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PubMed1979

Immune response of a patient with deficiency of the fourth component of complement and systemic lupus erythematosus.

The clinical details of a five-year-old boy with systemic lupus erythematosus and an inherited deficiency of the fourth component of complement (C4) have been reported elsewhere. In this study of his immune responses, immunization with bacteriophage phi X 174 demonstrated diminished antibody formation, abnormal immunologic memory and failure to switch from IgM to IgG during secondary response. We also noted persistent lymphopenia and reductions in peripheral-blood T lymphocytes, lymphocyte responses to mitogens and allogeneic cells and granulocyte chemotaxis. Kinetic studies revealed that delayed activation of the alternative pathway was corrected by purified C4 only if the classical pathway was not blocked. This finding is consistent with the concept that minute amounts of C3b provided through the classical pathway are necessary to prime the properdin system. Inability to activate the classical complement pathway, abnormal kinetics of alternative-pathway activation and depressed antibody responses to a T-cell-dependent antigen may predispose C4-deficient patients to viral infection or immune-complex formation.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗

PubMed2003

Effect of hybrid complement regulatory proteins on xenogeneic cells.

To suppress C3 fragment deposition in the classical pathway complement activation on xenogeneic membranes, decay accelerating factor (DAF) was the most effective molecule among the complement regulatory proteins (CRPs) used in the present study. C3 fragment deposition was closely related to subsequent xenogeneic cell lysis. However, other molecules were also very effective in different ways and include phosphatidylinositol (PI)-anchored short consensus repeat (SCR) 2-4 of membrane cofactor protein (MCP-PI), PI-anchored C1 esterase inhibitor (C1-INH-PI), and PI-anchored SCR8-11 of complement receptor type 1 (CR1-PI). On the other hand, regarding a strategy for downregulating C4 fragment deposition, the use of only C1-INH-PI and PI-anchored SCR1-3 of the C4b-binding protein (C4bp-PI) was found to be effective.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

Microglial activation and increased synthesis of complement component C1q precedes blood-brain barrier dysfunction in rats.

A reliable way to visualise the state of microglial activation is to monitor the microglial gene expression profile. Microglia are the only CNS resident cells that synthesise C1q, the recognition sub-component of the classical complement pathway, in vivo. C1q biosynthesis in resting ramified microglia is often low, but it increases dramatically in activated microglia. In this study, the expression of C1q was used to monitor microglial activation at all stages of 3-chloropropanediol-induced neurotoxicity, a new model of blood-brain barrier (BBB) breakdown. In rats, 3-chloropropanediol produces very focused lesions in the brain, characterised by early astrocyte swelling and loss, followed by neuronal death and barrier dysfunction. Using in situ hybridisation, immunohistochemistry, and real-time RT-PCR, we found that increased C1q biosynthesis and microglial activation precede BBB dysfunction by at least 18 and peak 48 h after injection of 3-chloropropanediol, which coincides with the onset of active haemorrhage. Microglial activation is biphasic; an early phase of global activation is followed by a later phase in which microglial activation becomes increasingly focused in the lesions. During the early phase, expression of the pro-inflammatory mediators interleukin-1beta (IL1beta), tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) and early growth response-1 (Egr-1) increased in parallel with C1q, but was restricted to the lesions. Expression of C1q (but not IL1beta, TNFalpha or Egr-1) remains high after BBB function is restored, and is accompanied by late up-regulation of the C1q-associated serine proteases, C1r and C1s, suggesting that microglial biosynthesis of the activation complex of the classical pathway may support the removal of cell debris by activation of complement.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Additive inhibition of complement deposition by pneumolysin and PspA facilitates Streptococcus pneumoniae septicemia.

