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Spatial and temporal expression pattern during sea urchin embryogenesis of a gene coding for a protease homologous to the human protein BMP-1 and to the product of the Drosophila dorsal-ventral patterning gene tolloid.

A cDNA clone coding for a sea urchin embryonic protein was isolated from a prehatching blastula lambda gt11 library. The predicted translation product is a secreted 64 x 10(3) Mr enzyme designated as BP10. The protein contains several domains: a signal peptide, a putative propeptide, a catalytic domain with an active center typical of a Zn(2+)-metalloprotease, an EGF-like domain and two internal repeats similar to repeated domains found in the C1s and C1r serine proteases of the complement cascade. The BP10 protease is constructed with the same domains as the human bone morphogenetic protein BMP-1, a protease described as a factor involved in bone formation, and as the recently characterized product of the tolloid gene which is required for correct dorsal-ventral patterning of the Drosophila embryo. The transcription of the BP10 gene is transiently activated around the 16- to 32-cell stage and the accumulation of BP10 transcripts is limited to a short period at the blastula stage. By in situ hybridization with digoxygenin-labelled RNA probes, the BP10 transcripts were only detected in a limited area of the blastula, showing that the transcription of the BP10 gene is also spatially controlled. Antibodies directed against a fusion protein were used to detect the BP10 protein in embryonic extracts. The protein is first detected in early blastula stages, its level peaks in late cleavage, declines abruptly before ingression of primary mesenchyme cells and remains constant in late development. The distribution of the BP10 protein during its synthesis and secretion was analysed by immunostaining blastula-stage embryos. The intracellular localization of the BP10 staining varies with time. The protein is first detected in a perinuclear region, then in an apical and submembranous position just before its secretion into the perivitelline space. The protein is synthesized in a sharply delimited continuous territory spanning about 70% of the blastula. Comparison of the size and orientation of the labelled territory in the late blastula with the fate map of the blastula stage embryo shows that the domain in which the BP10 gene is expressed corresponds to the presumptive ectoderm. Developing embryos treated with purified antibodies against the BP10 protein and with synthetic peptides derived from the EGF-like domain displayed perturbations in morphogenesis and were radialized to various degrees. These results are consistent with a role for BP10 in the differentiation of ectodermal lineages and subsequent patterning of the embryo. On the basis of these results, we speculate that the role of BP10 in the sea urchin embryo might be similar to that of tolloid in Drosophila. We discuss the idea that the processes of spatial regulation of gene expression along the animal-vegetal in sea urchin and dorsal-ventral axes in Drosophila might have some similarities and might use common elements.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Recurrent infections and staphylococcal liver abscess in a child with C1r deficiency.

Complete absence of the C1r portion of the first component of complement was found in a 2 1/2-year-old boy of Puerto Rican origin who presented with a staphylococcal liver abscess. His medical history also included two episodes of pneumonia complicated by a pneumatocele and empyema, purulent staphylococcal lymphadenitis, recurrent otitis media, and pneumococcal bacteremia. The C1s component of complement was 50% of normal, and C4 was elevated. Other immunologic tests, including nitroblue tetrazolium test, and IgE were normal. This is the tenth patient reported with C1r deficiency. The patient differs from other reported patients with C1r deficiency in that he presented with a liver abscess, an infection that has not been reported in patients with complement deficiencies, and in that he has an apparent susceptibility to staphylococcal infection.

Child, Preschool↗

Membrane fluidity and the probability of complement fixation.

