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Complement activation in vitro by antiplatelet antibodies in chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura.

Many chronic ITP patients have increased amounts of platelet-associated IgG, C3, C4 and C9, suggesting in vivo complement activation. In this study, we assessed the ability of various antiplatelet antibodies (APA) to activate and deposit complement proteins and to cause platelet lysis in vitro. Platelet sensitization with rabbit APA, anti-P1A1 antibody (one patient), anti-HLA antibody (two patients) and ITP autoantibodies (four patients) resulted in the deposition of C4 and C3 onto platelets in an amount proportional to the quantity of antibody-containing sera used to sensitize the platelets. Although C9 deposition onto platelets could not be quantitatively demonstrated on platelets sensitized with ITP serum, platelet lysis (51Cr release) was noted after incubation with each of three ITP sera and complement. When compared, ITP autoantibodies, anti-HLA and anti-P1A1 antibodies activated complement to a similar degree. We conclude that some autoantibodies in chronic ITP activate the classical complement pathway. The demonstration of in vitro platelet lysis by autoantibodies and complement suggests that in vivo platelet lysis may occur in some chronic ITP patients.

Autoantibodies

Chemotaxigenesis by cell surface components of Staphylococcus aureus.

In an attempt to delineate the staphylococcal cell surface components of importance in chemotaxigenesis, we incubated intact Staphylococcus aureus H, crude cell walls, purified cell walls, peptidoglycan, teichoic acid, and cell membranes with human sera. The results reported indicate that both crude cell walls and purified cell walls, as well as peptidoglycan, were potent chemotaxigens. These particles led to the generation in normal human serum of a factor that was chemotactic for human polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Cell wall peptidoglycan and teichoic acid both appeared to play a role in chemotaxigenesis. Kinetic studies employing C2-deficient serum and immunoglobulin-deficient serum revealed that optimal chemotaxigenesis required the presence of an intact classical complement pathway, as well as antibody. Granulocyte aggregometry studies showed that significant levels of C5a were generated in normal serum and that this activated complement component appears to be a major chemotactic factor produced in serum upon interaction with staphylococcal cell wall components.

Cell Membrane

Classical complement activation induced by pregnancy: implications for management of connective tissue diseases.

AIMS: To determine the effect of pregnancy on C4d concentrations and to assess whether C4d remains a useful disease activity marker in the management of connective tissue diseases during pregnancy. METHODS: Plasma C3, C4, and C4d concentrations were measured in 83 women at various stages of normal pregnancy and compared with those in 80 non-pregnant controls. RESULTS: C3 concentrations in the pregnant women were significantly raised (p = 0.0001) and the C4 concentrations were reduced (p = 0.0007), and accompanied by a significant increase in C4d (p = 0.0001). The C4d:C4 ratio was higher in the pregnant women (p = 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Pregnancy induces activation of the classical complement pathway. C4d concentrations cannot be used to monitor disease activity in patients with connective tissue diseases during pregnancy.

Adolescent

Molecular basis of complement activation in ischemic myocardium: identification of specific molecules of mitochondrial origin that bind human C1q and fix complement.

Mitochondria may be a source of molecules that activate complement during ischemic injury to myocardium, providing therewith a stimulus for infiltration of polymorphonuclear leukocytes. To identify specific molecules that activate the classical complement pathway, detergent lysates of canine cardiac mitochondria were fractionated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and transferred electrophoretically to nitrocellulose paper (NCP). The NCP replicas of the gels were incubated with isolated C1q and fresh sera as a source of complement, washed briefly, and overlaid with sensitized sheep erythrocytes (RBC) in agarose. A cluster of four to six molecules between 45 and 53 kDa as well as four others, 34, 30, 26, and 23 kDa, consumed complement thereby preventing complement-mediated lysis of sensitized sheep RBC in the agarose overlay. Additional molecules reactive with C1 were identified by their ability to bind isolated human C1q and to serve as assembly sites for later acting complement components. Sites of localization of complement were demonstrated by incubating NCP replicas of fractionated mitochondria with antisera specific for C1q, C3, C5, and C9, followed by peroxidase-conjugated anti-immunoglobulin and substrate. A total of 12 C1q binding molecules ranging in size from 67 kDa to 23 kDa, which can fix later acting complement components, were identified. At least two of these reacted with antisera prepared against canine cardiac lymph collected in the first 3-4 hours after a 45-minute coronary artery occlusion. These studies present direct evidence that specific molecules, released from subcellular fractions of myocardial cells rich in mitochondria, can activate the complement cascade.

