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R O Webster

Publications and source records attributed to R O Webster.

67 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1982

In vivo clearance and tissue distribution of C5a and C5a des arginine complement fragments in rabbits.

We have previously shown a marked difference in the inflammatory response to human C5a or C5a des arginine (Arg) instilled in rabbit lungs. These studies raised the question of where C5a and C5a des Arg are processes in vivo and what role neutrophils may play in the tissue distribution of these two mediators. After intravenous injection of purified, biologically active 125I-C5a or 125I-C5a des Arg, adult rabbits were serially bled and then killed at various time intervals. Although greater than 50% of the injected radioactivity was cleared from the circulation within 2 min for both mediators, C5a des Arg persisted in the circulation longer than C5a. C5a instillation caused an acute neutropenia, whereas C5a des Arg caused a less severe and more prolonged neutropenia, preceding a neutrophilic response observed with both mediators. Clearance of the mediators was primarily seen in the highly vascularized organs: the lung, spleen, liver, and kidney. A time-dependent accumulation was seen initially in the lung, followed by the spleen, liver, and kidney. Histologic examination showed a marked increase in the number of neutrophils within the lung and spleen. Depletion of circulating neutrophils by nitrogen mustard pretreatment of rabbits showed no change in the amount of labeled mediator bound in the lung, whereas splenic accumulation was dependent on the presence of neutrophils. These results indicate that C5a and C5a des Arg are rapidly removed from the circulation by specific accumulation in vascularized tissues. Clearance by the lung was not affected by neutrophil depletion, whereas clearance by the spleen was dependent on neutrophils. These experiments further suggest there are neutrophil-dependent and neutrophil-independent mechanisms involved in the removal of C5a and C5a des Arg from the circulation and that binding of C5 fragments in the pulmonary vasculature may precede and then induce neutrophil sequestration.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Enhancement of the chemotactic activity of human C5a des Arg by an anionic polypeptide ("cochemotaxin") in normal serum and plasma.

The potent chemoattractant, C5a is converted rapidly to C5a des Arg by a carboxypeptidase-like enzyme in normal human serum and plasma. Highly purified human C5a des Arg, at concentrations less than 120 ng/ml, is devoid of chemotactic activity for polymorphonuclear leukocytes. We have found that normal human serum and plasma contain a heat-stable (56 degrees C for 30 min), anionic polypeptide ("cochemotaxin") that permits low concentrations of C5a des Arg (20 to 160 ng/ml) to exhibit significant chemotactic activity. The "cochemotaxin" was isolated from serum and plasma by ammonium sulfate fractionation, molecular sieve chromatography, and anion-exchange chromatography. It was purified by high-performance liquid chromatography and was found to have an Mr of approximately 60,000 (determined by sodium dodecylsulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis). The concentration of "cochemotaxin" in normal serum and plasma was estimated to be 4.0 microgram/ml. Purified "cochemotaxin" acted in a concentration-dependent fashion to permit low concentrations (20 to 160 ng/ml) of C5a des Arg to attract polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Chemotactic activity varied with the input of C5a des Arg and "cochemotaxin" and was maximal when the 2 polypeptides were combined at equal protein concentrations. The profile of chemotactic activity exhibited by C5a des Arg and its "cochemotaxin" very closely resembled that exhibited by dilutions of activated serum and by highly purified C5a. These data suggest that the bulk of chemotactic activity generated in whole serum after complement activation can be accounted for by C5a des Arg and its "cochemotaxin".

Anions↗
PubMed1980

Lung inflammation induced by complement-derived chemotactic fragments in the alveolus.