We develop a mathematical theory of the role of membrane fluidity in the initiation of the IgG mediated complement cascade. The basic assumption is that C1q must be at least doubly bound to activate C1r, but that once C1q is doubly bound, C1r still requires some mean finite time tau to become enzymatically active. If C1q dissociates during this time interval, C1r cannot be activated. We consider the consequences of the simplest model of fluidity--one in which the difference between "fluid phase" lipids and "non-fluid phase" lipids is to allow protein mobility, but not a change in protein conformation. We show that under these conditions fluidity will effect C1r activation only if the rate of formation of multiply bound C1q is limited by diffusion in the membrane. If diffusion in the membrane is not rate-limiting, then, within the framework of this model, fluidity has no effect whatsoever on C1r activation. Thus, an experimental determination that C1q binding is not rate-limited by diffusion in the surface, but that fluidity does effect activation, would suggest a protein conformational change resulting perhaps from altered lipid composition. If diffusion in the surface does rate limit multiple C1q binding, we predict the possibility of an optimum diffusion coefficient for activation. For suitably chosen and reasonable parameter values this optimum will occur in the range (10(-11) less than or equal to D less than or equal to 10(-8) cm2/sec. We predict further, under these circumstances, a precipitous drop in the probability of activation above the optimum. The abrupt switch from a high probability of activation to essentially no probability of activation suggests the possibility of a very sensitive control mechanism exploitable by relatively small changes in membrane lipid composition.

Animals↗

Activation of C1r by proteolytic cleavage.

C1r was unable to cleave and activate proenzyme C1s unless first incubated at 37 degrees C in the absence of calcium before the addition of C1s. The acquisition of ability to activate C1s was associated with, and paralleled by, cleavage of each of the two noncovalently bonded 95,000 dalton chains of the molecule into disulfide linked subunits of 60,000 and 35,000 daltons, respectively. Thus, C1r is converted from an inactive form into an enzyme, C1r, able to cleave and activate C1s by proteolytic cleavage in marked analogy to the activation of several other complement enzymes. Trypsin was also found to cleave C1r but at a different site, and its action did not lead to C1r activation. C1r activation was inhibited by calcium, polyanethol sulfonate, C1 inactivator, and DFP but not by a battery of other protease inhibitors. C1 inactivator inhibited C1r by forming a complex with C1r via sites located on the light chain of the molecule. In other studies, cleavage of C1r was not accelerated by the addition of C1r ot C1s. C1r and C1r were found to have the same m.w., sedimentation coefficient, and diffusion coefficients. They differed, however, in charge with C1r migrating as a Beta-globulin and C1r as a gammaglobulin on electrophoresis in agarose. The amino acid composition of C1r and of each of the two polypeptide chains of Clr was determined. Both chains contained carbohydrate. Proteolytic cleavage of the C1r molecule was found to occur on addition of aggregated IgG to a mixture of C1q, C1r, and C1s in the presence of calcium. Neither C1q, C1s nor aggregated IgG alone, not C1r nor C1s induced C1r cleavage. Liquoid, an inhibitor of C1 activation, inhibited C1r cleavage. Thus, proteolytic cleavage of C1r appears to be a biologically meaningful event occurring during the activation of C1.

Complement C1↗

The C1 inhibitor deficiency. A review.

C1 inhibitor (C1I), a member of the serine protease inhibitor superfamily, is the principal regulator of the activation classical pathway of complement by reducing the proteolytic activity of activated C1r and C1s. A deficiency of active C1 inhibitor is the most commonly identified genetic defect of the complement system. It is associated with a pathology called angioedema. There are three forms of hereditary angioedema. The first type is characterized by an insufficient production of a normal protein. The two other forms are characterized by the presence of an abnormal C1 inhibitor protein. Moreover a reduction of functional C1 inhibitor may also be acquired. There are two types of acquired angioedema, a form associated with malignancy (B cell lineage, breast cancer, ...) and an autoimmune form. Angioedema manifests itself by attacks of swelling of the extremities, face, trunk, airways, or abdominal viscera, occurring spontaneously or as a result of trauma. Three main categories of substances have been proposed for the treatment of C1 deficiencies: the androgens, the antifibrinolytics and fresh plasma or purified C1 inhibitor. To distinguish between the different forms of C1 inhibitor deficiencies, it is necessary to determine the amount of C1 inhibitor protein and the level of its functional activity. Several methods for the determination of C1 inhibitor have been proposed: titrimetric and spectrophotometric assays, inhibition of complement haemolytic activity, radioimmunoassay, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, ...), in order to improve the diagnosis and the treatment of angioedema.

