inactivation of the sera. The response was restored if the heat-inactivated APA-positive sera were supplemented with normal sera. Adsorption of the APA-positive sera with phospholipid (PL)-coated polystyrene beads inhibited platelet destruction. Addition of monoclonal antibody (mAb) to C5b-9 (aE11) also inhibited platelet destruction, suggesting that the APA-dependent platelet destruction might be complement-mediated. Purified APA, in the presence of normal serum, induced C5b-9 formation and binding to PL-coated beads in a dose-dependent manner as detected by flow cytometry. Prospective analysis of 200 serum samples for C5b-9 production showed that all sera testing negative for the presence of APA also tested negative for C5b-9 production. All sera with high levels of IgG binding to PL (GPL) showed evidence of C5b-9 production. Sera with low or moderate GPL values showed varying levels of C5b-9 production. These data suggest that complement may play a key role in APA-dependent platelet activation, in vivo.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Presence of immunoglobulins, C3 and cytolytic C5b-9 complement components on the surface of erythrocytes from patients with beta-thalassaemia/HbE disease.

The occurrence of IgG, IgM, IgA, C3 and C5b-9 complement complexes on erythrocytes from 43 patients with beta-thalassaemia HbE disease was investigated. Indirect immunoradiometric assays using radioiodinated protein A were employed to quantify the individual components. We confirmed that circulating erythrocytes from thalassaemic patients contained elevated amounts of IgG, and small but significant amounts of C3. In addition, small but significant amounts of C5b-9 were detected. Levels of cell-bound IgG, C3 and C5b-9 were higher in splenectomized versus non-splenectomized patients. The presence of C5b-9 on circulating cells from five splenectomized patients was confirmed by an ELISA employing a monoclonal antibody specific for a C5b-9 neoantigen. When C5b-9 positive cells from two patients were solubilized with detergent and subjected to sucrose density gradient centrifugation, the terminal complexes sedimented as 25-40S macromolecules, thus behaving as membrane C5b-9 complexes. The presence of C8 and C9 in these high molecular weight fractions was directly demonstrated by Western blotting. These results constitute the first demonstration that circulating diseased erythrocytes may carry low numbers of potentially cytolytic C5b-9 complement complexes which may be partly responsible for the known ionic disturbances found in thalassaemic cells. Both bound C3 and C5b-9 could promote removal of diseased cells in the reticuloendothelial system.

Adult↗

In vitro and in vivo responses of murine granulocytes to human complement-derived, haemolytically inactive C5b67 (iC5b67).

Haemolytically inactive C5b67 (iC5b67), which was made from purified human components and decayed to a haemolytically inactive form, was evaluated as an agonist for murine leucocytes both in vitro and in vivo. In an in vitro assay, iC5b67 stimulated chemotaxis for both neutrophils purified from mouse bone marrow and splenic eosinophils of IL-5 transgenic mice. The stimulation was dose-dependent, with high dose inhibition. As with human neutrophils, iC5b67 also failed to up-regulate CR3 (CD11b/CD18) expression and to stimulate superoxide generation in murine bone marrow neutrophils, in vitro. In vivo, iC5b67 elicited an inflammatory response in a mouse model of pleuritis. A marked infiltration of neutrophils, which peaked at 4 h, was followed by an infiltration of eosinophils and mononuclear leucocytes. This inflammatory response was dose- and time-dependent. However, the protein concentration in the pleural wash fluid did not increase, indicating that iC5b67 did not induce a capillary leak. Although the infiltration of neutrophils could not be reproduced by pure C7 or human serum albumin (HSA), C5b6 did induce an influx of neutrophils. We were able to document the existence of C7, both antigenically and functionally, in pleural washes of normal mice, making it likely that the activity of C5b6 resulted from the in situ formation of C5b67 and iC5b67. The mouse model of pleuritis promises to be a useful in vivo system in which to evaluate the pro- and anti-inflammatory effects of iC5b67 that have been noted in vitro.

Animals↗

Streptococcal inhibitor of complement (SIC) inhibits the membrane attack complex by preventing uptake of C567 onto cell membranes.

