[Immunological tests: Anaphylatoxins C3a, C4a, C5a].
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Interaction of human C5a anaphylatoxin with cell surface receptors mediates cell activation and receptor desensitization. Treatment of differentiated HL60 cells or transiently transfected COS-7 cells with C5a or phorbol 12-myristate 12-acetate (PMA) results in rapid hyperphosphorylation of the C5aR. In an attempt to gain more insight into the function of phosphorylation in the desensitization of C5aR, we have initiated experiments to identify phosphoacceptor sites at the amino acid level after stimulation of cells with either C5a or PMA. In this report we show that C5aR is phosphorylated exclusively on serine residues in both differentiated HL60 and transfected COS-7 cells irrespective of the stimulus used. Peptide mapping after cyanogen bromide cleavage of phosphorylated C5aR indicates that despite the presence of a protein kinase C consensus motif the third cytoplasmic loop is not phosphorylated when cells are challenged with either C5a or PMA. Thus, whether the cells are stimulated with C5a or PMA, the phosphorylation sites appear to be restricted to serine residues in the carboxyl tail. Phosphoamino acid analysis of a series of mutants in which an individual serine residue was replaced by a threonine residue indicates that the C5aR undergoes C5a-dependent phosphorylation to the maximal stoichiometry of 6 mol of PO4/mol of receptor at Ser314, Ser317, Ser327, Ser332, Ser334, and Ser338. Simultaneous substitution of serine residues by alanine at positions 332, 334, and 338 affected neither the binding of C5a nor the cell surface expression of the mutant, but resulted in a dramatic reduction (more than 80%) of both C5a- and PMA-mediated phosphorylation as compared to the wild type receptor. This result suggests that phosphorylation on the segment extending from Ser332 to Ser338 is required for the subsequent phosphorylation of the carboxyl-terminal tail of C5aR.
Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) causes leukocyte and platelet activation, resulting in upregulation of the adhesion receptor CD11b/CD18 on leukocytes and upregulation of P-selectin, the adhesion receptor that binds the activated platelet to polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) and monocytes. Our laboratory has studied the expression of activation-dependent adhesion receptors during in vivo CPB. Both PMN and monocyte CD11b were upregulated during CPB but with differing time courses. Peak PMN CD11b levels occurred at the end of the hypothermic phase of bypass, whereas monocyte CD11b levels increased steadily throughout the course of CPB, peaked at 2-4 h after CPB, and remained significantly elevated as late as 18-24 h post CPB. The percentage of P-selectin-positive platelets increased significantly during bypass, peaking around the end of bypass and remaining elevated in the early post-bypass period. The level then returned to normal by 18 h post-bypass. Monocyte-platelet binding paralleled the increase in P-selectin-positive platelets during bypass and similarly remained elevated in the post-bypass period. PMN-platelet binding also increased but peaked early during CPB. Upregulation of these adhesive receptors and formation of platelet-leukocyte conjugates may influence the prothrombotic activity of monocytes and the proinflammatory activity of PMNs in the post-CPB period. Our laboratory has developed an in vitro model of extracorporeal circulation, and recirculation of blood on this circuit results in significant activation of PMNs and monocyte CD11b expression, increasing progressively over time. Likewise, the percentage of P-selectin-positive platelets increased and was paralleled by the formation of leukocyte-platelet conjugates comparable to the pattern found in vivo. Generation of the complement fragments C5a and the C5b-9 membrane-attack complex may contribute to platelet P-selectin expression and formation of leukocyte-platelet conjugates during CPB. The in vitro model has been used to test the cellular effects of complement inhibition employing a monoclonal antibody that blocks cleavage of C5 into C5a and C5b to determine the role of early vs. late complement components in the cellular activation induced by CPB. Preliminary results demonstrate that blockage of the formation of C5a and the C5b-9 membrane-attack complex during simulated extracorporeal circulation effectively inhibits platelet and PMN activation and the formation of leukocyte-platelet conjugates.
