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[Study of a large family with hereditary angioneurotic edema].

A large kindred (156 members) with hereditary angioneurotic edema is reported. 44 members of the family exhibit typical symptoms of the disease: recurring edemas of the skin and episodes of abdominal pain accompanied by vomiting due to mucosal edema in the stomach and intestine. In 32 patients complement studies were performed which in 28 cases revealed decreased levels of C1-inhibitor and almost normal values for C3 concentration. Among 21 members of the family who had never had symptoms of the disease, 7 also had low levels of C1-inhibitor. In 6 of 16 women, attacks often occur in conjunction with menstruation. In 9 of 10 women the symptoms of the disease had worsened during their first pregnancy. 8 patients have been successfully treated with tranexamic acid for 7-20 months.

Adolescent↗

Complement and coagulation: causative considerations in contrast catastrophies.

Earlier studies suggest that adverse reactions to injected radiographic contrast media are idiosyncratic. In an attempt to gain a better understanding of pathophysiologic events underlying these reactions, rabbit models injected with lethal dose ranges of a cholangiographic contrast material were studied. These animals showed activation of both the complement and coagulation systems. Externally applied heat potentiated complement consumption and increased mortality. Depleting complement components C3-C9 by cobra venom factor did not prevent activation of coagulation or diminish mortality. However, depleting fibrinogen diminished complement activation and markedly diminished mortality. Heparin, administered at several hourly intervals after contrast challenge, also diminished mortality. These studies suggest that the adverse effects of contrast media in this model system are mediated chiefly by the coagulation system, and that complement, if it participates deleteriously, must involve components up to, but not including, C3. A logical role for the inhibitor of C1 esterase in adverse contrast reactions is considered.

Ancrod↗

Thermodynamic studies on the interaction of the third complement component and its inhibitor, compstatin.

Compstatin is a 13-residue cyclic peptide that inhibits complement activation by binding to complement component, C3. Although the activity of compstatin has been improved severalfold using combinatorial and rational design approaches, the molecular basis for its interaction with C3 is not yet fully understood. In the present study, isothermal titration calorimetry was employed to dissect the molecular forces that govern the interaction of compstatin with C3 using four different compstatin analogs. Our studies indicate that the C3-compstatin interaction is an enthalpy-driven process. Substitution of the valine and histidine residues at positions 4 and 9 with tryptophan and alanine, respectively, resulted in the increase of enthalpy of the interaction, thereby increasing the binding affinity for C3. The data also suggest that the interaction is mediated by water molecules. These interfacial water molecules could be the source for unfavorable entropy and large negative heat capacity changes observed in the interaction. Although part of the negative heat capacity changes could be accounted for by the water molecules, the rest might be resulting from the conformational changes in C3 and/or compstatin up on binding. Finally, we propose based on the pK(a) values determined from the protonation studies that histidine on compstatin participates in protonation changes and contributes to the specificity of the interaction between compstatin and C3. These protonation changes vary significantly between the binding of different compstatin analogs to C3.

Calorimetry↗

Pathogenic potentials of bacterial proteases.

Six separate molecular mechanisms for pathogenesis attributed to bacterial proteases are described. (I). Enhancements of vascular permeability and edema formation which result from the activation of kinin generating cascade such as Hageman factor by the proteases. (II). Degradation of defense oriented proteins including IgG and IgA as well as destruction of structural matrices such as fibronectin, proteoglycan and collagen. (III). Inactivation of complement system and generated chemotactic factor from C3 and C5. (IV). Degradation of regulatory plasma protease inhibitors (serpins) including alpha 1-protease inhibitor, alpha 2-macroglobulin (alpha 2M), C1-esterase inhibitor, alpha 2-antiplasmin and antithrombin-III. (V). The protease forms a transitory stable enzyme/inhibitor(alpha 2M) complex. It binds to and internalizes into the cells which possess alpha 2M-receptor such as fibroblasts via the alpha 2M-receptor, and the protease activity is regenerated in cells, and subsequently intracellular integrity is destroyed resulting in cell killing. (VI). The serratial 56 kDa (56K) protease is found to potential viral yield 100 fold more when influenza virus infected mice were subjected to administrations of this protease intranasally. This results in rapid and much elevated lethality.

Animals↗

Application of molecular cloning to studies on the complement system.