Animals

Demonstration of modified inactive first component of complement (C1) inhibitor in the plasmas of C1 inhibitor-deficient patients.

The first component of complement (C1) inhibitor plays a critical role in the regulation of the classical complement pathway and the contact system, and the deficiency of C1 inhibitor protein or function is associated with recurrent angioedema. In this study we evaluated the size of the C1 inhibitor antigens present in the plasmas of C1 inhibitor-deficient patients. We found that the C1 inhibitor in the plasmas existed in three forms: high molecular weight forms in complex with proteases, native 110-kD C1 inhibitor, and a modified inactive 94-kD form. The proportion of the total C1 inhibitor in the 94-kD form was 28% in nine hereditary angioedema patients, 92% in five acquired C1 inhibitor-deficiency patients, and 1.2% in five normal controls. In vitro activation of normal plasma with kaolin, but not heat-aggregated gamma-globulin generated 94-kD C1 inhibitor from 110-kD C1 inhibitor. Neither kaolin activation nor heat-aggregated gamma-globulin activation generated 94-kD C1 inhibitor in Hageman factor-deficient plasma. These results suggest that 94-kD C1 inhibitor is generated in vitro by activation of the contact system. The in vivo mechanism of 94-kD C1 inhibitor generation in C1 inhibitor-deficient patients is not known.

Angioedema

Induction of contact sensitivity by cell-associated immunocomplexes requires activation of the early complement components.

Lymph node cells collected from CBA/J mice 4 days after painting the skin with picryl chloride behave like antigen presenting cells and induce contact sensitivity when injected into naive recipient mice. The immunizing capacity of these '4-day' cells is due to T cells which carry on their membrane hapten-IgM immunocomplexes. Incubation of the cells with complement from mouse strains that express high C4 serum levels (C4H), abolishes their immunizing capacity. This effect is related to the activation of the early components of the classical complement pathway, as supported by experiments using C3 and C4-depleted or C5 and C6-genetically deficient mouse sera. The detection of different amounts of C3b and C4b on the surface of 4-day T cells after incubation with C4L and C4H sera supports the possibility that membrane bound activated complement components could modify the immunizing capacity of these cells. Results herein reported suggest that membrane-bound C3b and C4b are not per se inhibitory but interfere with the residual complement activating capacity of 4-day T cells. The role of complement activation by 4-day T cells is pivotal as complement depletion of recipient mice by cobra venom factor (CVF) inhibits the immunizing capacity of untreated 4-day T cells, while 4-day T cells treated with complement in vitro and injected together with C4a anaphylatoxin are able to immunize recipient mice.

Animals

[Complement activation by killed polyvalent bacterial vaccine on the pleurodesis].

Broncasma Berna (B.B.) prepared from killed polyvalent bacterial vaccine is used as a pleural irritant for pleurodesis on patients with spontaneous pneumothorax. The effects of B.B. on the complement system in vivo after injections into pleural spaces were investigated. Five patients with spontaneous pneumothorax underwent intrapleural injections of B.B. Increased body temperatures with positive C-reactive proteins and increased polymorphonuclear leukocyte counts in peripheral blood were observed in all patients. Serum levels of complement components (Clq, Cls, C4, C3 and B), hemolytic activity of complement (CH50) and plasma levels of C3a were gradually elevated after intrapleural injections of B.B. Analysis of pleural fluids from 4 patients showed that levels of C3a and C5a were increased compared with plasma levels, and an accumulation of polymorphonuclear leukocytes were observed. These findings suggest that intrapleural injections of B.B. activate the complement system and cause inflammatory reactions accompanied by an increase of C3a and C5a and an accumulation of polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Such inflammatory reactions might inversely induce the synthesis of complement components and promote the migration of polymorphonuclear leukocytes from bone marrow. The deposit of fibrin during these inflammatory processes might contribute to the development of pleurodesis. These inflammatory reactions might be mediated through the activation of the classical complement pathway by B.B.