The anaphylatoxin C5a is a potent mediator of inflammation that exerts a broad range of activity on cells of the myeloid lineage. In this study, we present the first evidence that human T cells express the C5a receptor (C5aR) and are chemotactic to C5a. Using FACS analysis, we found that the C5aR was expressed at a low basal level on unstimulated T cells and was strikingly up-regulated upon PHA stimulation in a time- and dose-dependent manner. CD3+ sorted T cells as well as Jurkat T cells were shown to express C5aR mRNA as assessed by RT-PCR. Moreover, semiquantitative RT-PCR analysis demonstrated that C5aR mRNA was down-regulated in purified T cells upon long-term PHA stimulation. To demonstrate that C5a was biologically active on T cells, we investigated the chemotactic activity of C5a and observed that purified CD3+ T cells are chemotactic to C5a at nanomolar concentrations. Finally, using a combination of in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry, we showed that the T cells infiltrating the central nervous system during experimental allergic encephalomyelitis express the C5aR mRNA. In summary, these results suggest that C5a exerts direct effects on T cells and could be involved in the trafficking of T cells under physiological and pathological conditions, including inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system.
The C5-anaphylatoxin C5a is a protein of 74 (human) or 77 (rat) amino-acid residues, respectively, the generation of which may be induced by either the classical and/or the alternative pathways. C5a binds specifically to its receptor (C5aR/CD88) which belongs to the superfamily of G-protein-coupled receptors with seven transmembrane segments. In this study we describe the tissue distribution of the rat C5aR (rC5aR) and the blocking of its ligand by the application of two monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs). The first antibody (MoAb R63) which is directed against the amino-terminal domain Ex1 of the rat C5aR was generated in mice immunized with RBL-2H3 cells which had been stably transfected with the rat C5a receptor gene. Checking the rC5aR expression in various tissues bronchial epithelial cells stained positive only in tissue samples from animals with a mycoplasm infection indicating that the receptor may be induced in this cell type as a consequence of an inflammatory process. Using immunohistochemistry there was no evidence for nonmyeloid expression in the large or small intestine, heart, lung, kidney or liver of the normal rat. The MoAb R63 was found to be a reliable tool for the investigation of the expression of the receptor by FACS analyses or immunohistochemistry. Despite numerous attempts neutralizing antibodies could not be generated against the receptor. Therefore a C5a-ligand neutralizing MoAb was generated against the synthesized carboxyterminal 20mer peptide. This antibody (6-9F) recognized the carboxy terminus of C5a/C5a-FLUOS and prevented its binding at a three-fold molar excess as evidenced by FACS-analyses. It also blocked the C5a-mediated signal transduction as demonstrated by the inhibition of intracellular Ca2+-release (at a 16-fold molar excess) and the release of N-Acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (at a 25-fold molar excess).
Human umbilical vein endothelial cells have recently been shown to respond to C5a with increases in intracellular Ca2+, production of D-myo-inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate and superoxide anion generation. In the current studies, C5a had been found to cause in a time- and dose-dependent manner rapid expression of endothelial P-selectin, secretion of von Willebrand factor, and adhesiveness for human neutrophils. The effects of C5a in P-selectin expression and adhesiveness of neutrophils were similar to the effects of histamine and thrombin on endothelial cells. The adhesiveness of C5a-stimulated endothelium for neutrophils was blocked by anti-P-selectin, but not by antibodies to intercellular adhesion molecule 1, E-selectin, or CD18. A cell-based ELISA technique has confirmed upregulation of P-selectin in endothelial cells exposed to C5a. Binding of C5a to endothelial cells has been demonstrated, with molecules bound being approximately 10% of those binding to neutrophils. By a reverse transcriptase-PCR technique, endothelial cells have been shown to contain mRNA for the C5a receptor. These data suggest that C5a may be an important inflammatory mediator for the early adhesive interactions between neutrophils and endothelial cells in the acute inflammatory response.
