Cold urticaria and complement C2 deficiency.
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A total number of 231 unrelated Chinese (Han Nationality) were investigated for C2 polymorphism by hemolytic overlay technique after polyacrylamide gel isoelectric focusing on plasmas. The following phenotype distributions were observed: C2C, 216; C2BC, 9; C2AC, 5; and C2A, 1. The gene frequencies calculated from these phenotypes were as follows: C2*A, 0.015; C2*B, 0.019; C2*C, 0.965. The C2 phenotypic frequency distributions were in agreement with those expected from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium.
We have previously described multiallelic restriction fragment length polymorphisms of the C2 gene, suggesting the presence of a variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) locus. We report here the cloning and sequencing of the polymorphic fragments from the two most common alleles of the gene, a and b. The results confirm the presence of a VNTR locus consisting of a nucleotide sequence, 41 bp in average length, repeated tandemly 23 and 17 times in alleles a and b, respectively. The difference in the number of repeats between the two alleles is due to the deletion/insertion of two noncontiguous segments, 143 and 118 bp long, of allele a, and of a 40-bp segment of allele b. The VNTR region is associated with a SINE (short interspersed sequence)-type retroposon, SINE-R.C2, located within the third intron of the C2 gene. SINE-R.C2 is a member of a previously described large retroposon family of the human genome, apparently derived from the human endogenous retrovirus, (HERV) K10, which is homologous to the mouse mammary tumor virus.
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The gene for the second component of complement, C2, maps within the class III region of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). Many human diseases have been reported to be associated with MHC alleles, haplotypes, or extended haplotypes, but in most cases additional polymorphic markers are needed for the eventual localization of the genes responsible for these diseases. In this study, nine C2 haplotypes for four restriction-site polymorphisms, detected by SstI, BamHI, and TaqI, were defined among 143 unrelated individuals. Two of these polymorphisms are multiallelic and map near the 5' end of the C2 gene. The extensive allelic variation of the C2 gene may prove of value in studies of diseases associated with the MHC.
The primary structure of the second component of human complement (C2) was determined by cDNA cloning and sequence analysis. C2 has 39% identity with the functionally analogous protein Factor B. The C-terminal half of C2a is homologous to the catalytic domains of other serine proteinases. C2b contains three direct repeats of approx. 60 amino acid residues. They are homologous to repeats in Factor B, C4b-binding protein and Factor H, suggesting a functional significance of the repeat in C4b and C3b binding. The repeats are also found in the non-complement proteins beta 2-glycoprotein I and interleukin-2 receptor, and this repeat family may be widespread.
gamma-Interferon (IFN-gamma) is a well characterized lymphokine known to regulate many mononuclear phagocyte functions, including expression of class I and class II major histocompatibility complex genes. The second component of complement (C2) and factor B are major histocompatibility complex class III gene products synthesized in mononuclear phagocytes. Recombinant IFN-gamma increased the synthesis of C2 and factor B in primary cultures of human mononuclear phagocytes and in murine fibroblasts transfected with cosmid DNA bearing the human C2 and factor B genes. In both cell types the increases in C2 and factor B protein synthesis were detected at concentrations of IFN-gamma less than 1 unit/ml and the regulation of each was pretranslational. The IFN-gamma-induced increases in C2 and factor B mRNA did not require new protein synthesis. In primary cultures of human monocytes, the kinetics of induction of C2 and factor B synthesis differed, but in the transfected L-cells the kinetics were similar, suggesting differences in transduction of the IFN-gamma signal, transcriptional, and/or post-transcriptional events in the two cell types. The small size of the factor B 5' flanking region, which is bounded by the 3' terminus of the IFN-gamma-regulated C2 gene, provides a well defined region to probe the structural basis for IFN-gamma regulation of gene expression.
We developed sensitive radioassays to quantitate the homologous complement proteins C2 and B, in intact form, in sera from patients with diseases associated with hypocomplementemia. In a study of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients, we found a subset of patients (6/40) with low C2 concentrations, though overall, C2 concentration was not related to disease activity. Protein B concentration was increased in 23/40 SLE patients, apparently not due to a generalized acute phase response. Among patients with both gram-negative and gram-positive septic shock, C2 and B concentrations were low in a subset of patients with pre-existing cirrhosis, suggesting hepatic hyposynthesis of these proteins may be important in their prognosis and predisposition to severe infections.
From a family of 14 individuals, evidence was obtained suggesting linkage between the HL-A haplotypes and the transmission of a 50 percent deficit in the functional activity of the C2 component of complement.