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a common cause of septicemia in the immunocompetent host. To establish infection, S. pneumoniae has to overcome host innate immune responses, one component of which is the complement system. Using isogenic bacterial mutant strains and complement-deficient immune naive mice, we show that the S. pneumoniae virulence factor pneumolysin prevents complement deposition on S. pneumoniae, mainly through effects on the classical pathway. In addition, using a double pspA-/ply- mutant strain we demonstrate that pneumolysin and the S. pneumoniae surface protein PspA act in concert to affect both classical and alternative complement pathway activity. As a result, the virulence of the pspA-/ply- strain in models of both systemic and pulmonary infection is greatly attenuated in wild-type mice but not complement deficient mice. The sensitivity of the pspA-/ply- strain to complement was exploited to demonstrate that although early innate immunity to S. pneumoniae during pulmonary infection is partially complement-dependent, the main effect of complement is to prevent spread of S. pneumoniae from the lungs to the blood. These data suggest that inhibition of complement deposition on S. pneumoniae by pneumolysin and PspA is essential for S. pneumoniae to successfully cause septicemia. Targeting mechanisms of complement inhibition could be an effective therapeutic strategy for patients with septicemia due to S. pneumoniae or other bacterial pathogens.

Animals↗

PubMed1987

Opsonisation and phagocytosis of group B meningococci by polymorphonuclear leucocytes: comparison of sulphonamide sensitive and resistant strains.

A large proportion of disease caused by sulphonamide resistant strains of group B type 15 meningococci affects patients 10-24 years. In contrast, disease caused by sulphonamide sensitive strains conforms to the usual pattern, and most infection occurs in early childhood. In an attempt to explain this phenomenon possible differences in susceptibility of resistant and sensitive strains to phagocytosis by polymorphonuclear leucocytes were investigated, using radioactively labelled bacteria. In initial experiments a group B resistant strain required higher concentrations of normal human serum and longer opsonisation times for phagocytosis than an ungroupable non-pathogenic meningococcus. Comparison of sulphonamide resistant and sensitive group B meningococci showed that with either heat inactivated serum or agammaglobulinaemic serum, phagocytosis did not occur with any of the strains, whereas if these two sera were used together, phagocytosis was restored to the level seen with normal human serum. Thus both antibody and complement are required for phagocytosis. Furthermore, opsonisation depended on an intact classical pathway of complement for each group B strain. In all the experiments there was no significant difference between the phagocytosis of sulphonamide sensitive and resistant group B strains neither with regard to the efficiency of opsonisation by normal human serum nor the exact requirements for antibody and complement.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1992

Detection of complement in relation to disease.

If a single component is lowered, it is reasonable to question whether the patient has a genetically-controlled defect. Studies of family members may be required. If split products, complexes, or neoantigens are present, it is likely that there is ongoing complement activation. If most of the components of a pathway are lowered, a reasonable supposition is that complement is being activated. We then turn to a consideration of the factors that may activate complement. When hypocomplementemia is associated with a decrease in titer of several components, it is often possible to determine whether the classic or alternative pathway is the major pathway being activated; this, in turn, may suggest certain diagnoses and rule out other diagnoses. The nature of the circulating complexes or split products may provide the same information. Thus, a consideration of the pathophysiology of the complement system and of the factors that activate complement provides an approach to an understanding of the function of complement and the role of complement causing a damage in a clinical setting.

Complement Pathway, Alternative↗

PubMed2001

Mechanism of complement resistance of pathogenic Borrelia burgdorferi isolates.

Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease, differ in their susceptibility to normal human serum and are consequently classified as complement-resistant, complement-sensitive and intermediate complement-sensitive. Most isolates belonging to the genospecies B. afzelii are complement-resistant, while particularly B. garinii isolates were rapidly killed by complement. In general, isolates of the genospecies B. burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.) are intermediate complement-sensitive. Independent of the genospecies, all Borreliae were capable to activate the classical and/or the alternative pathway. Deposition of the activation products C3, C6, and TCC is much stronger by B. burgdorferi s.s. and B. garinii isolates than by B. afzelii isolates. The mechanism(s) on how Borreliae evade complement-mediated bacteriolysis has recently been described by showing that complement-resistant B. afzelii isolates but not the complement-sensitive B. garinii isolates absorb human complement regulators FHL-1/reconectin and factor H. Surface-attached FHL-1/reconectin maintains its complement regulatory activity and supports factor I-mediated C3b cleavage to iC3b. In complement-resistant Borreliae, two outer surface proteins, the 27.5 kDa (CRASP-1, complement regulator-acquiring surface protein 1) and the 20/21 kDa (CRASP-2), are responsible for the surface attachment of the two complement regulators. CRASP-1, which is present in complement-resistant Borreliae, binds preferentially FHL-1/reconectin while CRASP-2, which is restrictively expressed, binds preferentially factor H. Thus, complement-resistant Borreliae bind human complement regulators and control complement activation on their surface and prevent the formation of toxic activation products.

Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins↗

PubMed1980

Activation of the fourth component of complement (C4): assessment by rocket immunoelectrophoresis and correlation with the metabolism of C4.

The classical pathway of complement (C) is activated in several diseases, and this activation characteristically involves the activation of C4, the fourth component of C. Since activation of C4 ultimately produces the polypeptide fragment C4d, we have applied immunoelectrophoresis in gels containing antibodies that precipitate C4d and C4 (rocket immunoelectrophoresis) as a means of detecting and quantitating C4 activation. Plasma C4 produced a single precipitin line after rocket immunoelectrophoresis, whereas plasma containing C4d produced two precipitin lines corresponding to C4d and C4. The areas enclosed by the respective precipitin line(s) were quantitated by planimetry and approximated the amounts of C4d and C4 present in the specimen. The ratio of the areas of C4d/C4 as measured in this analysis correlated significantly with the in vivo metabolism of radiolabeled C4. Our method detected C4d in the plasmas of some patients with rheumatoid arthritis, hereditary angioedema, systemic lupus erythematosus, or chronic urticaria with hypocomplementemia. These studies indicated that determination of the C4d/C4 ratio is useful in the evaluation of in vivo C activation and also may be applicable to the study and management of diseases associated with C activation.

Angioedema↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Early embryonic cells activate the alternative complement system.

Murine embryonic stem cells, embryonic carcinoma cells and pre-implantation embryos were found to be extremely sensitive to cytolysis by normal human serum as compared to matured cells. The cytolytic activity to embryonic cells was not removed by pre-absorption of serum with spleen lymphocytes. Conditions which block both complement activation pathways or, selectively, the alternative pathway completely abrogated the activity of human serum against embryonic cells whereas the activity was retained under conditions which block the classical complement pathway, indicating that embryonic cells activate the alternative complement system (ACS). The cytotoxic effect to murine embryonic cells was reproduced using syngeneic murine serum. Concerning the mechanism of ACS-activation, the expression of regulators of complement activation and of membrane bound sialic acid was analysed. Embryonic cells express mRNA for Crry similarly to other cells but additionally express Cr2-transcripts not found in most adult cells. Embryonic cells have strikingly low levels of membrane-bound sialic acid compared to adult cells.

Animals↗

PubMed1990

The terminal complement complex (sC5b-9) is not specifically associated with the development of the adult respiratory distress syndrome.