The isolation of cDNA and, in certain cases, genomic clones has been reported for the following complement proteins: C1q, C2, C3, C4, C5, C9, and factor B, C4b-binding protein and C1-inhibitor. The availability of cloned DNA has allowed rapid advances to be made in the understanding of the structure (from the derived amino acid sequences), function, biosynthesis and genetics of these proteins. This is most strongly illustrated from recent studies on the C2, factor B and C4 genes, which code for the class III molecules of the major histocompatibility complex, especially as certain allelic forms of these genes may be associated with disease susceptibility.

Animals↗

Complement C3 and C5 play critical roles in traumatic brain cryoinjury: blocking effects on neutrophil extravasation by C5a receptor antagonist.

The role of complement components in traumatic brain injury is poorly understood. Here we show that secondary damage after acute cryoinjury is significantly reduced in C3-/- or C5-/- mice or in mice treated with C5a receptor antagonist peptides. Injury sizes and neutrophil extravasation were compared. While neutrophil density increased following traumatic brain injury in wild type (C57BL/6) mice, C3-deficient mice demonstrated lower neutrophil extravasation and injury sizes in the brain. RNase protection assay indicated that C3 contributes to the induction of brain inflammatory mediators, MIF, RANTES (CCL5) and MCP-1 (CCL2). Intracranial C3 injection induced neutrophil extravasation in injured brains of C3-/- mice suggesting locally produced C3 is important in brain inflammation. We show that neutrophil extravasation is significantly reduced in both C5-/- mice and C5a receptor antagonist treated cryoinjured mice suggesting that one of the possible mechanisms of C3 effect on neutrophil extravasation is mediated via downstream complement activation products such as C5a. Our data indicates that complement inhibitors may ameliorate traumatic brain injury.

Animals↗

Meningococcal infection and proteolytic control.

Cascade enzyme inhibitors (C1-esterase inhibitor, C3b inactivator, antithrombin III) and other major proteolytic enzyme inhibitors (alpha 1 trypsin inhibitor, alpha 1 chymotrypsin inhibitor, inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor, alpha 2 macroglobulin) as well as C3 and alpha 1 acid glycoprotein, have been examined in the sera of Nigerian patients suffering from meningococcal infection of varied severity. Patients with meningococcaemia had lower serum concentrations of important inhibitors than did patients with localised meningitic infection. Within the coccaemic group, those who died had the lowest values, notably of antithrombin III and alpha 2 macroglobulin (and also of C3). The clinical end-result of meningococcal infection may be related to the degree of disequilibrium of the linked system of proteolytic control induced by the meningococcal endotoxin.

Antithrombin III↗

Pancreatic cationic elastase in porcine experimental pancreatitis.

A radioimmunoassay for porcine, cationic, pancreatic elastase (irPE) is described. Normal porcine serum contains only small amounts of irPE (less than 3 micrograms/l). IrPE in serum and peritoneal exudate from 6 pigs with experimental pancreatitis was found mainly in a molecular form corresponding to free pro-enzyme. The presence of alpha 1-, alpha 2-macroglobulin-bound elastase-like enzymatic activity in the peritoneal exudates from pigs with pancreatitis, however, indicates that the proteinase is to some extent released as the active enzyme. In some pigs with pancreatitis, the elastase-like activity against Succ(Ala) in the peritoneal exudates increased during the experiment, arguing for a progressive activation of pro-elastase. Free proteolytic activity was not observed in any of the peritoneal exudates. This low degree of activation of elastase and the fact that the elastase inhibiting capacity is substantially larger than the trypsin inhibiting capacity in serum and biological fluids, leads us to the conclusion that active elastase is not a factor of principal importance in the pathogenesis of proteinase inhibitor consumption and tissue damage in our experimental pancreatitis model.

Animals↗

Alternative complement pathway-mediated myeloid cell cytotoxicity: repertoire of membrane factors participating in regulation of C3 deposition and cytolysis.