Angioedema↗

The biological functions of MBL-associated serine proteases (MASPs).

The Mannose-binding lectin-associated serine proteases (MASPs) have been the subject of intensive research particularly over the past 10 years. First one, then two, and currently 3 MASPs have been characterized. Initially it was thought likely that the MBL + MASPs system would resemble very closely the C1 complex of the complement classical pathway, and that MASP1 and MASP2 would have similar activities to their classical pathway homologues C1r and C1s. MASP2 does certainly have similar activities to C1s, but MASP1 does not have the activities of either C1r or C1s. MASP1 has been thought to act on the complement system by cleaving C3 directly, but work with recombinant and purified native MASP1 shows that direct C3 cleavage by this protease is very slow, and may not be biologically significant. MASP1 and MASP2 appear not to have such a narrow specificity as C1r and C1s, and may have significant substrates other than complement proteins. As an example, MASP1 does cleave fibrinogen, releasing fibrinopeptide B (a chemotactic factor) and also cleaves and activates plasma transglutaminase (Factor XIII). These reactions are also relevant to defence against microorganisms, and may represent a biologically significant action of MASP1.

Animals↗

The serine proteinase chain of human complement component C1s. Cyanogen bromide cleavage and N-terminal sequences of the fragments.

Human complement component C1s was purified from fresh blood by conventional methods of precipitation and chromatography. The single-chain zymogen form was activated by treatment with C1r. Reduction and carboxymethylation then allowed the light chain and heavy chain to be separated on DEAE-Sepharose CL-6B in 8 M-urea. Liquid-phase sequencing of the light chain determined 50 residues from the N-terminus. CNBr-cleavage fragments of the light chain were separated by high-pressure liquid chromatography on gel-permeation and reverse-phase columns. N-Terminal sequencing of these fragments determined the order of a further 138 residues, giving a total of 188 residues or about 75% of the light chain. Seven of these eight sequences could be readily aligned with the amino acid sequences of other serine proteinases. The typical serine proteinase active-site residues are clearly conserved in C1s, and the specificity-related side chain of the substrate-binding pocket is aspartic acid, as in trypsin, consistent with the proteolytic action of C1s on C4 at an arginine residue. Somewhat surprisingly, when the C1s sequence is compared with that of complement subcomponent C1r, the percentage difference (59%) is approximately the same as that found between the other mammalian serine proteinases (56-71%).

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Substituted isocoumarins as inhibitors of complement serine proteases.

Inhibition of complement proteins D, B, C2, C1s, C1r, I, and the catalytic fragments Bb and C2a by substituted isocoumarins was investigated. 3,4-Dichloroisocoumarin, a general serine protease inhibitor, inhibited factor D, C1r, and C1s moderately with second-order inhibition constants (kobs/[I]) of 40 to 190 M-1 s-1, but it did not inhibit C2, factor B, C2a, or Bb. The best inhibitor for factors D and B was 4-chloro-7-guanidino-3-methoxyisocoumarin with kobs/[I] values of 250 and 290 M-1 s-1, respectively. Most isocoumarins did not inhibit C2 or C2a; only 4-chloro-3-isothiureidoalkoxyisocoumarins were slightly inhibitory. 3-Alkoxy-4-chloro-7-guanidinoisocoumarins inhibited C1r and C1s moderately. The best inhibitor for C1r and C1s was 4-chloro-3-(3-isothiureidopropoxy)isocoumarin with kobs/[I] values of 6,600 and 130,000 M-1 s-1, respectively. Fifty amino acid or peptide thioesters containing Arg or other amino acids at the P1 site were tested as substrates of factor I, however none was hydrolyzed. Isocoumarins substituted with chloro and basic groups such as guanidino and isothiureidoalkoxy inhibited factor I activity with its natural substrate C3b, but kobs/[I] values were low. 4-Chloro-3-ethoxy-7-guanidinoisocoumarin inhibited activation of the alternative pathway and, to a lesser extent, of the classical pathway in serum. Several other substituted isocoumarins also inhibited cobra venom factor-initiated activation of the alternative pathway in serum.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Serine proteases of the complement system.

