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Rituximab (anti-CD20) therapy of B-cell lymphomas: direct complement killing is superior to cellular effector mechanisms.

Rituximab (IDEC-C2B8, Mabthera(R)) is a chimeric (human-mouse) monoclonal antibody (MoAb) against the B-cell specific CD20-antigen. It has been used for the clinical treatment of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, but variable clinical results suggest that some lymphoma cells remain resistant. In the present study we have evaluated the relative efficiencies of humoral and cell-mediated effector mechanisms complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC), antibody-(ADCC), complement-(CDCC) dependent cellular cytotoxicity and apoptosis on lymphoma cell killing by rituximab. Rituximab activated the cytolytic complement (C) cascade and induced a strong CDC, but the rituximab-triggered ADCC and CDCC were relatively ineffective. The CDC was strongly enhanced by antibodies against the C inhibitor CD59 (protectin). Neutralization of CD55 (DAF) and CD46 (MCP) had a similar but weaker effect. Rituximab also induced apoptosis but in a cell line-dependent fashion. The results strongly emphasize the role of direct CDC as the major, fast and efficient effector mechanism of rituximab. In the immunotherapeutic treatment of B-cell lymphomas, it is important to consider the role of C-regulatory proteins as an escape mechanism of the malignant cells. Our results suggest that the effect of rituximab therapy could be enhanced by combining it with neutralization of CD59.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Clinical and biochemical effects of impeded androgen (oxymetholone) therapy of hereditary angioedema.

Daily therapy and alternate-day therapy with the attenuated androgen oxymetholone were compared in patients with hereditary angioedema (HAE). Fifteen of 16 patients who experienced at least monthly attacks of HAE without treatment were asymptomatic on administration of 5 mg oxymetholene daily. When 13 of the patients who had been maintained asymptomatically on 5 mg oxymetholone daily were advanced to a treatment schedule of 5 mg every other day, seven attacks occurred during a cummulative 50 mo of therapy. The adverse effects that occurred with daily oxymetholone therapy largely subsided when the patients received alternate-day therapy, while a significant mean rise in C4 protein and function occurred only on daily therapy. Statistically significant mean increases in serum levels of C1INH occurred with daily therapy and were maintained with alternate-day therapy. Clinical benefit can be obtained with a treatment program that does not produce a statistically significant rise in C4 protein or function and does not raise C1INH to the lower limit of normal. The finding that alternate-day therapy diminished the side effects of the drug while affording a substantial reduction in the incidence and severity of attacks indicates the feasibility of this therapeutic approach.

Adult↗

Aspergillus fumigatus complement inhibitor: production, characterization, and purification by hydrophobic interaction and thin-layer chromatography.

Aspergillus fumigatus has previously been shown to produce a soluble extracellular inhibitor of the alternative complement pathway, called Aspergillus complement inhibitor, or CI. We now report an efficient method for production of CI which relies on the fact that poorly conidiating cultures yielded CI activity with approximately sevenfold-higher potency than CI produced by conidiating cultures. CI from poorly conidiating cultures provided 50% inhibition of alternative pathway-mediated binding of 125I-labeled complement component C3 to cryptococcal blastoconidia at a mean concentration of 60 micrograms/ml. The ability of crude CI to inhibit the alternative complement pathway seemed to be independent of intact protein or polysaccharide structure, as evidenced by resistance of inhibitory activity to digestion by proteases, including subtilisin, alpha-chymotrypsin, papain, and pepsin as well as endoglycosidases F and H. Separation of the active inhibitory component of CI from contaminating materials contained in crude CI preparations was achieved by using Phenylsuperose hydrophobic interaction chromatography in a fast protein liquid chromatography system. The active material proved to be extremely hydrophobic, desorbing from the column only during elution with ethanol; it contained only 15% protein and 5% polysaccharide. Furthermore, results from preparative thin-layer chromatography indicated that lipids which comigrated with phosphatidylserine/phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylethanolamine possessed significant complement-inhibitory activity. Taken together, these data suggested that phospholipids from A. fumigatus contributed to the functional activity of CI.

Aspergillus fumigatus↗

Immunization against tumor cell surface complement-regulatory proteins.