Adult

[Fatal pneumococcal meningitis in a 1-year-old child with homozygous C2 deficiency].

The 1-year old girl died of recurrent bacterial meningitis. Streptococcus pneumoniae was isolated from the cerebrospinal fluid. The analysis of the immune system revealed only a defect of the complement system. The following results were obtained: 1. No function of the classical complement pathway. 2. Reduced function of the alternative complement pathway. 3. No functional C2 activity. 4. No C2 protein. The parents had half normal C2 titers. HLA typing was only possible for the parents with the following results: A1, A32(w19), B18, DR2, DRw11(5) (father) and A3, A10, B18, B7, DR2 (mother). These data are compatible with a B18, DR2 haplotype of the child which is found in most cases of homozygous C2 deficiency. Our patient list another example for the high risk of recurrent severe infectious diseases in persons with a total complement defect.

Complement C2

Murine membrane inhibitor of complement which accelerates decay of human C3 convertase.

A membrane protein of MW 60,000 was purified from mouse erythrocytes. This protein inhibits generation of mouse complement C3/C5 convertases on antibody-sensitized rabbit erythrocytes, in a haemolytic assay system using guinea-pig serum diluted in EDTA as the source of C3 to C9. This protein also has the capacity to accelerate the decay of human C3 convertase of the classical complement pathway. Antibody to this membrane protein also reacted with peripheral blood mononuclear cells and spleen cells, as observed by fluorescent flow cytometry analysis. Since the reactivity of these cells to the antibody was reduced by treatment with phosphatidyl inositol-specific phospholipase C (PIPLC), it is suggested that the protein is attached to the membrane via a glycophospholipid anchor. Based on these results, we conclude that this membrane protein is a murine homologue of human decay-accelerating factor (DAF).

Animals

Deficiency of C2, the second complement component, in the family of a patient with SLE-like syndrome: the first case of hereditary C2 deficiency in Czechoslovakia.

A family with hereditary C2 deficiency was discovered in Czechoslovakia. The proband is a 47-year-old female with a SLE-like syndrome and zero activity of the classical complement pathway. Functional CH50, C1, C2, and C4 estimations for all family members revealed a homozygous C2 deficiency in both the proband and her elder sister, and several heterozygotic C2-deficient individuals. The defect segregates with haplo-type HLA A25, B18, DR2.

Adult

Neonatal cellular and humoral immunity to group B streptococci.

The mechanisms of host resistance to group B streptococci have not been defined precisely. In the studies reported here we have assessed the contributions of both humoral and cellular factors in protection against strains of this group. With assays of specific opsonic activity based upon the production of polymorphonuclear leukocyte chemiluminescence and radiolabeled bacterial uptake, we have demonstrated that specific heat-stable antibody and the classic complement pathway are major factors in opsonization of these organisms. In the absence of specific antibody, fresh serum resulted in markedly reduced bacterial uptake indicating, at best, a minor role for the alternative complement pathway. Additional studies have indicated that strain-specific antiphagocytic factors as well as type-specific ones may play a role in the virulence of these organisms. Neonates who developed group B streptococcal sepsis usually lacked opsonic activity in their infecting strain. In addition, polymorphonuclear leukocytes from normal term and stressed neonates showed impaired metabolic activation as measured in the chemiluminescence assay following exposure to opsonized group B streptococci. These results suggest that neonates who develop group B streptococcal disease may have defects in both the humoral and cellular aspects of their acute inflammatory response which may contribute to the high mortality observed in this most fulminant of bacterial infections.