Previous investigators suggested that increased plasma levels of the terminal complement complex (sC5b-9) are an early marker for the development of adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in septic patients. We asked whether an increase in sC5b-9 was also associated with the development of ARDS from other etiologies and whether sC5b-9 measurements consistently reflected complement activation in vivo. We evaluated 75 patients with sepsis, trauma, hypertransfusion, multiple fractures, aspiration, or pancreatitis who were at risk for ARDS but did not develop the syndrome and 23 patients with similar histories who did develop ARDS. Of the latter patients, seven were identified and studied both when they were at risk and when they had ARDS. Serial blood samples were obtained and analyzed for the complement activation products Bb, Ba, C4d, C3d, IC3b, and sC5b-9. All but one of the patients studied had levels of one or more complement fragments that were greater than 2 SD above the mean obtained from 18 normal subjects. In contrast to the report referred to previously, none of the fragments measured, including sC5b-9, was a specific indicator of ARDS, and no combination of complement fragments predicted which patients at risk would develop ARDS. Patients demonstrated evidence of activation of the classical pathway only, alternative pathway only, or both pathways, but none of these was associated with greater risk or severity of disease. In addition, in several patients only late components were activated, suggesting that enzymes other than those derived from complement activation may be responsible. In conclusion, complement can be activated by a variety of mechanisms in critically ill patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Complement Activation↗

PubMed1996

Glomerular deposition of the complement C4 isotypes C4A and C4B in glomeruonephritis.

BACKGROUND: Complement C4 is a component of the classical complement pathway, which is a major mediator of inflammation in many forms of glomerulonephritis. The two isoforms of C4-C4A and C4B-differ in their physicochemical and functional properties. METHODS: The glomerular deposition of C4A and C4B was investigated in 39 cases of glomerulonephritis with classical pathway activation using isotype-specific monoclonal antibodies 99H7 (C4A) and 1288 (C4B) and indirect immunofluorescence. Complement C4 phenotypes of all patients were determined by agarose gel electrophoresis and immunoprecipitation. RESULTS: Three biopsies contained only the isotype C4B. C4 phenotyping revealed complete C4A deficiency in these three patients. Both isotypes C4A and C4B were detected in 36 biopsies. In 19 (53%) thereof staining for both isotypes was identical. In the remaining 17 (47%), staining intensity of C4A predominated over C4B. The distribution of these two staining patterns did not differ between membranous glomerulonephritis and lupus nephritis. They were also independent of C4A and C4B allotypes including the presence or absence of null alleles at either gene locus. In no case was C4B staining stronger than C4A staining. Serum creatinine and proteinuria did not differ between patients with identical and C4A-dominant C4 deposition. CONCLUSIONS: The most likely but still hypothetical explanation for predominance in glomerular deposition of C4A over C4B in many cases of immune complex-mediated glomerulonephritis is the greater affinity of C4A to protein-containing immune complexes as compared to C4B.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2004

Anti-complementary activity of triterpenoides from fruits of Zizyphus jujuba.

In order to determine on the anti-complement activity of triterpenes, following eleven triterpenoides were isolated from the fruits of the Zizyphus jujuba MILL: ceanothane-type triterpenes: colubrinic acid (1), zizyberenalic acid (11); lupane-type triterpenes: alphitolic acid (2), 3-O-cis-p-coumaroyl alphitolic acid (3), 3-O-trans-p-coumaroyl alphitolic acid (4), betulinic acid (7), betulonic acid (9); and oleanane-type triterpenes: 3-O-cis-p-coumaroyl maslinic acid (5), 3-O-trans-p-coumaroyl maslinic acid (6), oleanolic acid (8), oleanonic acid (10). These compounds were examined for their anti-complement activity against the classical pathway of the complement system. Among them, compounds 5, 6, and 8 exhibited significant anti-complement activity with IC(50) values of 101.4, 143.9, and 163.4 microM, respectively, whereas the ceanothane-type and the lupane-type triterpenes were inactive. This suggests that the oleanane-structure plays an important role in inhibiting the hemolytic activity of human serum against erythrocytes.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid↗

PubMed1989

Reversible injury of cultured rat oligodendrocytes by complement.