Complement is an enzymatic cascade that results in the release of pro-inflammatory anaphylatoxins, C3b deposition and the assembly of the membrane attack complex (MAC), which results in cell lysis. Cells express complement regulatory proteins or inhibitors to protect themselves from bystander attack by complement. Expression of the complement-regulatory proteins CD55, CD46 and CD59 are deregulated in cancer with tumors showing loss of one or more inhibitors and strong overexpression of others. This results in tumors that are resistant to attack by complement and is a major limitation in the use of monoclonal antibodies as monotherapies. However, tumor sensitivity to complement can be restored by co-administration of antibodies that bind to the functional domains of complement-regulatory proteins. Overexpression of complement-regulatory proteins on tumors also makes them potential targets for cancer vaccines. However, these vaccines have to be carefully designed to induce immune responses that recognize inhibitors overexpressed on tumors and that do not detect the levels expressed by normal cells. A human anti-idiotypic antibody that mimics CD55 has been used successfully in over 200 colorectal cancer and osteosarcoma patients. 70% Of patients show CD55-specific immune responses with no associated toxicity. Similar vaccines targeting CD46 and CD59 would eliminate any cell overexpressing a complement inhibitor. Any remaining tumor cell or any tumor cell that loses complement-regulatory proteins in response to therapy would become highly susceptible to in situ complement deposition. In summary, targeting complement-regulatory proteins is a very attractive approach to tumor therapy, although great care must be taken in preventing normal tissue recognition as this could lead to uncontrolled complement deposition and massive cell lysis.

Animals↗

Response of SCC-12F, a human squamous cell carcinoma cell line, to complement attack.

We studied the response of a human squamous cell carcinoma cell line, SCC-12F, to human complement attack and found that the cells were completely resistant to complement lysis. In the absence of lysis, there was significant C3 deposition and C5b-9 deposition on the cells. Removal of the lipid-linked complement regulatory proteins CD59 and decay-accelerating factor (DAF) by treatment of the cells with phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (PIPLC) resulted in increased C3b and C5b-9 deposition on the cells and a slight increase in cell death. Treatment of the cells with complement caused them to release membrane vesicles containing the terminal complement proteins. In addition, complement induced SCC-12F to produce significant amounts of prostaglandin F2alpha (PGF2alpha). We conclude that CD59 and DAF are important in the resistance of SCC-12F to complement and that these cells produce membrane vesicles and PGF2alpha in response to complement attack. These responses, in the absence of cell death, may be important in the pathogenesis of inflammatory skin disease in which complement is deposited.

Animals↗

Protection of human amniotic epithelial cells (HAEC) from complement-mediated lysis: expression on the cells of three complement inhibitory membrane proteins.

Cultured human amniotic epithelial cells (HAEC) were found by immunofluorescence microscopy to express three complement inhibitory membrane proteins, CD59 antigen, decay-accelerating factor (DAF) and membrane attack complex (MAC) inhibitory protein (MIP), on their surfaces. The effects of incubation with Fab2 fragments of monoclonal antibodies (mAb) raised against these proteins on susceptibility of sensitized cells to lysis by homologous complement was examined. Percentage cell lysis was markedly increased in the presence of Fab2 anti-CD59 and to a lesser, but significant, extent in the presence of Fab2 anti-DAF. Fab2 anti-MIP did not alter the sensitivity of the cells to lysis by complement.

Amnion↗

Therapeutic potential of complement inhibitors in myocardial ischaemia.

Under normal conditions, the complement system functions to eradicate microbes and other membrane bound pathogens. In other situations, complement activation comprises a pivotal mechanism for mediating tissue demolition in inflammatory disorders, including ischaemia/reperfusion injury. Complement-mediated tissue damage has long been recognised as a significant contributor to myocardial reperfusion injury. However, clinical use of complement inhibitors to reduce the extent of irreversible tissue injury related to reperfusion, remains in the early stages of development. Activation of the complement system generates anaphylatoxins, opsonins and the lytic moiety known as the membrane attack complex (MAC). In addition, fragments of the complement cascade proteins (e.g., C3a and C5a) secondarily initiate processes deleterious to myocytes by recruiting and stimulating inflammatory cells, such as neutrophils and macrophages, within the area of reperfusion. Damaged tissue itself, is capable of upregulating the genes that encode the formation of complement proteins leading to assembly of the MAC, which in turn further advances tissue injury. All of these factors contribute to the development of myocardial infarction subsequent to ischaemia and reperfusion. This paper provides an overview of how the complement system operates and examines the various inhibitors, both endogenous and exogenous, that regulate the complement cascade. Activation and inhibition of the complement system will be discussed primarily in the context of myocardial ischaemia and reperfusion injury.