Antibody Formation

Demonstration of beta 1H globulin in pemphigus.

beta 1H globulin is a plasma protein which regulates the biologic activities of the major fragment of the 3rd complement component, C3b. The role of beta 1H globulin in pemphigus was investigated using immunofluorescence in the present study. Lesional skin biopsies from patients with confirmed pemphigus demonstrated in-vivo deposition of beta 1H in addition to C3 in all of four biopsies. Eight serum samples containing C3 fixing intercellular antibodies were then tested for the capacity to fix beta 1H and other complement components. All eight pemphigus sera showed fixation of beta 1H to the intercellular areas of normal human skin. C1q and C4 fixation by pemphigus sera was also demonstrated in 7 of 8 sera, respectively. The experiment using C2-deficient serum indicated that the fixation of beta 1H by intercellular antibodies requires the activation of the classical complement pathway. These data suggested that beta 1H, a co-factor of C3b inactivator, plays a role in the in-vivo regulation of complement activity and supplies additional evidence for the participation of complement system in the pathogenesis of pemphigus.

Antibody Specificity

Serotherapy of primary rat mammary carcinoma: inhibition by ethylenedinitrilotetraacetic acid but not by [ethylenebis(oxyethylenenitrilo)]tetraacetic acid.

We reported inhibition of growth of primary rat mammary carcinomas after infusions of tumor-bearer plasma absorbed with Protein A-Sepharose or inactivated CNBr Sepharose. Absorbed plasmas were depleted of the third component of complement (C3) (other complement components defined similarly) and C5 but not C1, C4, or C2. These results suggested that activation of the alternative pathway of complement might be involved in the observed antitumor effects. To test this concept sera were treated with ethylenedinitrilotetraacetic acid or [ethylenebis(oxyethylenenitrilo)]tetraacetic acid before absorption with Protein A-Sepharose. Ethylenedinitrilotetraacetic acid, by chelating calcium and magnesium, prevents activation of both the alternative and classical complement pathways. [Ethylenebis(oxyethylenenitrilo)]tetraacetic acid, by chelating calcium but not magnesium, permits activation of the alternative pathway but inhibits activation of the classical complement pathway. Sera in the presence or absence of chelating agent were absorbed with Protein A-Sepharose twice at room temperature. After absorption calcium was added to the sera. Rats were treated by i.v. injection of sera twice a week for 2 weeks. Measurements of tumor size were made weekly for 5-7 weeks and then tumor weight was determined. Groups were compared both for size of index and total tumors. The results can be summarized as follows: tumor-bearer sera before absorption did not inhibit the growth of rat primary mammary carcinomas; tumor-bearer sera after absorption with Protein A-Sepharose showed significant consumption of C3 and did inhibit tumor growth; tumor-bearer sera absorbed in the presence of ethylenedinitrilotetraacetic acid did not show a decrease in C3 functional activity and did not inhibit tumor growth; tumor-bearer sera absorbed in the presence of [ethylenebis(oxyethylenenitrilo)]tetraacetic acid did show a decrease in C3 functional activity and did inhibit tumor growth; sera from normal adult female rats after absorption with Protein A-Sepharose did inhibit tumor growth. The results are consistent with a role for the alternative pathway of complement in the inhibition of growth of rat primary mammary carcinomas observed after treatment with absorbed sera.

Animals

Requirements of immunoglobulin and the classical and alternative complement pathways for phagocytosis and intracellular killing of multiple strains of Gram-negative aerobic bacilli.

The requirements for immunoglobulin and the alternative and classical complement pathways for phagocytosis and intracellular killing of clinical isolates of Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Serratia marcescens by normal human polymorphonuclear leukocytes were determined. Human sera deficient in immunoglobulin or classical pathway activity, or both, were compared for their ability to promote phagocytosis os and killing of 13 bacterial strains by the polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Seven of the thirteen microorganisms required immunoglobulin for phagocytosis and killing and utilized only the classical complement pathway. Three required immunoglobulin and utilized both the classical and alternative pathways. The other three microorganisms required minimal immunoglobulin and utilized the alternative or classical pathway, or both. None of the microorganisms utilized the alternative pathway in immunoglobulin-deficient sera or could be forced to utilize this pathway in sera deficient in both immunoglobulin and classical pathway activity. These results demonstrated a heterogeneity in the requirements for immunoglobulin and the alternative and classical complement pathways for phagocytosis and intracellular killing by polymorphonuclear leukocytes among various genera of gram-negative aerobic bacilli, as well as among strains of the same species. In addition, the results suggested that a mechanism of classical pathway activation dependent upon minimal immunoglobulin participates in phagocytosis and intracellular killing of certain gram-negative aerobic bacilli.

