The binding of C1q to immunoglobulins.
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Calreticulin was recently identified as a hookworm (Necator americanus) allergen, implying secretion, and contact with cells of the immune system, or significant worm attrition in the tissues of the host. As human calreticulin has been shown to bind to and neutralize the haemolytic activity of the complement component C1q, and to be putatively involved in integrin-mediated intracellular signalling events in platelets, it was of interest to determine whether a calreticulin from a successful nematode parasite of humans, with known immune modulatory and antihaemostatic properties, exhibited a capacity to interfere with complement activation and to interact with integrin domains associated with cell signalling in platelets and other leucocytes. We can now report that recombinant calreticulin failed to demonstrate significant calcium binding capacity, which is a hallmark of calreticulins in general and may indicate inappropriate folding following expression in a prokaryote. Nevertheless, recombinant calreticulin retained sufficient molecular architecture to bind to, and inhibit the haemolytic capacity of, human C1q. Furthermore, recombinant calreticulin reacted in surface plasmon resonance analysis (SPR) with peptides corresponding to cytoplasmic signalling domains of the integrins alphaIIb and alpha5, in a calcium independent manner. SPR was also used to ratify the specificity of a polyclonal antibody to hookworm calreticulin, which was then used to assess the stage specificity of expression of the native molecule (in comparison with reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction), to indicate its apparent secretion, and to purify native calreticulin from worm extracts by affinity chromatography. This development will allow the functional tests described above to be repeated for native calreticulin, to ascertain its role in the host-parasite relationship.
The central event in the neuropathological process of prion diseases (PrD) is the accumulation of abnormal prion protein accompanied by severe neuronal loss. Despite the infectious nature of these diseases, no prominent immune response has been detected yet. However, recent studies have shown that complement, a component of the innate immune system, is involved in the early pathogenesis of experimental prion infection. Here we demonstrate, in the diseased human brains, the presence of active compounds of the complement system, like C1q and C3b, in extracellular disease-associated prion protein deposits and the membrane attack complex in neurons. The neuronal localization of the membrane attack complex correlates well with the severity of disease-specific pathology and TUNEL labeling of neurons, irrespective of genotype or molecular phenotype of human prion diseases.
Apoptotic defects and impaired clearance of cellular debris are considered key events in the development of autoimmunity, as they can contribute to autoantigen overload and might be involved in the initiation of an autoimmune response. The C1q protein and mannose-binding lectin are activators of the complement system. The pentraxins are a group of highly conserved proteins including the short pentraxins, C-reactive protein and serum amyloid P, and the long pentraxin family member, pentraxin 3, all of which are involved in innate immunity and in acute-phase responses. In addition to their role in innate immunity and inflammation, each of these proteins participates in the removal of damaged and apoptotic cells. In this article, we discuss the clinical significance of different levels of these proteins, their role in the induction of or protection against autoimmunity, and the presence of specific autoantibodies against them in various autoimmune diseases.
Deposition of immunoglobulins, complement proteins C1q, C3c, C3d, C4, C5, C6, C7, C8, C9, and terminal complement complex neoantigens in the renal tubulointerstitium was studied in serial sections by immunofluorescence microscopy. Renal tissue from 45 cases with various glomerular diseases, including 8 controls, was studied. The patients were divided into groups; one with tubulointerstitial lesions (24 cases) and the other without (13 cases). The immunoproteins were deposited mainly in the tubular basement membrane and blood vessels. Compared with controls there was a significantly increased staining score for C5 to C9 in the tubular basement membrane in both disease groups. However, the increase in terminal complement complex neoantigens score was significant only in the disease group with tubulo interstitial lesions. The changes in C3d score were not significant. Serial sections showed consistent and heavy ribbon-like deposits of complement proteins C3d, C5 to C9, and terminal complement complex neoantigens in corresponding locations of the segments of tubular basement membrane, mainly in the disease group with tubulointerstitial lesions and especially in the damaged tubules. These findings suggest that in situ activation of the complement cascade leads to the deposition of terminal complement complex neoantigens. Complement activation in the basal area of the tubules may, therefore, be an important pathogenetic mechanism in tubulointerstitial damage.
The hydrophilic head of melittin (peptide from bee venom) has the amino acid sequence which is very close to the amino acid sequence of C1q-binding site of the IgG molecule. It was shown, that melittin caused the multiple growth of the interaction of C1q with IgG monoclonal antibody. We assume, that the appearance of melittin in blood causes the spontaneous antigen-independent aggregation of IgG and C1q with the following triggering of the classical pathway of the complement cascade and origin of C3a and C5a components. This can be one of the mechanisms of anaphylaxis as an answer to bee venom.