Most human nucleated cells and cell lines possess C3 step regulators, decay-accelerating factor (DAF; CD55) and membrane cofactor protein (MCP; CD46) and an inhibitor of membrane attack complex (MAC) formation (p18; CD59). Unless DAF and MCP were simultaneously blocked by their antibodies, Mg(2+)-EGTA-human serum treatment did not induce C3 deposition on most nucleated cells. Furthermore, less than 20% lysis occurred even after the block of all the three factors. In contrast, three myeloid cell lines, U-937, HL-60 and p39, were found to exhibit unusual C3 deposition or cytolysis. U-937 possessed DAF and MCP but lacked p18, and about 50% was lysed by treatment with anti-DAF and anti-MCP followed by Mg(2+)-EGTA-serum, which caused C3, C5 and C8 deposition. Anti-DAF evoked similar but less complement (C) deposition and cytolysis while anti-MCP alone did not, although it enhanced the anti-DAF-mediated C deposition and cytolysis. Thus, once the C3 step is overcome, U-937 is attacked by the late components leading to cytolysis because of the absence of p18. On the other hand, HL60 allowed the deposition of C3 by blocking of either DAF or MCP followed by the Mg(2+)-EGTA-serum treatment. C5, C8 and C9 were subsequently deposited but resulted in no lysis. Lysis of 60% was attained by the additional blocking of p18. Thus, HL60 is poorly protected by C3 and C9 step regulation. Strikingly, extensive C3 deposition occurs on p39 without any antibody treatment, suggestive of the presence of unique alternative pathway activators. However, little cytolysis was induced on p39 even by blocking of all three inhibitors with antibodies. These results suggest that in activation of the alternative pathway on myeloid cells, C3 step is controlled by the inhibitors and alternative pathway activators, and C-mediated cytolysis is blocked by p18 and additional regulatory mechanisms or factors which assist in protection of nucleated host cells from MAC attack. Susceptibility to homologous C of these cell lines, therefore, reflects relatively low potency of C regulation on their membrane.

Antigens, CD↗

From genome to "venome": molecular origin and evolution of the snake venom proteome inferred from phylogenetic analysis of toxin sequences and related body proteins.

This study analyzed the origin and evolution of snake venom proteome by means of phylogenetic analysis of the amino acid sequences of the toxins and related nonvenom proteins. The snake toxins were shown to have arisen from recruitment events of genes from within the following protein families: acetylcholinesterase, ADAM (disintegrin/metalloproteinase), AVIT, complement C3, crotasin/beta defensin, cystatin, endothelin, factor V, factor X, kallikrein, kunitz-type proteinase inhibitor, LYNX/SLUR, L-amino oxidase, lectin, natriuretic peptide, betanerve growth factor, phospholipase A(2), SPla/Ryanodine, vascular endothelial growth factor, and whey acidic protein/secretory leukoproteinase inhibitor. Toxin recruitment events were found to have occurred at least 24 times in the evolution of snake venom. Two of these toxin derivations (CRISP and kallikrein toxins) appear to have been actually the result of modifications of existing salivary proteins rather than gene recruitment events. One snake toxin type, the waglerin peptides from Tropidolaemus wagleri (Wagler's Viper), did not have a match with known proteins and may be derived from a uniquely reptilian peptide. All of the snake toxin types still possess the bioactivity of the ancestral proteins in at least some of the toxin isoforms. However, this study revealed that the toxin types, where the ancestral protein was extensively cysteine cross-linked, were the ones that flourished into functionally diverse, novel toxin multigene families.

Animals↗

Idiopatic angioedema treated with dapsone.

The most commonly identified causes of angioedema are medications, allergens and physical agents, but most cases of angioedema are idiopathic. Treatment depends on identification of the causative agent and, especially when the mechanism is not identified, on the clinicians knowledge and experience with innovative therapeutic regimens. CASE REPORT: A 48-year-old man presented with a 3-month history of recurrent severe episodes of angioedema affecting the lips, tongue and throat. A fiberoptic examination revealed laryngeal edema during some episodes. He did not report abdominal pain, nausea or vomiting. No precipitating factors were identified. The patient was not receiving angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors. For the previous 4 years, the patient had been receiving levothyroxine for autoimmune thyroiditis. There was no history of facial palsy or hereditary angioedema. ALLERGY STUDY: Skin prick test with aeroallergens, food, latex, Anisakis and patch test to a standard series (true test) were negative. Laboratory investigations revealed normal complete blood count (CBC), erythrocyte sedimentation rate, urinalysis, blood biochemistry, serum protein electrophoresis and serum immunoglobulins. IgE concentration was 30 UI/ml. Antiperoxidase antibodies were positive (535 UI/ml). Antinuclear antibodies serum immune complexes and rheumatoid factor were negative. Complement study during acute and asymptomatic periods revealed normal values of C1 esterase inhibitor, C1q, C3, C4, functional activity of C1 inhibitor and CH50. No pathologic findings were observed in a lip biopsy. The patient was treated with sedating and nonsedating H1 antihistamines and corticosteroids (prednisone 30 mg/day for 3 months) with no clinical improvement and treatment with 50 mg of dapsone daily was started. Glucose 6 phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency had previously been ruled out. The patient improved and antihistamine and corticoid treatment was withdrawn 1 month after starting the dapsone regimen. No episodes of angioedema appeared during the subsequent year. No reductions in hematologic parameters or adverse events were detected. Dapsone may be an alternative drug in extreme cases of idiopathic angioedema in patients with poor response to conventional therapy.