Animals↗

Phospholipid-anchored and transmembrane versions of either decay-accelerating factor or membrane cofactor protein show equal efficiency in protection from complement-mediated cell damage.

Decay-accelerating factor (DAF) is a glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored membrane protein that protects cells from complement-mediated damage by regulation of the C3 convertase. To investigate the role of the GPI anchor in the function of DAF, the cDNA encoding human DAF was expressed by transfection in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. Testing of these DAF transfectants in an antibody plus human complement-mediated cytotoxicity assay demonstrated that DAF protects these cells from cytotoxicity, and that the level of protection increases with expression of surface DAF. A cDNA construct encoding a transmembrane version of DAF (DAF-TM) protects CHO transfectants from cytotoxicity with equal efficiency to DAF. This DAF-TM construct used the TM and cytoplasmic domains of membrane cofactor protein (MCP); an alternate TM version of DAF constructed with the TM and cytoplasmic domains of HLA-B44 showed equivalent protection. The protection from cytotoxicity involved a decrease in the deposition of C3 on the cell, consistent with the effect of DAF on the C3 convertase. A second pair of anchor variants, MCP and a GPI-anchored construct, MCP-PI, were also equivalent in their complement protection. The equivalent function of GPI-anchored and TM versions of a protein was not expected based on the hypothesized increased lateral mobility of GPI-anchored proteins, which should confer a functional advantage in contacting ligand, in this case, C3b or C4b, on the cell surface. These data suggest either that GPI-anchored and TM versions of a protein have equal lateral mobility in the membrane, or else that increased lateral mobility is not advantageous to DAF or MCP in carrying out their complement inhibitory roles. Furthermore, DAF and MCP demonstrated approximately equal protection of cells from complement-mediated cytotoxicity, suggesting that DAF and MCP provide overlapping levels of protection to cells against damage mediated by the complement system.

Animals↗

Complement and clusterin in the spinal cord dorsal horn and gracile nucleus following sciatic nerve injury in the adult rat.

We provide evidence for activation of the complement cascade in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord and in the gracile nucleus in the brainstem following sciatic nerve transection in the adult rat. Immunocytochemical analyses showed immunoreactivity for endogenous immunoglobulin G as shown by immunostaining with F(ab')2 antibodies, as well as complement factors C1, C1q, C3, C3d and C9 in the appropriate central termination areas of the injured sciatic nerve. Results from double labelling immunocytochemistry showed a strong association between immunoglobulin and complement factors on the one hand and reactive microglia on the other. However, some complement immunoreactivity was also found in the neuropil, possibly representing secreted complement. In situ hybridization with an oligonucleotide probe showed a marked increase in C3 messenger RNA, indicating local synthesis of C3 protein. In parallel with activation of complement, there was an increased immunoreactivity for the putative complement inhibitor clusterin, which co-localized with glial fibrillary acidic protein-positive astrocytes. In situ hybridization showed an increased labelling of clusterin messenger RNA. These findings indicate that complement activation and up-regulation of complement inhibitors are prominent central responses to peripheral sensory nerve injury. These responses may therefore be important elements underlying so-called transganglionic degenerative changes in primary sensory axons and terminals.

Animals↗

Immunophysical properties and prediction of activities for vaccinia virus complement control protein and smallpox inhibitor of complement enzymes using molecular dynamics and electrostatics.

We present immunophysical modeling for VCP, SPICE, and three mutants using MD simulations and Poisson-Boltzmann-type electrostatic calculations. VCP and SPICE are homologous viral proteins that control the complement system by imitating, structurally and functionally, natural regulators of complement activation. VCP and SPICE consist of four CCP modules connected with short flexible loops. MD simulations demonstrate that the rather complex modules of VCP/SPICE and their mutants exhibit a high degree of intermodular spatial mobility, which is affected by surface mutations. Electrostatic calculations using snapshots from the MD trajectories demonstrate variable spatial distribution of the electrostatic potentials, which suggests dynamic binding properties. We use covariance analysis to identify correlated modular oscillations. We also use electrostatic similarity indices to cluster proteins with common electrostatic properties. Our results are compared with experimental data to form correlations between the overall positive electrostatic potential of VCP/SPICE with binding and activity. We show how these correlations can be used to predict binding and activity properties. This work is expected to be useful for understanding the function of native CCP-containing regulators of complement activation and receptors and for the design of antiviral therapeutics and complement inhibitors.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

An improved sensitive and simple microassay of mouse complement.