The complement system in blood plasma is a major mediator of innate immune defence. The function of complement is to recognize, then opsonize or lyse, particulate materials, including bacteria, yeasts and other microrganisms, host cell debris and altered host cells. Recognition occurs by binding of complement proteins to charge or saccharide arrays. After recognition, a series of serine proteases is activated, culminating in the assembly of complex unstable proteases called C3/C5 convertases. These activate the complement protein C3, which acts as an opsonin. The complement serine proteases include the closely related C1r, C1s, MASPs 1-3 (80-90 kDa), C2 and Factor B (100 kDa), Factor D (25 kDa) and Factor I (85 kDa). Each of these has unusually restricted specificity and low enzymic activity. The C1r, C1s and MASP group occur as proenzymes. When activated, they are regulated, like many plasma serine proteases, by a serpin, C1-inhibitor. C2 and Factor B, however, have complex multiple regulation by a group of complement proteins called the Regulation of Complement Activation (or RCA) proteins, whereas Factors I and D appear to have no natural inhibitors. Advances in structure determination and protein-protein interaction properties are leading to a more detailed understanding of the complement-system proteases, and are indicating possible new routes for potential therapeutic control of complement.

Animals↗

Diffusable proteins of the mucosa of the human cervix, uterus, and fallopian tubes: distribution and variations during the menstrual cycle.

The secretory proteins of the mucosa of the cervix, uterus, and fallopian tubes were investigated by measuring the proteins that were released by isolated mucosal areas. Initial screening disclosed that the immunoglobulins IgG and IgA were released in measurable quantities, but that IgM and the secretory (T) piece of IgA were either absent or present only in trace amounts. Relatively low levels of diffusable total complement activity and the C3 component of complement were present, whereas the C1q, C1r, and C4 components were either absent or present only in trace quantities. No neutral proteinase activity was present, but lysozyme, plasminogen activator, alpha 1-antitrypsin, and alpha 1x-antichymotrypsin could be found in reasonable amounts. The site of secretion, concentration, and cyclic variation of the proteins that diffused from the mucosal sites in measurable quantities were studied. The types and amounts of protein secreted by a particular site in the cervix, uterus, or fallopian tube varied from those of protein from other sites, even within the same organ. During the menstrual cycle, variations occurred in the amount of protein secreted by each mucosal site. However, whether an increase or a decrease in the release of a particular protein took place varied with each protein, even at the same site. The mucosal sites also differed from each other in their response to the phase of the menstrual cycle, that is, whether more or less protein was released, even sites within the same organ. The conclusion is that each organ and even different sites within an organ can respond independently from each other to changes in hormone levels, producing different types and amounts of secretory proteins. The amount of diffusable protein produced by an individual site during the menstrual cycle depends on the type of protein as well as the mucosal site.

Adult↗

In vivo degradation of rat C1q induced by intravenous injection of soluble IgG aggregates.

Immune complexes are able to bind and activate the first component of complement, C1. Upon activation of C1, C1r and C1s are rapidly inactivated by C1-In which also forms a complex with these two subcomponents, resulting in their release from C1-immune aggregate complexes. The fate of C1q after the binding C1 to immune complexes in vivo is not clear and, therefore the clearance of radiolabelled rat C1q was investigated in normal rats and in rats receiving soluble aggregated human IgG. 125I-labelled rat C1q was cleared with a half-life (T 1/2) of 12.4 hr in normal rats. Injection of AIgG into rats that had previously received 125I-C1q accelerated the clearance of 125I-C1q, resulting, finally, in a T 1/2 of 53 min. The levels of circulating endogenous C1q were also followed using haemolytic titrations and immunochemical measurements. Directly after injection of AIgG into rats, there was a rapid decrease in C1q haemolytic activity to less than 25% of the initial value after 10 min. The rate of disappearance of C1q antigen, was, however, much slower, the lowest concentration being 30% at 2 hr. C1q haemolytic activity and the C1q antigen level returned to virtually normal values after 24 hr. Plasma samples were taken at different time intervals after the injection of AIgG and subjected to gel filtration on Sephacryl S-400 columns. It was found that, in the 10 min samples, C1q antigen and C1q haemolytic activity, each with an estimated molecular weight (MW) of 400,000, were detected together. In addition, there was C1q antigen with a MW of less than 69,000 without C1q haemolytic activity. SDS-PAGE analysis of the various serum samples indicated that the low MW C1q antigen had an apparent MW of 25,000. Measurement of uptake of 125I-C1q in various organs indicated that the main site of clearance of 125I-C1q is the liver.