Forty human placentae were studied by immunofluorescence for the presence of complement (C) components C1q, C4, C3d, C6 and C9 with the use of characterized antisera. The tissues were grouped as control placentae from 20 normal pregnancies and 20 from cases of pre-eclampsia (PE): the PE samples were sub-grouped as being obtained from patients with mild or severe PE. All of the C components studied were found in the same distribution for test and control samples, but statistical analysis of each pattern of distribution revealed that the deposition of C1q, C3d and C9 were increased in PE as compared to normal tissues. This impression was strengthened by the finding that the deposition of these C components was further increased when chorionic villus immunopathology was compared between mild and severe PE. These data indicate that immunological mechanisms are operating in PE chorionic villi, and they suggest that, among other mechanisms, immune processes may be operative in the pathophysiology of this clinical disease, and that more studies along these lines are in order to rule either in or out this possibility.
The immunofluorescent patterns of uninvolved and involved skin biopsies from eight patients with atopic dermatitis were studied, using direct immunofluorescence techniques to identify deposits of the immunoglobulins G, A and M as well as the complement factors C1q, C3, C4, C5, factor B and properdin. Immunoglobulin deposits (mainly IgG) were found in five patients, complement deposits in three patients in the basement membrane zone. In three patients the immunofluorescence was positive for C3, in two patients for C1q, C4 and C5. Regarding the factors of the alternative pathway of the complement system, two patients showed deposits of properdin, one of factor B. The changes were not confined to the eczematous lesions, but were found in uninvolved skin too. The most prominent changes were observed in patients with severe disease.
This study concerns expression of the genes encoding three multifunctional proteins: clusterin and two complement cascade components, C1q and C4. Previous work from this and other laboratories has established that clusterin, Clq and C4 messenger RNAs are elevated during Alzheimer's disease, and in response to deafferenting and excitotoxic brain lesion. This study addresses hippocampal clusterin, ClqB and C4 expression in response to neurotoxins that caused selective neuron death. Kainate, which preferentially kills hippocampal CA3 pyramidal neurons but not dentate gyrus granule neurons induced clusterin immunoreactivity in CA1 and CA3 pyramidal neurons and adjacent astrocytes, but not in dentate gyrus granule neurons. In contrast, colchicine, which preferentially kills the dentate gyrus granule neurons, induced clusterin immunoreactivity in the local neuropil as punctate deposits, but not in the surviving or degenerating dentate gyrus granule neurons. Clusterin messenger RNA was increased in astrocytes. ClqB and C4 messenger RNAs increased within 48 h after kainate injections, particularly in the CA3 pyramidal layer, less in the dentate gyrus-CA4, and less in CA1. Clq immunoreactivity was detected in CA1 pyramidal neurons and also as small punctate deposits in the CA1 region at eight and 14 days after kainate. The increase of both clusterin and ClqB messenger RNAs after kainate injections was blocked by barbiturates that prevented seizures and neurodegeneration. In primary hippocampal neuronal cultures treated with glutamate, a subpopulation of cultured neurons that survived glutamate toxicity also had parallel elevations of clusterin and ClqB messenger RNA. In conclusion, cytotoxins that target selective hippocampal neurons increase the expression of both clusterin and ClqB in vivo and in vitro. These results show that elevations of clusterin messenger RNA or protein can be dissociated from each other and from cell death. These increased messenger RNAs were associated with immunoreactive deposits that differed by cell type and intra- versus extracellular locations. These results suggest that the complement system is involved in brain responses to injury.
Effects on the human complement system of the cell wall preparations: lipopolysaccharides and polysaccharides of E. coli, Salmonella typhi (pyrogenal, salmosan), Bact. prodigiosum (prodigiosan) and peptidoglycan of Lactobacillus bulgaricus (blastolysin) have been studied. Lipopolysaccharide of E. coli, pyrogenal and salmosan were found to bind efficiently the first complement factor C1q. The constants for inhibition of the C1q binding to antibodies by the mentioned preparations were determined, and their ability to initiate the classical pathway of complement activation (consumption of C4, C2 and C3 factors) was assayed. These preparations only slightly affect the alternative pathway. Prodigiosan, not influencing the classical pathway, initiates the alternative one. Its binding constant with the activated Bb factor was determined. This constant reflects the Bb association with C3b and is (2,4 +/- 0,1) x 10(7) mole-1 l. Blastolysin is effective both in the C1q binding and initiation of the alternative pathway of complement activation. Immunostimulating activity of the bacterial cell wall preparations seems to involve activation of the complement system and the release of the fragments from the complement factors which are mediators of the immune response.
