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Studies of the inhibition of C56-initiated lysis (reactive lysis). IV. Antagonism of the inhibitory activity c567-INH by poly-L-lysine.

The stable intermediate complex C56 can initiate the lysis (reactive lysis) of unsensitized erythrocytes (E) by the membrane attack machanism of complement. Certain serum constituents designated C567-INH inhibit reactive lysis by preventing the C567 complex, once formed, from attaching to a membrane surface. It is shown here that microgram quantities of poly-L-lysine (PLL), a synthetic polycation of molecular weight 180,000, can reverse the effests of C567-INH, and thereby potentiate formation of EC567 by erythrocytes, C56 and C7 in whole serum. Erythrocytes exposed to PLL in a preincubation step did not show either increased susceptibility to C567 or resistance to C567-INH, and reversal of C567-IHN by given amounts of PLL was not diminished as cell concentrations were greatly increased, indicating that the effect of PLL was predominantly directed against fluid phase rather than against erythrocyte membrane substrates. The effects of PLL and C567-INH were quantitatively reciprocal. Thus, PLL-induced potentiation of C56-induced lysis is a solute effect which seems to involve direct neutralization of naturally occurring serum inhibitors of the C567 trimolecular complex of complement. The use of PLL thus provides a suitable antagonist for C567-INH in reaction mixtures, and allows evaluation of the role of C567 and C567-INH in a variety of situations involving C-mediated lysis.

Alpha-Globulins↗

The terminal membrane C5b-9 complex of human complement. Evidence for the existence of multiple protease-resistant polypeptides that form the trans-membrane complement channel.

C5b-9(m) complexes were incorporated into lecithin liposomes and subjected to proteolysis in the presence of DTT to remove the externally oriented annulus. Liposomes were recovered that selectively carried the membrane-bound, thin-walled cylindrical portion of the C5b-9(m) complex. The presence of DTT during proteolysis enhanced peptide bond cleavage in the C5b-9(m) complex. All C5-C9 components were degraded to lower m.w. fragments. A protease-resistant, but hydrophilic 85 to 86,000-dalton polypeptide derivative of C5, possibly representing the C5 beta-chain, was recovered in the fluid phase. This component is not intimately associated with the target lipid bilayer. Immunochemical analyses yielded evidence for the existence of minor C5-C9 antigenic determinants on the membrane-bound C5b-9(m) residue. SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoreses of liposomes carrying the C5b-9(m) residues revealed the persistence of at least six major polypeptides of approximately m.w. 50,000, 45,000, 40,000, 38,000, 20,000, and 16,000. The data are interpreted to indicate that multiple protease-resistant polypeptide chains derived from several terminal C components participate in formation of the trans-membrane C channel.

Antigens↗

Size of the transmembrane channels produced by complement proteins C5b-8.

It has been shown previously that erythrocytes can be lysed by complement proteins C5b-8, albeit at a much lower rate than C5b-9. We have now performed kinetic sieving experiments with resealed erythrocyte ghosts using sucrose (0.9 nm molecular diameter) and inulin (3.0 nm molecular diameter) as markers. We found that treatment of the ghosts with C5b-8 released sucrose, but not inulin. Addition of C9 to ghosts carrying C5b-8 dramatically increased the rate of sucrose flux and, in addition, caused release of inulin. Hence, unlike C5b-9 channels, those formed by C5b-8 measure less than 3 nm in diameter. Formation of C5b-8 channels was very slow compared with that of C5b-9 channels. Also, we found that about two-thirds of the C5b-8 ghosts did not have sucrose-releasing channels, but such channels were formed on reaction with C9.

Cell Membrane Permeability↗

Human neutrophils require activation by mononuclear leucocyte conditioned medium to kill the pathogenic free-living amoeba, Naegleria fowleri.

Naegleria fowleri is a free-living amoeba which causes a fulminant and rapidly fatal meningoencephalitis in man. Human neutrophils fail to kill the amoeba in vitro, but can do so if they are exposed to conditioned medium (CM) from PHA stimulated mononuclear leucocytes (MNLs). Specific antibody or complement was required to effect amoeba killing by CM modified neutrophils. Only short time exposure of the leucocytes to CM was required to endow them with amoebicidal properties. The CM was also shown to contain neutrophil migration inhibition activity and an activity(ies) which induced a respiratory burst in neutrophils. The results highlight the importance of MNL products other than specific antibody in neutrophil anti-microbial activity.

Amoeba↗

Freeze-thaw activation of the complement attack phase: II. Comparison of convertase generated C--56 with C--56 generated by freezing and thawing.

The activation of the C-attack phase does not necessarily involve the components of the C5 convertases. C--56 hemolytic activity was generated from the same source of C7 depleted serum by the alternative pathway convertase or by freezing and thawing resp. In contrast to activation by the convertase, biological activities of C5a (chemotaxis, serotonin release) were not detected following activation by freezing. The yields of C--56 hemolytic activities were similar and the properties of the activated products were identical. No difference was found in the molecular weight, in the hydrophobicity or with respect to charge. The two activities were in the absence of C7 stable at 37 degrees C and decayed rapidly in the presence of C7. It is proposed that a conformational change in the tertiary structure of the molecule(s) is the critical event in the formation of an active C--56 complex. In this light the cleavage of C5a from the native molecule by the convertase appears as a side reaction, not by itself essential for activation.

Complement Activating Enzymes↗

Proteolysis of the monomeric and dimeric C5b-9 complexes of complement: alteration in the susceptibility to proteases of the C9 subunits associated with C5b-9 dimerization.

The C5b-9 monomer having the sedimentation coefficient of 23S was extracted from the rabbit erythrocyte membranes that had been treated with a limiting amount of C9-deficient human serum and of 125I-C9. Upon proteolysis by trypsin and chymotrypsin, the C9 subunits of this complex were cleaved by these enzymes at multiple sites, yielding fragments with m.w. ranging fro 40,000 to 19,000. The uncomplexed C9 was also cleaved by both enzymes at multiple sites. By contrast, the C9 subunits of the C5b-9 dimer were found to be totally insusceptible to chymotrypsin under the conditions studied (37 degrees C; 24 hr) and only partially susceptible to trypsin (33% of the C9 subunits were cleaved by trypsin into 2 fragments during incubation at 37 degrees C for up to 24 hr). Therefore, these results indicate that, although the binding of C9 molecules to the C5b-8 complex (C5b-9 monomer formation) does not significantly affect the susceptibility to proteases of the C9 molecules, C5b-9 dimer formation markedly limits the accessibility of proteases to the C9 subunit molecules. A implication of this finding to a role for C9 in C5b-9 dimerization is discussed.

Animals↗