Animals↗

X-ray structure of the Ca2+-binding interaction domain of C1s. Insights into the assembly of the C1 complex of complement.

C1, the complex that triggers the classical pathway of complement, is assembled from two modular proteases C1r and C1s and a recognition protein C1q. The N-terminal CUB1-EGF segments of C1r and C1s are key elements of the C1 architecture, because they mediate both Ca2+-dependent C1r-C1s association and interaction with C1q. The crystal structure of the interaction domain of C1s has been solved and refined to 1.5 A resolution. The structure reveals a head-to-tail homodimer involving interactions between the CUB1 module of one monomer and the epidermal growth factor (EGF) module of its counterpart. A Ca2+ ion is bound to each EGF module and stabilizes both the intra- and inter-monomer interfaces. Unexpectedly, a second Ca2+ ion is bound to the distal end of each CUB1 module, through six ligands contributed by Glu45, Asp53, Asp98, and two water molecules. These acidic residues and Tyr17 are conserved in approximately two-thirds of the CUB repertoire and define a novel, Ca2+-binding CUB module subset. The C1s structure was used to build a model of the C1r-C1s CUB1-EGF heterodimer, which in C1 connects C1r to C1s and mediates interaction with C1q. A structural model of the C1q/C1r/C1s interface is proposed, where the rod-like collagen triple helix of C1q is accommodated into a groove along the transversal axis of the C1r-C1s heterodimer.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

C1q--how many functions? How many receptors?

C1, the first component of the classical pathway of complement activation is a complex of three proteins called C1q, C1r and C1s. Normally, C1q binding to aggregated IgG molecules results in activation of the classical pathway of complement. However, C1q has a number of other observed functions, not directly related to complement, that could be mediated by recently identified binding proteins acting as cell-surface receptors or soluble modulators of C1q-mediated functions. This article discusses the various activities of C1q and the evidence that these functions might be influenced by both membrane-bound and soluble C1q-binding proteins.

Animals↗

Purification and some properties of rabbit C1r.

C1r, an activated subcomponent of the first component of the complement system, was highly purified from rabbit serum by affinity chromatography on IgG-Sepharose 6B followed by column chromatography on CM-Sephadex C-50. The C1r thus purified had a molecular weight of 105,000, consisting of two polypeptide chains connected by disulfide bonds; the molecular weights of the chains were 60,000 and 45,000. The C1r was found to reconstitute C1 complex when it reacted with rabbit C1q and C1s in the presence of Ca2+, since C1s was able to bind to C1q bound on sensitized sheep erythrocytes only in the presence of C1r. On the other hand, and active C1s fragment derived by hydrolysis of the H chain without any loss of C1s activity [J. Biochem. 80, 1423--1427 (1976)] could not bind to C1q even in the presence of C1r. This result indicates that a part of the H chain of C1s not contributing to the structural integrity of an active site may be involved in the binding of C1s to C1r.

Animals↗

Expression of complement messenger RNAs and proteins by human oligodendroglial cells.