Streptococcal inhibitor of complement (SIC) was first described in 1996 as a putative inhibitor of the membrane attack complex of complement (MAC). SIC is a 31 000 MW protein secreted in large quantities by the virulent Streptococcus pyogenes strains M1 and M57, and is encoded by a gene which is extremely variable. In order to study further the interactions of SIC with the MAC, we have made a recombinant form of SIC (rSIC) in Escherichia coli and purified native M1 SIC which was used to raise a polyclonal antibody. SIC prevented reactive lysis of guinea pig erythrocytes by the MAC at a stage prior to C5b67 complexes binding to cell membranes, presumably by blocking the transiently expressed membrane insertion site on C7. The ability of SIC and clusterin (another putative fluid phase complement inhibitor) to inhibit complement lysis was compared, and found to be equally efficient. In parallel, by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay both SIC and rSIC bound strongly to C5b67 and C5b678 complexes and to a lesser extent C5b-9, but only weakly to individual complement components. The implications of these data for virulence of SIC-positive streptococci are discussed, in light of the fact that Gram-positive organisms are already protected against complement lysis by the presence of their peptidoglycan cell walls. We speculate that MAC inhibition may not be the sole function of SIC.

Bacterial Proteins↗

Characterization of soluble terminal complement complex assembled in C8beta-deficient plasma and serum.

Sera genetically deficient in either the alpha-gamma or the beta-subunit of complement component C8 virtually lack haemolytic activity. We have studied the formation and the structural organization of the soluble terminal complement complex (TCC) assembled in these sera following activation with cobra venom factor (CVF). The TCC concentration in the activated C8alpha-gamma and C8beta-deficient samples was 0.2% and 4%, respectively, when compared with zymosan-activated normal serum. TCC was purified from the activated C8beta-deficient samples by affinity chromatography and analysed by immunoblotting and enzyme immunoassay. No C8beta was detected in one TCC preparation, while 7% of the normal level was present in the other. The level of the other terminal components, including that of C8alpha-gamma, was normal. The ability of C8alpha-gamma to promote the assembly of TCC in the presence of a limited amount of C8beta or in the apparent absence of this subunit was confirmed using purified components, by mixing C5b6 and either of the purified C8 subunits together with C7 and C9. These data show that soluble TCC can be formed in C8beta-deficient sera that contain little or no C8beta.

Complement C5↗

Glomerular complement regulation is overwhelmed in passive Heymann nephritis.

BACKGROUND: An injection of anti-Fx1A antibodies in rats leads to passive Heymann nephritis (PHN), a model of membranous nephropathy. Fx1A is a crude extract of renal cortex that contains megalin as a principal component. However, when rats are given anti-megalin antibodies, abnormal proteinuria does not occur. Because of the established complement dependence of PHN, we hypothesized that antibodies neutralizing complement regulatory proteins in the rat glomerulus also were required to induce PHN. Two likely targets are Crry and CD59, proteins abundant on the rat podocyte and contained within Fx1A that inhibit the C3 convertase and C5b-9 assembly, respectively. METHODS: Rats were injected with anti-megalin monoclonal antibodies, followed by anti-Crry and/or anti-CD59 F(ab')(2) antibodies five days later. In a second group of experiments, rats were injected with anti-Fx1A or anti-Fx1A immunodepleted of reactivity against Crry and/or CD59. RESULTS: In the setting of podocyte-associated anti-megalin monoclonal antibodies, simultaneous neutralization of Crry and CD59 function led to the development of significant proteinuria (11.0 +/- 2.1 mg/day, P < 0.001 vs. all other groups). In contrast, animals that had neither or only one of these complement regulators inhibited had normal urinary protein excretion (< or =6 mg/day). In animals given anti-Fx1A depleted of anti-Crry and/or anti-CD59, all groups developed typical PHN, characterized by heavy proteinuria and extensive glomerular deposition of C3 and C5b-9. CONCLUSION: Crry and CD59 play an important role in restraining complement-mediated injury following subepithelial immune complex deposition; however, in PHN, their regulatory capacity is overwhelmed.

Animals↗

Evidence suggesting the occurrence of C3-independent intravascular immune hemolysis. Reactive hemolysis in vivo.