The intratracheal injection into rabbits of low molecular weight C5-derived chemotactic fragments (C5fr), prepared from zymosan-activated serum, induced an acute pulmonary inflammation characterized by intraalveolar accumulation of neutrophils, erythrocytes, and edema fluid. In separate experiments, depletion of circulating pulmonary neutrophils and absorption of C5fr with immobilized antibody to homogenous human C5a prevented the observed inflammatory changes, indicating a requirement for these two elements in initiating this reaction. When examined by transmission and scanning electron microscopy, lungs of C5fr-injected rabbits revealed pulmonary neutrophils, often appearing partially degranulated, in alveolar, pulmonary capillary, and interstitial spaces. Alveolar spaces and, less often, the interstitial compartment contained fibrinoid deposits with leukocytes and erythrocytes enmeshed in the fibrin strands. Injury to the pulmonary vascular endothelium consisted of bleb formation in capillaries and endothelial basement membrane separation with subendothelial accumulation of inflammatory cells in venules. Type I, but not type II, epithelial cell damage included blebbing and epithelial cell basement membrane detachment. Endothelial and epithelial layer damage was always associated with pulmonary neutrophils continguous to the injured structures. These studies indicate the potential for alveolar epithelial and capillary injury in neutrophil-associated pulmonary inflammation resulting from intraalveolar accumulation of chemotactic substances.

Animals↗
PubMed1980

A differential effect of C5a and C5a des Arg in the induction of pulmonary inflammation.

Earlier studies have shown that C5 fragments induce an inflammatory reaction when instilled into the rabbit lung. Because C5a is rapidly converted to C5a des Arg in vivo, experiments were performed to determine which fragment was most effective in producing pulmonary inflammation in this animal model. C5a des Arg consistently produced marked inflammation. This was characterized by neutrophil accumulation, edema, hemorrhage, fibrin formation, and damage to alveolar epithelium. The time course of the inflammatory reaction initiated by C5a des Arg showed pulmonary vascular sequestration of neutrophils with no intra-alveolar migration at 30 minutes after injection. By 2 hours, interstitial and alveolar neutrophils were numerous, with the accumulation of neutrophils in the alveoli increasing to a maximum at 6 hours. At 24 and 48 hours, the predominant cells were mononuclear (macrophages). By 120 hours, the lesions were resolving. In contrast, at all doses examined, a similar instillation of C5a induced either no inflammation or a milder, more focal response than C5a des Arg. This inability of C5a to initiate inflammation was not apparently due to the generation of inhibitors, since mixtures of C5a and C5a des Arg were phlogistic. A prolonged, intrapulmonary infusion of C5a (20 minutes), in contrast to a bolus instillation (1 minute), did initiate an inflammatory response, which may reflect the conversion of the C5a to C5a des Arg in the lung. This study points out the inflammatory potential of products of complement activation, particularly of the C5 fragment C5a des Arg, when applied to the airway side of the lungs. This inflammatory response raises the possibility that cleavage of intrapulmonary C5 may play an important role in the initiation of pulmonary inflammation.

Anaphylatoxins↗
PubMed1979

Chemotactic factor for tumor cells derived from the C5a fragment of complement component C5.

Previously, we have stablished that the fifth component of complement (C5) serves as an important source of mediators that have locomotory (chemotactic) activity for leukocytes and tumor cells. C5a, a fragment (Mr 11,200) derived from the NH2-terminal portion of the alpha chain of C5, is the major chemotactic peptide for leukocytes. The present studies demonstrate that cleavage of C5a with trypsin generates a derivative peptide that is chemotactic for tumor cells (Walker carcinosarcoma). This fragment has an estimated Mr of 6000 as assessed by gel filtration and does not require the COOH-terminal arginine of C5a, because equivalent amounts of chemotactic activity for tumor cells can be generated from des-Arg-C5a by digestion with trypsin. The C5a-derived chemotactic peptide for tumor cells demonstrates peak activity at approximately 1 pM. These studies emphasize the key role of the C5a region of the C5 molecule in the generation of peptides that affect locomotory responses of cells.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

Complement fragments, alveolar macrophages, and alveolitis.