Neurons, astrocytes, microglia, and endothelial cells are capable of synthesizing most, if not all, of the complement proteins. Little is known, however, about the capacity of oligodendroglial cells to generate complement components. This study evaluated expression of complement mRNAs and their protein products by human oligodendrocytes. Cells were isolated and cultured from white matter of seven adult cases that had undergone surgical temporal lobe resection for epilepsy. Oligodendroglial cultures were characterized by the expression of such cell type-specific mRNAs as myelin proteolipid protein (PLP), oligodendrocyte-specific protein (OSP), and 2',3'-cyclic nucleotide 3'-phosphodiesterase (CNPase) and were further characterized by immunostaining for such differentiation markers as myelin basic protein (MBP), PLP, CNPase, and O4. RT-PCR analysis showed that the oligodendroglial cells expressed detectable levels of complement mRNAs for the C1q B-chain, C1r, C1s, C2, C3, C4, C5, C6, C7, C8 gamma subunit, and C9. Immunostaining was positive for C1q, C1s, C2, C3, C4, C5, C6, C7, C8, and C9. Double immunostaining for the oligodendrocyte marker O4 and the complement protein C3 demonstrated that all O4-positive cells were also positive for C3, indicating constitutive C3 expression. These results indicate that oligodendroglial cells may be a source of complement proteins in human brain and thus could contribute to the pathogenesis of several neurodegenerative and inflammatory diseases of the CNS, such as Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, and progressive supranuclear palsy, where complement-activated oligodendrocytes are abundant.

Adult↗

Complement components in 100 newborns and their mothers determined by electroimmunoassay.

Samples of blood were obtained from 100 healthy full-term women in labour and, after delivery, from the umbilical cord of their infants. By electroimmunoassay, complement components were quantitated in serum (C1q, C1r, C1s, C1 IA, C2, P, D. I, H, C6 and C7) or in EDTA-plasma (C4, C3, B, C5. and C). The concentrations of C7 in cord serum was twice that found by others using a functional assay. Concentrations of C1r, I and C6 in the cord sample were 50-60 per cent of those in healthy blood donors used as reference, and that of D was about 130 per cent. The cord serum and plasma concentrations of the remaining components agreed with previously reported values. The maternal levels of C2, C4, C3, B, H, C5 were 40-60 per cent higher than those of the reference.

Complement C4↗

[Stepwise dissociation of subcomponents of C1, the first component of human complement, upon activation on an affinity sorbent].

An affinity sorbent comprising macroporous glass coated with the polymer with the polymer with immobilized immunoglobulin IgG was used for the isolation from human serum of the first component of the complement and for its separation into subcomponents C1r, C1s and C1q by the one-step procedure. Serum C1 was quantitatively bound to the sorbent at 0 degrees C. The unbound part of the serum can be used as a R1 reagent for determining the hemolytic activity of C1. After activation of bound C1 by heating (30 degrees C, 40 min) the activated subcomponent C1r is eluted from the sorbent. Stepwise elution with EDTA at pH 7.4 or with EDTA + 1 M NaCl at pH 8.5 results in a selective and quantitative elution of the activated subcomponent C1s and subcomponent C1q. Stepwise elution of C1 subcomponents from the affinity sorbent after activation reflects the process of C1 breakdown following its activation on immune complexes.

Animals↗

Terminal complement complexes and C1/C1 inhibitor complexes in autoimmune thyroid disease.

The potential role of complement activation and the membrane attack complex in the pathogenesis of Graves' disease and Hashimoto's thyroiditis has been investigated by measuring serum concentrations of the C1r-C1s-C1 inhibitor complex (C1/C1-inh) and the terminal complement complex (TCC), and by studying the binding to thyroid tissue of monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies against TCC neoantigens. Serum C1/C1-inh and TCC concentrations were significantly increased in 29 patients with untreated Graves' disease compared with 47 healthy subjects (P less than 0.001 for both), and decreased significantly after carbimazole treatment in 18 of these patients for whom post-treatment samples were available (P less than 0.01 and P less than 0.02, respectively). The serum TCC concentration, but not that of C1/C1-inh, was also significantly increased in 15 patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis compared with the 47 healthy subjects (P less than 0.001). TCCs were identified by immunohistochemical staining around the thyroid follicles in thyroidectomy specimens from patients with Graves' disease (six out of six) and Hashimoto's thyroiditis (two out of two); normal thyroid tissue from two subjects showed no staining. These results suggest a role for complement, in particular the membrane attack complex in the pathogenesis of autoimmune thyroid disease.

Adolescent↗