Rat oligodendrocytes are lysed on exposure to normal homologous serum as a result of classical pathway complement activation and attack in the absence of anti-myelin antibodies. The effect of non-lethal complement attack on oligodendrocytes in vitro was studied by exposing dissociated neonatal rat optic nerve cell cultures to low concentrations of complement alone and also in the presence of oligodendrocyte-specific monoclonal antibodies. Regardless of the mode of complement activation, non-lethal complement attack led to reversible cell injury, recovery following a transient rise in intracellular calcium and fall in ATP in the absence of membrane permeabilization to propidium iodide. A single episode of non-lethal injury had no effect on the ability of oligodendrocytes subsequently to express cell-specific antigens, but repeated episodes had a cumulative effect and ultimately resulted in cell death. Reversible and/or lytic complement-mediated oligodendrocyte injury has implications for the pathogenesis of human and experimental demyelinating diseases.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

PubMed2005

F(ab')2 antibody fragments against Trypanosoma cruzi calreticulin inhibit its interaction with the first component of human complement.

Trypanosoma cruzi calreticulin (TcCRT), described in our laboratory, retains several important functional features from its vertebrate homologues. We have shown that recombinant TcCRT inhibits the human complement system when it binds to the collagenous portion of C1q. The generation of classical pathway convertases and membrane attack complexes is thus strongly inhibited. In most T. cruzi-infected individuals, TcCRT is immunogenic and mediates the generation of specific antibodies. By reverting the C1q / TcCRT interaction, a parasite immune evasion strategy, these antibodies contribute to the host/parasite equilibrium. In an in vitro correlate of this situation, we show that the Clq/TcCRT interaction is inhibited by F(ab')2 polyclonal anti-TcCRT IgG fragments. It is therefore feasible that in infected humans anti-TcCRT antibodies participate in reverting an important parasite strategy aimed at inhibiting the classical complement pathway. Thus, membrane-bound TcCRT interacts with the collagenous portion Clq, and this Clq is recognized by the CD91-bound host cell CRT, thus facilitating parasite internalization. Based on our in vitro results, it could be proposed that the in vivo interaction between TcCRT and vertebrate Clq could be inhibited by F(ab')2 fragments anti-rTcCRT or against its S functional domain, thus interfering with the internalization process.

Animals↗

PubMed1995

Covalently-bound human C4b dimers consisting of C4B isotype show higher hemolytic activity than those of C4A in the C3-bypass complement pathway.

The ability to form a covalent dimer of human C4b was investigated with purified isotypes C4A and C4B, and antibody-sensitized liposomes supplemented with C1. In this system, no C4A or C4B formed a complex with the antibody or C1. Whereas both C4A and C4B isotypes formed dimers to a similar extent, C4B formed an ester-linked dimer and C4A an amide-linked dimer. Both of these dimers served as a subunit for the C3-bypass pathway C5 convertase, since liposomes bearing Ab, C1 and a dimer of C4A or C4B, allowed the formation of C5 convertase by the addition of C2. The degree of complement-mediated liposome lysis however, was observed to be 2-3 times higher in the C4B-bearing particles than in those bearing C4A. These results indicate that the second C4b-binding site on the first C4b is different between C4A and C4B, and that in the C3-bypass pathway, C4B has a higher degree of hemolytic activity than C4A, as in the conventional classical complement pathway.

Biopolymers↗

PubMed1993

Molecular basis of complement resistance of human melanoma cells expressing the C3-cleaving membrane protease p65.