Angioedema↗

Negative role of colony-stimulating factor-1 in macrophage, T cell, and B cell mediated autoimmune disease in MRL-Fas(lpr) mice.

Inflammation in the kidney and other tissues (lung, and salivary and lacrimal glands) is characteristic of MRL-Fas(lpr) mice with features of lupus. Macrophages (Mphi) are prominent in these tissues. Given that 1) Mphi survival, recruitment, proliferation, and activation during inflammation is dependent on CSF-1, 2) Mphi mediate renal resident cell apoptosis, and 3) CSF-1 is up-regulated in MRL-Fas(lpr) mice before, and during nephritis, we hypothesized that CSF-1-deficient MRL-Fas(lpr) mice would be protected from Mphi-mediated nephritis, and the systemic illness. To test this hypothesis, we compared CSF-1-deficient MRL-Fas(lpr) with wild-type strains. Renal pathology is suppressed and function improved in CSF-1-deficient MRL-Fas(lpr) mice. There are far fewer intrarenal Mphi and T cells in CSF-1-deficient MRL-Fas(lpr) vs wild-type kidneys. This leukocytic reduction results from suppressed infiltration, and intrarenal proliferation, but not enhanced apoptosis. The CSF-1-deficient MRL-Fas(lpr) kidneys remain preserved as indicated by greatly reduced indices of injury (nephritogenic cytokines, tubular apoptosis, and proliferation). The renal protective mechanism in CSF-1-deficient mice is not limited to reduced intrarenal leukocytes; circulating Igs and autoantibodies, and renal Ig deposits are decreased. This may result from enhanced B cell apoptosis and fewer B cells in CSF-1-deficient MRL-Fas(lpr) mice. Furthermore, the systemic illness including, skin, lung, and lacrimal and salivary glands pathology, lymphadenopathy, and splenomegaly are dramatically suppressed in CSF-1-deficient MRL-Fas(lpr) as compared with wild-type mice. These results indicate that CSF-1 is an attractive therapeutic target to combat Mphi-, T cell-, and B cell-mediated autoimmune lupus.

Animals↗

Anaphylatoxins inhibit C2 production.

Anaphylatoxins C5a and C3a and their des Arg derivatives inhibited C2 production by mononuclear phagocytes. C5a and C5adesArg which were approximately equipotent (IC50 = 10(-10) mol/l) were more effective than C3a (IC50 = 5 X 10(-8) mol/l) which was approximately 10-20-fold more potent than C3adesArg IC50 = 5 X 10(-6) mol/l). Inhibition of C2 production was only reversed slightly by the addition of either indomethacin or ETYA to the cultures. Intracellular levels of cAMP, were increased by anaphylatoxins. The level of cAMP showed a good inverse correlation with C2 levels in the culture supernatants. The data suggest that the reduction in C2 production produced by anaphylatoxins may be mediated by an increase in intracellular cAMP.

Anaphylatoxins↗

Complement in chronic secretory otitis media. C3 breakdown and C3 splitting activity.

Occurrence of in vivo C3 breakdown and in vitro C3 splitting activity was studied in serum and middle-ear effusion (MEE) samples from 30 children with chronic secretory otitis media (SOM). The MEE showed strongly elevated levels of both low- and high-molecular-weight C3 breakdown products, along with decreased factor B, C4, and C3 levels. Total hemolytic complement component activity was virtually absent from MEE. The MEE fluids were found to contain C3 splitting factors as demonstrated by their high capacity to convert C3 in vitro from fresh normal human serum. This activity was not inhibited by the classic complement pathway inhibitor, 0.01M ethylene glycol tetra-acetic acid with 0.005M magnesium chloride. The results suggest that a strong local complement activation has taken place and that the factors responsible are present in the MEE of patients with SOM.

Antigen-Antibody Complex↗

Complement activation during storage of blood under normal blood bank conditions. Effects of proteinase inhibitors and leukocyte depletion.