Mechanisms of neutrophil infiltration into the rabbit alveolus have been investigated. Complement activation in the circulation induced pulmonary vascular margination but not a significant level of alveolar infiltration. Instillation of C5 fragments into the airways, however, attracted neutrophils into the alveolar airspaces. The anaphylatoxin-inactive fragment of C5, C5a des Arg, was found to be much more active in this regard than C5a. Furthermore, these fragments were shown to induce the production of a neutrophil-directed chemoctactic factor from pulmonary macrophages, raising the question of whether the C5a des Arg was acting directly to attract neutrophils or indirectly via the macrophage. To substantiate a possible role for C5 and C5 fragments in alveolitis, active C5 was demonstrated in lavage fluids, and macrophage-derived C5 cleaving enzymes have been described. Finally, a route of neutrophil infiltration via migration through the alveolar capillary wall into the interstitium is proposed, and subsequent penetration of the alveolar epithelium out into the airspace. (Am J Pathol 97:93--110, 1979).

Alveolitis, Extrinsic Allergic↗
PubMed1979

Antigenic modulation of the cytophilic binding of guinea-pig IgG and IgM antibodies to homologous macrophages.

The cytophilic binding of immune complexes by peritoneal exudate cells (PEC) from adjuvant-stimulated guinea-pigs was studied using 125I-labelled guinea-pig IgG1, IgG2 and IgM antibodies to the dinitrophenyl (DNP) group. The influence of hapten density upon cytophilic activity was studied by the addition of DNP-conjugated antigens to antibody in 2-200 molar ratios of DNP:antibody. Only IgG2 binding was enhanced by immune complex formation, and the increased binding of IgG2 anti-DNP was dependent on the number of DNP determinants per antigen molecule. Cytophilic activity with epsilon-DNP-L-lysine (DNP-LYS), alpha,epsilon-di-DNP-L-lysine (DNP-LYS-DNP), or DNP1-8-BSA was no greater than that seen in the absence of hapten. Increased cytophilic binding was noted only with DNP20-41-BSA. The binding of IgG2 and IgG2 anti-DNP:DNP-bovine serum albumin (BSA) complexes was inhibited by monomeric IgG2. The relative cytophilic capacities of guinea-pig immunoglobulins appeared as follows: IgG greater than IgG1 greater than IgM. IgG1 and IgM binding of DNP conjugates did not enhance their cytophilic activity; therefore, IgG1 and IgM cytophilic binding to PEC was considered biologically insignificant. This investigation provides further evidence that cytophilic binding of immune complexes to macrophages is due to the co-operative action of multiple Fc sites rather than a conformational change in the IgG2 antibodies, and serum proteins, notably complement components, can alter the binding and/or phagocytosis of IgG2 anti-DNP:DNP-BSA complexes.

Animals↗
PubMed1978

Rapid micromeasurement of neutrophil exocytosis.

A simple method is described for the visual detection of neutrophil granule exocytosis. The microassay measures release of myeloperoxidase from azurophilic granules following neutrophil stimulation and can be accomplished in less than 30 min. The assay is sensitive, reproducible from day to day, and does not require separation of leukocytes from the reaction before enzyme assay. The procedure is also applicable to the rapid measurement of the suppression of degranulation by antiinflammatory agents.

Anti-Inflammatory Agents↗
PubMed1976

C4 synthesis in C4-deficient guinea pig radiation chimeras: restoration of the classic complement pathway.

Bone marrow transplants from normal Albany strain guinea pigs established a functional classical pathway of complement (C) in C4-deficient (C4D) guinea pigs. Seventeen days after transplant the Albany leads to C4D chimeras had detectable C4 and total hemolytic C activities. Maximum C4 levels (2 to 8% of normal were reachered by day 73 and restored total C to 40% of normal. Classical pathway function persisted for about 150 days and, thereafter, declined to undetectable levels by day 385. In contrast, Albany guinea pigs transplanted with C4D marrow maintained normal C4 levels throughout the experiment, suggesting that the C4-producing cells are radioresistant and long-lived. Unlike unmanipulated C4D animals, Albany leads to C4D chimeras were unable to produce antibodies to guinea pig C4 when immunized with normal guinea pig serum. These experiments suggest that bone marrow cell progeny produce C4 in vivo.

Animals↗