We recently reported that not only lymphoid cells, but cells of neuronal origin may harbor C5a receptors (C5aR) as suggested by results of RT-PCR testing and that an apoptotic pathway is associated with the C5aR. To determine whether C5aR is expressed as an integral membrane protein, we generated mono- and polyclonal anti-C5aR antibodies. Flow cytometry showed a low-level expression of C5aR in TGW neuroblastoma cells. Epitope mapping suggested that a conformation change in C5aR occurs when exposed to C5a. Although an aphysiologically high concentration of C5a is necessary for inducing a transient increase in the intracellular Ca2+ level, TGW cells do employ the signal transduction pathway associated with C5aR, suggesting that these cells may serve as putative model for C5aR-expressing neurons.
The C5a receptor belongs to the superfamily of G-protein coupled receptors with seven transmembrane segments. In this study we report on the cloning of the rat C5a receptor (ratC5aR). We used a hybridization probe produced by PCR utilizing degenerate primers which corresponded to conserved parts of the human, canine and murine C5a receptor nucleotide sequences and to the published partial amino acid sequence of the rat C5a receptor to screen a rat macrophage cDNA library. We found two overlapping clones containing an open reading frame of 1056 bp, a 3'untranslated region of 683 bp and a 5'untranslated region of 27 bp. The overall nucleotide acid sequence identity, compared to the murine, human and canine C5a receptor sequences, was 85.8, 70.5 and 68.9%, respectively. The greatest diversity exists in the putative extracellular domains, especially in the aminoterminal domain which is assumed to be involved in ligand binding. An N-glycosylation site is present within the N-terminal sequence at residue 6. One of the cDNA containing the 5'untranslated region, the coding sequence and part of the 3'untranslated region was cloned into an eucaryotic expression vector and stably transfected into the rat basophilic leukemia cell line RBL-2H3. Expression of the rat C5a receptor on the surface of these cells could be demonstrated by flow cytometric analysis using FITC-labeled recombinant rat C5a (rrC5a). By measuring the release of calcium from intracellular stores after stimulation with rrC5a it could further be shown that the receptor is functionally coupled. Receptor binding assays showed that rrC5a specifically binds to the ratC5aR with a KD of 0.91 +/- 0.36 and to the human C5a receptor (huC5aR) with a KD of 7.19 +/- 1.56. The determined KD for binding of human C5a (huC5a) to the huCSaR was 2.16 +/- 0.65. No binding of huC5a to the ratC5aR could be observed although high concentrations of this ligand (> 60 nM) promoted chemotaxis of RBL cells transfected with the huC5aR.
Previously, it was shown that Oncoimmunin-M (OI-M), a recently identified tumor cell-derived 36 kDa protein, is able both to inhibit the proliferation of the human promyelocytic leukemic cell line HL-60 while maintaining viability in culture and to induce a bimodal distribution of CD11b, the alpha chain of the integrin MAC-1, on the cell surface (Packard, B.Z. and Komoriya, A. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268, 6356-6363). Now, data which reveal that exposure of HL-60 cells to this factor also brings about an increase in the mean level of surface expression of CD11c, the alpha chain of another leukocyte integrin (p150,95), but leaves CD11a, the alpha chain of the third leukointegrin (LFA-1), virtually unchanged (< 10%) are presented. Comparison of motility studies of OI-M-treated HL-60 bulk populations with control bulk populations demonstrates coinduction of CD11b and CD11c surface upregulation with chemotactic responsiveness to a gradient of the chemoattractant human C5a. Separation of motile from nonmotile cell subpopulations after exposure to C5a further reveals that individual cells which respond to this chemoattractant express increased levels of both CD11b and CD11c relative to unresponsive cells. These data correlate the upregulation of leukointegrins MAC-1 and p150,95 by a tumor cell-derived protein on a preterminally differentiated myeloid cell with chemotactic responsiveness to human C5a.
Polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) of patients suffering from psoriasis and atopic dermatitis are supposed to differ in their function from the PMN of normals. However, conflicting results have been reported. Using a lucigenin-dependent chemiluminescence we investigated the response of isolated PMN from patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) and psoriasis to different stimuli. PMN of 17 patients with psoriasis and 13 patients with AD with mild to moderate disease activity were stimulated with a chemotactic peptide (f-met-phe), zymosan activated serum (ZAS), zymosan particles and phorbol myristate acetate. In the AD group we found a significantly decreased response after stimulation with ZAS in comparison to the controls. With the other stimuli tested no significant difference was detected. In comparison to normal controls psoriatic PMN showed no significant difference with any of the stimuli. Comparing patients with plaque-type and guttate-type psoriasis no significant difference was detected. We suggest that the reported hyperactivation of psoriatic PMN could be triggered by serum factors which were excluded in the present investigation. The decreased response of PMN to stimulation with ZAS from patients with AD associated with a normal reactivity to the other stimuli could be due to specific desensitization of the PMN by C5a in vivo.
Recent investigations have produced novel compounds that act on the receptor for anaphylatoxin C5a. These products are C-terminal analogues of C5a, some of which are modified extensively. We have measured the receptor affinities of such analogues in a binding assay on human neutrophils (PMNs). We have also characterized their pharmacological profiles in vitro on the isolated rabbit portal vein and pulmonary artery, on superoxide release by PMNs as well as in vivo in the anesthetized rabbit (acute hypotensive and neutropenic effects). The metabolic resistance of these analogues was also evaluated in the presence of different peptidases. One of these compounds, MePhe-Lys-Pro-D-Cha-Phe-D-Arg, behaved as an antagonist on the release of superoxide by neutrophils while exerting agonist activity in all other assays. Its partial agonist status was documented in a receptor down-regulation experiment on PMNs where its activity was compared with those of recombinant C5a and of protamine which behaves as a competitive antagonist on these cells. Degradation studies indicated that the discrepancy between the affinity of certain analogues in vitro and their potency in vivo was probably linked to their metabolic stability.
The molecular architecture of anaphylatoxins has been explored on several levels. Primary, secondary and tertiary structural parameters that dictate function of the C3a, C4a and C5a molecules are being elucidated with the aid of comparative sequence analyses, physical measurements and organic syntheses. Although C3a, C4a and C5a are biologically distinct mediators, as defined by their unique receptor systems, a common genetic origin is apparent from conserved features in their primary structures. Evidence is now available which suggests that similarities in the folding pattern of the anaphylatoxins may dictate a concensus conformation for each factor. We have learned from synthetic peptide studies that the binding (e.g. effector) site in anaphylatoxin molecules exists as a linear sequence contained in the C-terminal portion of the polypeptide. What is also evident is that a preferred conformation is defined for the binding site requiring a proper side chain orientation for optimal bioactivity. It is proposed that folding of the native structure stabilizes this conformation at the binding site. The binding site in C3a contains the essential residues LGLAR folded in an irregular or pseudo-beta-turn and stabilized by an adjacent alpha-helical segment. It is proposed that the alpha-helical segment influences orientation of the side chain residues in the 'binding site'. A similar model is evolving for C5a based on synthetic C5a peptides that express both spasmogenic and chemotactic activities. This helix turn model promises to be representative of an essential structural feature that determines anaphylatoxin activity. We believe that these models contribute significantly to our understanding of the molecular relationships between structure and function for these humoral mediators of inflammation.
Anaphylatoxins mobilize leukocytes to the sites of inflammation. In the present study we investigated the impact of GM-CSF, IL-4, and IFN-gamma on anaphylatoxin receptor expression in monocytes and dendritic cells (DC). IL-4 was identified as the strongest down-regulator of the receptors for C5a and C3a in monocytes and monocyte-derived DC (MoDC). To study the impact of IL-4 on anaphylatoxin-induced chemotaxis, an in vivo migration model was established. For this purpose, human monocytes and MoDC were injected i.v. into SCID mice that at the same time received anaphylatoxins into the peritoneal cavity. A peritoneal influx of human monocytes could be demonstrated by 4 h after injections of C5a and C3a. In line with receptor down-regulation, IL-4 treatment inhibited in vivo mobilization of human monocytes and MoDC in response to C5a and C3a. In addition to its effects on human cells, IL-4 reduced C5a receptors in murine bone marrow-derived DC and impaired recruitment of labeled bone marrow-derived DC in syngeneic BALB/c mice to i.p. injected C5a. Overall, these data suggest that inhibition of a rapid anaphylatoxin-induced mobilization of monocytes and DC to inflamed tissues represents an important anti-inflammatory activity of the Th2 cytokine IL-4.