Complement Activation

In vitro phosphorylation of human complement factor C3 by protein kinase A and protein kinase C. Effects on the classical and alternative pathways.

Complement factor C3, recently found to contain covalently bound phosphate, was phosphorylated in vitro by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (protein kinase A) and Ca2(+)-activated, phospholipid-dependent protein kinase (protein kinase C). Both protein kinases phosphorylated the same serine residue(s) located in the C3a portion of the alpha-chain. In addition, protein kinase C phosphorylated the beta-chain to a lesser extent. Protein kinase A gave a maximal incorporation of 1 mol of phosphate/mol of C3 while that value with protein kinase C was 1.5 mol of phosphate/mol of C3. The velocity in pmol of [32P]phosphate/(min x unit kinase) was 20 times higher for protein kinase C than for protein kinase A although a 10 times lower ratio of protein kinase to C3 was used in the former case. The apparent Km for C3 was 2.6 microM when protein kinase C was used. The phosphorylated C3 was found to be more resistant to partial degradation by trypsin than unphosphorylated C3. It was also found that phosphorylation of C3 in the C3a portion of the alpha-chain inhibited both the classical and alternative complement activation pathways on an approximately stoichiometric basis.

Amino Acids

The pathogenesis of hyaline arteriolosclerosis.

Although hyaline arteriolosclerosis is very common and has been of interest to pathologists for well over 100 years, its pathogenesis has never been determined. This study demonstrates that iC3b bound via an ester linkage to hydroxyl groups on the repeating disaccharide units of hyaluronic acid is a major component of arteriolar hyaline. The deposition of iC3b within the walls of arterioles appears to be due to slow spontaneous activation of the alternative complement pathway and random binding of metastable C3b to proximate hyaluronic acid within the arteriolar wall. Since hyaluronic acid does not activate the alternative complement pathway, bound C3b is rapidly inactivated by factors I and H to iC3b, which, along with factor H, remains bound to hyaluronic acid. The hyaline in some hyalinized arterioles also contains IgM and early and late classical complement pathway components. Indirect evidence suggests that the IgM represents immunoconglutinin, an autoantibody to neoantigens on iC3b and that their interaction results in activation of the classical complement pathway. The gradual accumulation of iC3b, factor H, and, at times, IgM and classical complement pathway components within the walls of arterioles is considered to be a physiologic consequence of aging and probably cannot be prevented, because interruption of the initial binding of metastable C3b to hyaluronic acid would require abrogation of the critically important functions of the alternative complement pathway.

Adolescent

The role of immunoglobulin and complement in enhancing the respiratory burst of neutrophils against Trichomonas vaginalis.

Human neutrophils, alone, did not kill Trichomonas vaginalis. More than 90% of T. vaginalis (10(5)/ml) survived in the presence of 10% normal human serum (NHS) while 90% of these organisms were killed in the presence of a combination of neutrophils (10(6)/ml) and 10% NHS. Mechanisms responsible for this serum-mediated neutrophil killing of T. vaginalis were demonstrated through a process of lucigenin-amplified neutrophil chemiluminescence. As evidenced by indirect immunofluorescence, NHS showed specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) titre of 1:8 for T. vaginalis. Purified IgG, at 1.6 mg/ml, showed no direct opsonizing or lytic effect on this organism. Formalin-fixed trichomonads opsonized by C2 deficient human serum promote 4 times more neutrophil chemiluminescence than those opsonized by Factor B deficient human serum. With the addition of purified IgG (5 mg/ml) neutrophil chemiluminescence was increased by 4 times and further improved trichomonal killing by neutrophils (from 5 +/- 4% to 78 +/- 16%) via activation of the classical complement pathway, but did not alter that due to activation of the alternative complement pathway. These studies indicate that both an IgG-enhanced classical complement pathway activation and an antibody-independent alternative complement pathway activation provide opsonin (C3) for T. vaginalis to facilitate the neutrophil killing mechanism.

Adult