During storage of CPD-A1 preserved whole blood factors of the complement cascade become activated, as evidenced by a rapid increase in the concentrations of C3a-desArg and C4a-desArg. After 10 to 14 days of whole blood storage, the elevations of C3a and C4a levels were highly significant. This increase was paralleled by an increase in the concentration of the lysosomal proteinase elastase from polymorphonuclear (PMN) granulocytes. By contrast, the concentration of the C3 activator complex C4b2b remained unchanged even after 3 weeks of storage. The supplementation of the anticoagulant CPD-A1 with the polyvalent-proteinase-inhibitor aprotinin and the specific elastase-inhibitor eglin C failed to inhibit complement activation, whereas leukocyte depletion could partially abolish the increase of the concentration of C4a, but had no effect on C3a concentrations. These observations support the notion that cleavage of C4 during storage of whole blood is partially leukocyte dependent, whereas the activation of C3 is possibly caused by the activation of the alternate pathway of the complement system by contact of plasma with plastic surfaces.

Aprotinin↗

Complement C4 monitoring in the follow-up of chronic hepatitis C treatment.

The overall role of complement in the host--pathogen relationship is now well understood. However, its involvement at a chronic stage of infection, such as chronic hepatitis C, is less well documented. Here, results are reported which point to the use of specific C4 monitoring in the follow-up of HCV patients. This study concerns 66 patients with chronic HCV infection, treated with interferon alpha 2b alone or with interferon alpha 2b + ribavirin, and 50 healthy adults as controls. Complement blood tests were performed to measure C1q, C3, C4, mannan binding lectin (MBL), C1s-C1 inhibitor complexes, total (CH50) and C4 (C4H) haemolytic activity; specific C4 activity was taken as the C4H/C4 protein ratio. Rheumatoid factor (RF) levels were also measured. A significant reduction in CH50 and specific C4 activity in HCV patients, compared with the healthy controls, was observed before the onset of treatment; the other parameters were not affected and no C1s-C1 inhibitor complexes were detected. At the same time, a significant reduction in specific C4 activity was observed in relapsers compared with sustained responders. These results point to a potential predictive function of C4 specific activity to monitor the response to therapy. Restoration of specific C4 activity at 6 months was better in responders than in non-responders. Complement activation in chronic hepatitis C does not seem to involve the C1 stage of the classical pathway. A negative correlation between specific C4 activity and RF titres suggests a possible involvement of RF in C4 activation, via the lectin pathway. Specific C4 monitoring appears to be a valuable tool for the follow-up of chronic hepatitis C treatment, together with the other conventional investigations.

Adult↗

Effects of systemic complement activation on renal circulation of rats.

In a variety of immunopathological diseases activation of the complement cascade occurs either systemically or localized in the kidney. To elucidate the functional impact of complement activation upon the renal microcirculation, we administered cobra venom factor of Naja naja kaouthia (CVF) i.v. into thiobarbital anaesthetized female rats. CVF is a potent activator of the alternative pathway of complement by forming the C3-convertase CVF, Bb which cannot be downregulated by the natural inhibitor factors H and I and thereby leads to generation of the anaphylatoxins C3a and C5a and formation of the membrane attack complex (MAC). We utilized creatinine clearance and flowmeter measurements in the normal kidney and intravital microscopy of the split hydronephrotic rat kidney model to observe the microvascular changes. Bolus injection of CVF (100 U kg-1) resulted in an immediate reduction of RBF (-68% after 10 min), which remained decreased during the entire experiment (90 min). Systemic blood pressure was significantly reduced only in the early period (-23% of control: 126 mmHg after 10 min). After an initial anuric phase of 30 min duration, the glomerular filtration rate was significantly diminished by 47%. White cell count was decreased by about 50% after the experiments. Application of the competitive thromboxane A2-antagonist, BM 13505, reversed all renal and systemic CVF-effects. Continuous infusion of the competitive leukotriene D4-antagonist, ICI 198615, attenuated the late renal CVF-effects (i.e. 30 min after injection of CVF). Depletion of polymorphonuclear cells (PMN) attenuated the CVF-effects similar to BM 13505. Intravenous administration of CVF in the hydronephrotic kidney model resulted in a massive constriction of the interlobar and arcuate artery, with a fall in glomerular blood flow comparable to the reduction of RBF in the normal kidney. Diameters of the afferent arterioles--most sensitive to many vasoconstricting agents--were not significantly altered. Our results suggest that injection of CVF and the liberation of high amounts of the anaphylatoxins, C3a and C5a, induces the release of TXA2, which contributes to the early renal effects and the formation of cysteinyl-leukotrienes which play an important role in the late phase of systemic complement activation. Utilizing the split hydronephrotic kidney model we demonstrated the predominant action of complement activation on the large preglomerular vessels for the first time. PMN are seemingly involved in the liberation of secondary mediators which appear to reduce renal blood flow and glomerular filtration.

Animals↗