A simple and fast hemolytic microassay was developed for the determination of classical pathway complement activity in mouse serum. The assay is based on hemolysis of sheep red blood cells (SRBC) that are sensitized with polyclonal mouse antibodies. The degree of hemolysis was measured in the reaction supernatants by photometric reading in an ELISA plate scanner at 405 nm wavelength. It was found that some batches of unpurified mouse anti-SRBC antibodies gave insufficient hemolysis. Analysis of two antibody preparations indicated that this might be caused by anti-complementary factors in the ascites fluid, and by an excess of non-complement fixing IgG1 antibodies. For optimal and standardized results, removal of anticomplementary factors and enrichment for complement fixing IgG2 antibodies was required and was achieved using protein A purified anti-SRBC IgG. In our assay it is possible to determine CH50 titers in triplicate in 80 microliters samples of individual mouse sera with high sensitivity. Using this rapid one-step method large numbers of tests could be performed in 1 day.

Animals↗

Complement activation in the follicular light zone of human lymphoid tissues.

A comparative immunohistochemical study of the distribution pattern of complement components and regulatory proteins within secondary lymphoid follicles was performed by the immunoperoxidase technique. Fifteen lymphoid tissues including appendices. Peyer's patches and tonsils were analysed. Sixty secondary lymphoid follicles with evident polarity, that is, the distinct coexistence of a light zone, dark zone and mantle zone in the same lymphoid follicle, were tested with single antibodies. The light zones were consistently immunostained in a dendritic meshwork pattern with all antibodies. The immunostaining patterns were classified into two major groups based on the immunoreactivity of the dark zone. One immunostaining pattern was characterized by no immunostaining of the dark zone to the majority of the antigens. The second group was characterized by a diffusely weak to moderate dendritic meshwork pattern of the dark zone to some of the immunostainings of C9 (monoclonal), S-protein, and DF-DRC1, and all immunostainings of CR1 (CD35), Ber-Mac-DRC (CD35), CR2 (CD21), and R4/23. All four complement regulatory proteins were localized by immunoelectron microscopy attached to the cell surface of the cells, including follicular dendritic cells, in the light zone. Our data indicate that there is an evident functional difference between the light zone and the dark zone, and that complete activation of the complement system occurs only in the light zone.

Antigens, Differentiation, B-Lymphocyte↗

Complement therapeutics; history and current progress.

Complement (C) performs vital roles in immune surveillance, from killing of bacteria to generation of an optimal antibody response. However, the mediators responsible for this protective role can inappropriately target self tissues and cause pathology in many inflammatory diseases, in ischaemia-reperfusion injuries and also as a result of therapeutic intervention, such as in cardiopulmonary bypass. Here we review the history of anti-complement therapeutics and describe the plethora of reagents that have evolved to treat complement-mediated pathologies. These agents range from small compounds, including natural products isolated from plants and synthetic peptides designed to target and inhibit the complement cascade, to large, intricately engineered biological reagents. Recombinant, humanised antibody fragments which inhibit at specific points in the complement cascade have been generated and used successfully in man. Other reagents, mimicking the action of the natural complement regulatory proteins present on the surface of self cells, have also been developed and extensively tested. We discuss the pros and cons of these different reagents and describe recent advances in the field, such as specific targeting of drugs to sites of inflammation, which have opened the door to the use of anti-complement therapy in both acute and chronic inflammatory conditions.

Animals↗

Inhibitory effect of FUT-175 on complement activation and its application for glomerulonephritis with hypocomplementemia.