The association between inherited deficiencies of the classical pathway complement components (C1q, C1r, C1s, C4, C2 and C3) and immune complex disease shows that complement is involved in protection against the development of immune complex disease (ICD). This protection is conferred by the ability of the complement system to keep antigen antibody complexes (IC) small and soluble. Two mechanisms exist, prevention of immune precipitation (PIP), which inhibits the formation of large insoluble lattices when IC are formed in the presence of complement (nascent IC), and solubilisation of preformed immune precipitates (SOL). PIP is probably the more important as it is unlikely that, in vivo, IC are ever formed in the absence of complement. PIP displays an absolute dependency upon the classical pathway while SOL is alternative pathway dependent. However, for optimal efficiency SOL requires an intact classical pathway. Thus the classical pathway plays a role in both PIP and SOL. The end result of both processes is the covalent binding of C3b to the IC lattice, which not only keeps IC soluble, but permits binding to CR1 for removal from the circulation. The sera of patients with ICD contain a factor (s) which inhibits PIP. The sera of RA patients inhibits PIP and purified IgM-RF has been shown to inhibit this function. However a second inhibitor of PIP has recently been purified, a glycoprotein (Mr 60 kd) (gp60) which is present in normal serum and in increased concentration in RA sera. Gp60 binds to the Fc piece of IgG, but not to IgA or IgM, and competes with C1q for a binding site on IgG Fc. Thus gp60 appears to act by preventing binding and activation of C1 by IgG containing IC.
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BACKGROUND: Myocardial injury after ischemia and reperfusion can be attributed largely to the effects of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN). The complement system plays an important role as a chemotactic agent, affecting adhesion molecule expression and neutrophil accumulation. METHODS AND RESULTS: In the present study, the cardioprotective effects of C1 esterase inhibitor (C1 INH) were examined in a feline model of myocardial ischemia and reperfusion (90 minutes of ischemia followed by 270 minutes of reperfusion). C1 INH (15 mg/kg) administered 10 minutes before reperfusion significantly attenuated myocardial necrosis compared with vehicle (10 +/- 2% and 29 +/- 2% necrosis as a proportion of area at risk, respectively; P < .01). Myocardial preservation was also related to reduced plasma accumulation of creatine kinase activity. C1 INH treatment resulted in improved recovery of cardiac contractility and preservation of coronary vascular endothelial function, as assessed by relaxation in response to acetylcholine, compared with contractility and preservation of endothelial function in vehicle-treated animals (69 +/- 6% and 20 +/- 4% relaxation, respectively; P < .01). In addition, cardiac myeloperoxidase activity (an index of PMN accumulation) in the ischemic area was significantly reduced after C1 INH treatment. Furthermore, immunohistochemical analysis of ischemic-reperfused myocardial tissue demonstrated deposition of the first component of the classic complement pathway, C1q, on cardiac myocytes and coronary vessels. CONCLUSIONS: Blocking of the classic complement pathway by C1 INH appears to be an effective means of preserving ischemic myocardium from reperfusion injury. The mechanism of this cardioprotective effect appears to be inhibition of PMN-endothelium interaction; this inhibition leads to preservation of normal endothelial function, which results in reduced cardiac necrosis.
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The interaction between fibronectin and C1q was studied in the presence of normal human plasma and rheumatoid synovial fluid by solid phase binding assay. Fibronectin-C1q binding occurred in the presence of rheumatoid synovial fluid but not in the presence of normal plasma. Binding was strongest at 4 degrees C and in the presence of EDTA. Fibronectin-C1q binding could be induced in the presence of normal plasma by hypotonicity, augmentation of the concentration of solution-phase fibronectin or by the addition of heat-aggregated IgG. The C1q present in rheumatoid synovial fluid bound to both aminoterminal collagen-binding and carboxyterminal noncollagen binding fibronectin fragments although binding to the aminoterminal fragment was stronger. The interaction between fibronectin and C1q in rheumatoid synovial fluid may modulate immune-complex deposition and complement activation in the inflamed joint.
C1q, the Fc-recognizing subcomponent of the first component of complement is synthesized by peritoneal macrophages. During the secretion phase C1q serves as an Fc-binding protein in the membrane of macrophages. The Fc-mediated rosette formation was inhibited in a dose-dependent manner when macrophages were pretreated with anti-C1q F(ab')2, whereas C3b rosette formation was not affected. Furthermore, preincubation of peritoneal macrophages with anti-C1q F(ab')2 abolished, dose- and time-dependently, the polyanion-mediated stimulation of secretion of lysosomal enzymes. Polyanion-induced enzyme release was prevented after incubation of polyanions with highly purified C1q. The inhibition of Fc receptor activity by polyanions (i.e. dextran sulfate, liquoid, polyvinyl sulfate) is completely reversed upon treatment of these macrophages with protamine. These findings are compatible with the hypothesis that C1q produced by macrophages serves in the macrophage membrane as an endogenous receptor for Fc and polyanionic molecules. Thus, C1q mediates cell-bound biological receptor functions before it is released from these cells and is incorporated into the macromolecular C1 complex.