The molecular mechanism of complement resistance of the human SK-MEL-170 melanoma cell line was investigated. The cells have been shown to express the C3b-cleaving membrane protease p65. To delineate the molecular consequences of the C3b-cleaving activity for the complement cytotoxicity, the molecular events during the initiation (R24 monoclonal antibody, C1), amplification (C4, C3), and membrane attack (C5, C9) phases of complement were studied in comparison to a complement-susceptible human melanoma line (SK-MEL-93-2). No cleavage of C4b and C5b, 2 molecules structurally similar to C3b, was observed on the cells during classical pathway activation indicating the specificity of the p65 protease for the C3b molecule. The rapid degradation of C3b by p65 on the surface of complement-resistant SK-MEL-170 cells generates a M(r) 30,000 C3 alpha'-chain-fragment detectable as early as 1 min after complement activation, whereas no such fragment was present in detectable amounts on complement-susceptible cells. As a result of the rapid C3b proteolysis by p65 on resistant SK-MEL-170 cells, less C5 convertases are formed, which in turn results in the formation of a lower number of terminal complement components and membrane attack complexes. R24 antibody and C1q binding to the resistant cells was slightly lower as to susceptible cells. C4 binding studies, however, revealed that the observed difference in antibody and C1q binding has no influence on the complement resistance of SK-MEL-170 cells: significantly more C4b was bound to complement-resistant (1565 +/- 92 fg/cell) as compared to susceptible cells (715 +/- 31 fg/cell). On extraction of the molecular forms of C4 bound to the cell membranes, an additional high molecular weight C4 species--apparently a C4b-C4b homodimer--appeared only on the resistant SK-MEL-170 cells that may function as a residual back-up C5 convertase. Collectively, these results show that SK-MEL-170 human melanoma cells evade complement-mediated cytolysis despite sufficient activation of early components of the classical complement pathway by p65-mediated rapid degradation of surface-bound C3b, leading to a significant reduction in membrane attack complex formation. Thus, rapid cleavage of surface deposited C3b was established as a powerful mechanism of complement resistance.

Animals↗

PubMed1985

The killer molecule of complement.

Cell injury by complement occurs as a consequence of activation of either the classical or the alternative pathway on the surface of a cell. It is accomplished by the membrane attack complex (MAC). Its precursor proteins, C5, C6, C7, C8, and C9, are hydrophilic glycoproteins with Mr ranging from 70,000-180,000. When C5 is cleaved by the serine protease C5 convertase which covalently attaches to target cells, nascent C5b is produced and forms together with C6 a soluble and stable bimolecular complex (C5b,6). Upon binding of C5b,6 to C7 a trimolecular complex (C5b-7) is formed which expresses a metastable membrane-binding site. Membrane-bound C5b-7 constitutes the receptor for C8 and the tetramolecular C5b-8 complex binds and polymerizes C9. During the assembly process the proteins undergo hydrophilic-amphiphilic transition and the end product consists of C5b-8 (Mr approximately 550,000) and of tubular poly C9 (Mr approximately 1,100,000). The functional channel size varies but its maximal diameter is approximately 100 A. C9 polymerization appears to involve initial reversible association of several C9 molecules which is followed by temperature-dependent, constrained unfolding. Unfolded C9 monomers then associate laterally with each other and polymerization terminates with closure of the circular structure which consists of 12-18 C9 monomers. Amino acid composition and sequence indicate that the N-terminal half of the single chain C9 molecule is hydrophilic and the C-terminal half rather hydrophobic. Phospholipid-binding and insertion into membranes are functions of the C-terminal portion of the molecule. Control of the MAC is exerted by the S-protein (Mr 80,000) which binds to the forming complex and prevents its attachment to the cell membrane. Control is also exerted by certain species-specific membrane proteins which interfere with C5 convertase and C9 function.

Binding Sites↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Mannan-binding protein, a complement activating animal lectin.

Mannan-binding protein is an animal serum lectin (i.e. a molecule with the ability to bind specifically to certain carbohydrate structures). The relevant carbohydrate ligands are found on many pathogenic microorganisms. After binding to suitable carbohydrate ligands, mannan-binding protein is found to be an activator of the classical pathway of complement via an activation of the C1r2C1s2 complex, i.e. antibody and C1q independent. The molecular organization of MBP resembles that of C1q with a distinct division of collagen-like and globular amino acid sequences. This molecular similarity seems to be the basis for the common functional activity of the two proteins. MBP may play an important protective role, especially at early stages of infection prior to the generation of the specific humoral and cellular defence system. The paper explores the structure and the physiological functions of mannan-binding protein.

Animals↗