The authors present circumstantial evidence for the involvement of reactive hemolysis, i.e., C3-independent binding of the cytolytic C5b-9 complement complex to bystander red cells (RBC), in a case of intravascular immune hemolysis. Fresh serum obtained from a 6-year-old patient during the hemolytic episode, but not obtained thereafter, induced C5b-9-dependent hemolysis of human RBCs but the indirect C3 antiglobulin test remained negative. Particles (presumably RBC ghosts) isolated from the patient's plasma anticoagulated with EDTA at the peak of hemolysis were coated with C5b-9 complexes, whereas the direct antiglobulin test was strongly positive for IgA, only weakly positive for IgG, and negative for C3. Moreover, neither the autoantibodies isolated by elution (IgG plus IgA), nor free serum autoantibodies (IgA alone) activated complement in vitro. Additionally, serum samples collected later during the 12-month period of observation contained normal levels of C3, C4, C8, and C9, but markedly reduced levels of C7. These serums all produced strong reactive lysis in agarose plates, but not in test tubes. These results appear compatible with the working hypothesis that the intravascular hemolytic episode in this patient might have arisen through a local initiation of complement activation with subsequent C3-independent binding of C5b-9 to and hemolysis of bystander RBCs.

Anemia, Hemolytic, Autoimmune↗

Complement activation in vitro by the red cell substitute, liposome-encapsulated hemoglobin: mechanism of activation and inhibition by soluble complement receptor type 1.

BACKGROUND: Liposome-encapsulated hemoglobin (LEH) has been developed as an emergency blood substitute, yet its effect on human complement has never been explored. Considering that complement activation is a major pathogenic factor in the respiratory distress syndrome that often develops in trauma and shock, LEH-induced complement activation may be a critical safety issue. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Various LEH and corresponding empty liposomes were incubated with normal human sera, and various markers of complement activation (serum levels of C4d, Bb, SC5b-9, and CH50; C5a-induced granulocyte aggregation; membrane deposition of C3b) were measured. Incubations were also performed in the presence of (ethylene-bis[oxyethylenenitrilo]tetraacetic acid) (EGTA) and Mg++ (EGTA/Mg++) and soluble complement receptor type 1. RESULTS: LEH and liposomes activated human complement, as indicated by significant changes in one or more markers. The effect was primarily due to the presence of the phospholipid vehicle; small, unilamellar, highly homodispersed vesicles induced the greatest degree of complement activation. Complement activation was partially inhibited by EGTA/Mg++. The latter finding, together with the parallel increases in serum C4d and Bb, suggests activation of both the classical and alternative pathways. Soluble complement receptor type 1 (0.05-20 micrograms/mL) efficiently inhibited all vesicle-induced complement activation. CONCLUSION: Because of complement activation, the use of LEH for transfusion may require careful evaluation of safety. Soluble complement receptor type 1 may be useful as a prophylactic agent for complement activation-related complications of liposome infusions.

Blood Substitutes↗

Complement activation during storage of whole blood, red cells, plasma, and buffy coat.

BACKGROUND: The process of separating whole blood into components and the storage of blood components may cause the release of toxic metabolites from the complement cascade. The aim of this study was to determine whether the storage of blood components leads to the activation of the complement cascade and the release of anaphylatoxins. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Blood from 12 healthy volunteers was collected and stored either as whole blood or as components: red cells in saline-adenine-glucose-mannitol solution, plasma, and buffy coat. The concentrations of anaphylatoxins and other complement proteins in the various blood components were intermittently analyzed during a 5-week storage period. RESULTS: Increasing levels of anaphylatoxins were demonstrated during the storage of whole blood and plasma. Elevated concentrations of the anaphylatoxins C3a and C5a were observed during the storage of whole blood. Increased C5a levels were observed after 7 days of storage. High concentrations of C3a were found in plasma after 14 days of storage. Low or non-detectable levels of C3a; C5a, and other complement components were found in red cells stores in saline-adenine-glucose-mannitol solution. CONCLUSION: The study demonstrated activation of complement during the storage of whole blood and plasma but not in red cells in storage solution. The transfusion of larger volumes of stored whole blood or plasma may contribute to the risk of development of organ dysfunction. Therefore, it is advisable to use red cells in storage solution.

Anaphylatoxins↗

Complement activation after aortic endothelial injury.

Ischemic endothelial cell injury results in C activation that precedes partially via the classic pathway. This may be relevant to clinical situations of ischemia such as occur during embolization or thrombus formation. The generation of C activation products (such as C3a and C5a) may mediate many of the inflammatory changes observed in infarcted tissues.

Animals↗

The complement abnormalities of lipodystrophy.