Autoantibodies in sera from patients with autoimmune diseases have long been known and have become diagnostic tools. Analysis of their functional role again became popular with the availability of mice mutant for several genes of the complement and Fcgamma receptor (FcgammaR) systems. Evidence from different inflammatory models suggests that both systems are interconnected in a hierarchical way. The complement system mediators such as complement component 5a (C5a) might be crucial in the communication between the complement system and FcgammaR-expressing cells. The split complement protein C5a is known to inactivate cells by its G-protein-coupled receptor and to be involved in the transcriptional regulation of FcgammaRs, thereby contributing to the complex regulation of autoimmune disease.
A C5a-receptor antagonist was selected from human C5a phage display libraries in which the C terminus of des-Arg74-hC5a was mutated. The selected molecule is a competitive C5a receptor antagonist in vitro and in vivo. Signal transduction is interrupted at the level of G-protein activation. In addition, the antagonist does not cause any C5a receptor phosphorylation. Proinflammatory properties such as chemotaxis or lysosomal enzyme release of differentiated U937 cells, as well as C5a-induced changes in intracellular Ca2+ concentration of murine peritoneal macrophages, are inhibited. The in vivo efficacy was evaluated in three different animal models of immune complex diseases in mice, i.e., the reverse passive Arthus reaction in the peritoneum, skin, and lung. The i.v. application of the C5a receptor antagonist abrogated polymorphonuclear neutrophil accumulation in peritoneum and markedly attenuated polymorphonuclear neutrophil migration into the skin and the lung. In a model of intestinal ischemia/reperfusion injury, i.v. administration of the C5a receptor antagonist decreased local and remote tissue injury: bowel wall edema and hemorrhage as well as pulmonary microvascular dysfunction. These data give evidence that C5a is an important mediator triggering the inflammatory sequelae seen in immune complex diseases and ischemia/reperfusion injury. The selected C5a receptor antagonist may prove useful to attenuate the inflammatory response in these disorders.
The formation of intrapulmonary immune complexes in mice generates a vigorous inflammatory response characterized by microvascular permeability and polymorphonuclear neutrophil influx. Gene-targeted disruption of the substance P receptor (NK-1R) protected the lung from immune complex injury, as did disruption of the C5a anaphylatoxin receptor. Immunoreactive substance P was measurable in fluids lining the lung at time points before neutrophil influx and may thus be involved in an early step in the inflammatory response to immune complexes in the lung.
Monocyte recruitment and accumulation in the synovial tissue is pivotal in the evolution of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In the present study we examined the chemotactic potential of monocytes obtained from synovial fluid (SF) of patients with RA. Functionally, SF monocytes exhibited greatly diminished chemotactic activity to C5a compared with monocytes from the peripheral blood. In contrast, their chemotactic responsiveness to the synthetic peptide, FMLP, was nearly normal. To define a mechanism for this differential chemotactic dysfunction, cell-surface receptors for C5a (C5aR) and FMLP (FMLP-R) were evaluated. Whereas FMLP-R expression was similar on both blood and inflammatory monocytes, C5aR expression was markedly reduced on SF cells. Because decreased C5a binding in certain RA SF samples could not be attributed to free C5a, known or suspected components of inflammatory SF were evaluated for their ability to modulate chemotactic ligand receptors. Bacterial products including LPS and streptococcal cell walls, which are potent monocyte activators, down-regulated C5aR without affecting FMLP-R. Moreover, the cytokines IFN-gamma and granulocyte-macrophage-CSF selectively decreased C5aR in parallel with decreased in vitro chemotactic activity to C5a. Thus, these data indicate that 1) synovial effusions may contain C5a and/or inflammatory mediators that modulate phenotypic and functional changes in monocytes, 2) chemotactic ligand receptors are independently regulated in inflammatory lesions, and 3) decreased C5aR expression and chemotactic potential likely provide a mechanism whereby monocyte-macrophages persist within the inflamed synovium.