FUT-175 (6-amidino-2-naphthyl p-guanidinobenzoate dimethane-sulphonate), a potent serine protease inhibitor, has been reported to inhibit complement activity in vitro, and especially the classical complement pathway effectively. In the present study, we examined the inhibitory effect of FUT-175 on the classical complement pathway components by hemolytic assay using purified human complement components. As a result, 50% inhibition of the C1 protease activity for classical C3 convertase formation and for C2 was obtained with 3.0 x 10(-8) M and 7.0 x 10(-8) M of FUT-175, respectively. FUT-175 did not inhibit the C2 protease activity at all. We then administered FUT-175 to 5 glomerulonephritic patients with hypocomplementemia and proteinuria in order to assess the clinical effectiveness of this drug. When FUT-175 was administered intravenously and continuously at a rate of 0.1 to 0.2 mg/kg/hr for 2 weeks, the urinary protein excretion decreased significantly from 2.9 +/- 0.8 to 1.4 +/- 0.5 g/day (P < 0.025). In these patients, some of the serum complement markers (serum C3, C4 level and the hemolytic activity via the classical complement pathway (CH50)) were increased after FUT-175 administration. The above findings suggests that FUT-175 can exert beneficial effects on glomerulonephritis with hypocomplementemia by inhibiting complement activation.

Adult↗

Metabolic studies of the third component of complement and the glycine-rich beta glycoprotein in patients with hypocomplementemia.

Metabolic studies using radioiodine-labeled third component of complement (C3) and the glycine-rich beta glycoprotein (GBG), a major component of the C3b-feedback pathway, were undertaken in normal subjects, in 22 patients with evidence of complement activation, and in 11 patients with various renal diseases without evidence of complement activation. In seven normal subjects GBG was found to be a rapidly metabolized protein with catabolic rates ranging from 1.7% to 2.2% of the plasma pool/h, synthesis rates from 0.14 to 0.21 mg/kg per h. and extravascular/intravascular distribution ratios from 0.81 to 1.31. In patients with reduced plasma C3, both increased C3 fractional catabolic rates and reduced C3 synthesis rates were observed, and in some patients there was evidence of increased extravascular distribution of the protein. GBG catabolism was usually increased when there was evidence of C3 activation, presumably reflecting activation of the C3b-feedback; but GBG turnover was normal or only slightly accelerated in some patients with accelerated C3 catabolism and profound hypocomplementemia, suggesting that reduced C3 synthesis had limited activation of the C3b-feedback.

Complement Inactivator Proteins↗

Relative roles of decay-accelerating factor, membrane cofactor protein, and CD59 in the protection of human endothelial cells against complement-mediated lysis.

Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were found by Western blot analysis to express three membrane-bound C regulatory proteins, decay-accelerating factor (DAF), membrane cofactor protein (MCP) and CD59. DAF was detected on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis as a 70-kDa molecule under nonreducing conditions in 2% deoxycholate extracts of HUVEC, MCP as a 63-kDa protein and CD59 as a 20-kDa molecule. Northern blot analysis revealed the presence of two species of mRNA expressed in HUVEC, which hybridized to a cDNA probe specific for DAF, with sizes of about 2.0 kb and 2.7 kb. MCP mRNA was detected at 4.2 kb and a CD59 cDNA probe hybridized with three mRNA species with sizes of about 800, 1400 and 2000 bp. DAF and CD59 were released from the surface of HUVEC by phosphatidylinositol-phospholipase C, demonstrating that both are attached to the cell membrane by means of a glycolipid anchor. The relative contribution of DAF, MCP and CD59 in regulating the sensitivity to lysis of HUVEC by autologous complement was determined by incubation of sensitized endothelial cells with F(ab')2 fragments of polyclonal antibodies raised against these proteins. The susceptibility of sensitized cells to lysis by homologous complement was markedly increased in the presence of F(ab')2 anti-CD59 and to a lesser, but significant, extent in the presence of F(ab')2 anti-DAF. F(ab')2 anti-MCP did not significantly alter the susceptibility of HUVEC to complement-mediated lysis.

Antigens, CD↗

Activation of serum complement by contrast media.

Evidence is presented for the activation of serum complement by contrast media, in vitro and in vivo. Activation as a function of concentration was measured and the increasing order of effectiveness was found to be metrizamide, iothalamate, diatrizoate, acetrizoate, iodipamide and iopanoate. This order is the same as for protein binding and enzyme inhibition. The activation mechanism for iodipamide, and by inference for the other compounds, does not involve gamma-globulin aggregation. Serial daily injections in normal dogs resulted in substantial declines in serum complement over several days. Guinea pigs which were depleted of serum complement with cobra venom factor were found to be no less sensitive to lethal doses of iodipamide than those with normal complement. Implications of these findings are discussed.

Acetrizoic Acid↗