Investigation of the serum complement system in 25 patients with various forms of lipodystrophy showed no abnormality in three patients with total lipodystrophy; a single patient with limb lipodystrophy had evidence of activation of the classical complement pathway. However, of the 21 patients with partial lipodystrophy, 17 had low serum C3, with normal C4 and C2, concentrations, accompanied in 14 by a serum C3 splitting factor indistinguishable from nephritic factor, suggesting activation of the alternative pathway. These abnormalities occurred in 10 patients without clinically overt renal disease. Seven patients had overt nephritis; renal biopsies obtained in six showed mesangiocapillary (membranoproliferative) nephritis in all. Thus, the majority of patients with partial lipodystrophy have hypocomplementemia. Although nephritis may not invariably develop, the high rate of mesangiocapillary nephritis in these patients suggests that complement activation via the alternative pathway predisposes to the development of this form of glomerular disease.

Adolescent↗

Complement activation and hypersensitivity reactions to dialysis membranes.

Certain patients receiving hemodialysis experience recurrent chest pain, dyspnea, and hypotension during exposure to new cuprophane-membrane dialyzers (the "first-use syndrome"). Because activation of complement may be involved in these events, we examined in vivo complement activation with new cuprophane membranes and in vitro activation by zymosan in 6 such patients, and compared them with 10 patients who did not have symptoms during dialysis. All patients with the first-use syndrome had maximal complement activation 10 minutes after initiation of dialysis, with C3a des-arginine (desArg), the stable metabolite of C3 activation, equal to 8533 +/- 157 ng per milliliter (mean +/- S.E.M.). In asymptomatic patients the maximal C3a desArg value occurred at 15 minutes and was only 2907 +/- 372 ng per milliliter (P less than or equal to 0.0001). At a concentration of 3.8 x 10(-5) g of zymosan per milliliter, patients with the first-use syndrome had a C3a desArg level of 29.6 +/- 1.4 micrograms per milliliter, whereas it was only 16.6 +/- 2.3 micrograms per milliliter in asymptomatic patients (P less than or equal to 0.0001). Two other patients, who experienced cardiopulmonary collapse during the first two minutes of dialysis, had a C3a desArg level of 18,900 and 7800 ng per milliliter, respectively. We conclude that the occurrence of adverse symptoms associated with new cuprophane-membrane dialyzers correlates with complement activation.

Adult↗

Increased expression of an adhesion-promoting surface glycoprotein in the granulocytopenia of hemodialysis.

To identify the mechanisms accounting for hemodialysis-induced granulocytopenia, we undertook quantitative kinetic studies of a granulocyte-adhesion-promoting surface glycoprotein (Mo1). In eight patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis, there was a fivefold increase in the mean cell-surface expression of Mo1 within 15 minutes after the start of dialysis with a new cuprophane membrane. The peak increase in surface Mo1 coincided with the maximal drop in neutrophil count and with the peak rise in the plasma levels of the complement-activation products C5a desArg and C3a desArg. During dialysis on a membrane being reused for the fifth time, no significant complement activation, no increase in Mo1 expression, and no change in neutrophil count were seen. C5a desArg (but not C3a desArg) induced a comparable increase in Mo1 expression on normal granulocytes in vitro at concentrations similar to those measured in vivo. Chemotactic peptide-induced granulocyte aggregation (a reflection of increased cell-to-cell adhesiveness) was specifically blocked by mouse monoclonal antibodies to Mo1 in vitro. These data suggest that the increased expression of Mo1 on granulocytes in vivo is in part mediated by C5a (and C5a desArg). The quantitative increase in granulocyte-surface Mo1 may provide a mechanism for initiating leukoaggregation, sequestration of granulocytes, and neutropenia during hemodialysis.

Adult↗

Microvascular deposition of complement membrane attack complex in dermatomyositis.

We examined the role of the complement system in the pathogenesis of dermatomyositis. Using an antibody against the neoantigens of the terminal C5b-9 membrane attack complex, we performed immunocytochemical studies that localized this complex to the intramuscular microvasculature (arterioles and capillaries) of muscle biopsy specimens from 10 of 12 patients (83 percent) with childhood dermatomyositis and 5 of 19 patients (26 percent) with adult dermatomyositis. Fifty-two control specimens, including 14 from patients with polymyositis and 12 from patients with denervation atrophy (a condition known to be associated with necrotic capillaries), showed no deposition of membrane attack complex in the microvasculature. These findings indicate that the complement system is deposited, bound, and activated to completion within the intramuscular microvasculature of patients with dermatomyositis. In addition to providing further evidence for the presence of vasculopathy in dermatomyositis, these findings suggest a primary role for complement in mediating vessel injury in the disease, particularly in its childhood form.

Adult↗