In this paper, we demonstrate the synthesis of the complement component C2 and factors B and D by the human astroglioma cell line U105-MG. All three components were structurally and antigenically similar to their serum counterparts, as determined by biosynthetic labelling studies or Western blot analysis. Northern blot analysis demonstrated that the mRNAs of all three components had the same apparent sizes as the equivalent mRNAs from hepatocyte and monocyte cell lines. Interestingly, U105-MG cells produce two C2 transcripts with sizes of approximately 2.8 and 2.3 kb. Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) enhanced the expression of C2 and factor B mRNA and protein in a dose- and time-dependent fashion, while factor D expression was refractory to IFN-gamma. IFN-gamma appeared to predominantly enhance the expression of the large (2.8 kb) C2 transcript. Kinetic studies demonstrated peak C2 and factor B expression in 48 h in response to IFN-gamma, similar to the acute-phase response of factor B in serum. These data are the first to demonstrate the synthesis of C2 and factor D by astroglioma cells. Combined with previous reports documenting the synthesis of C3 by astrocytes, our data suggest that endogenous synthesis of complement proteins, and particularly of alternative pathway activation components (C3, factors B and D), may play an important role in host defence in the central nervous system.
A method is described for the simultaneous purification of milligram quantities of complement components C2 and Factor B. Both products are homogeneous by the criteria of polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis and N-terminal sequence analysis. Component C2 is cleaved by serine proteinase C1s at an X-Lys bond to give fragment C2a (approx. mol.wt. 74000) and fragment C2b (approx. mol.wt. 34000). The two fragments can be separated by gel filtration without the need for reducing or denaturing agents. Fragment C2b represents the N-terminal end of the molecule. Similar results were seen on cleavage of Factor B by Factor D in the presence of component C3. Again two non-covalently linked fragments are formed. The smaller, fragment Ba (approx. mol.wt. 36,000),) has threonine as the N-terminal residue, as does Factor B; the larger, fragment Bb (approx. mol. wt. 58000), has lysine as the N-terminal residue. A similar cleavage pattern is obtained on limited proteolysis of Factor B by trypsin, suggesting an Arg-Lys-or Lys-Lys bond at the point of cleavage. Although component C2 and Factor B show no apparent N-terminal sequence homology, a limited degree of sequence homology is seen around the sites of proteolytic cleavage.
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Guinea pigs genetically deficient in the second (C2) or fourth component of complement (C4) generally appear healthy in contrast to humans with a C2 or C4 deficiency. However, upon investigation of these genetic deficiencies in guinea pigs for signs of dysregulation in the humoral immune system and especially autoantibodies, many complement-deficient guinea pigs (greater than 50%) had elevated levels of serum IgM and higher concentrations of anti-hapten (dinitrophenyl) antibodies as signs of polyclonally stimulated antibody synthesis. In addition, a significant number of the complement-deficient animals, on average 30%, had IgM rheumatoid factors in their sera compared with less than 1% of the normal animals. These observations, therefore, indicate that guinea pigs, genetically deficient in C2 or C4, show characteristics of immune complex disease in general.
We have demonstrated, using a combination of nuclear run-off and poly(A) site competition assays, that transcriptional termination occurs between the closely spaced human complement genes, C2 and Factor B, soon after the C2 poly(A) site. A comparison of the C2 termination signal with a functionally similar sequence downstream of the human alpha 2 globin gene reveals that both signals function in an orientation dependent manner, with subfragments of the whole signal displaying partial effects. In the case of the C2 termination sequence a protein binds within it, and is partially responsible for the termination effect. We further demonstrate that the same (or closely related) protein binds to the ME1a1 site in the murine c-myc promoter, which has been implicated in c-myc attenuation. We suggest that the termination/pause sequences positioned downstream of a gene's poly(A) site may constitute the general signals that elicit transcriptional termination in genes transcribed by RNA polymerase II.
We probed the functional significance of the region around Cys-241 in human C2 by testing the hemolytic activity of a series of mutant rC2. Mutant C2 cDNA were constructed by oligonucleotide-directed site-specific mutagenesis and expressed transiently in COS cells. Wild-type rC2 had threefold higher specific hemolytic activity than native serum C2. Substitution of Gly, Ala, or Ser for Cys-241 resulted in a slightly, but significantly, increased activity. In addition, I2 had no effect on the activity of these mutant C2. Substitution of Lys for Gln-243 increased the hemolytic activity by more than two-fold. Increased activity in all cases was due to slower decay rates of the C3 convertase. Finally, substitution of Leu or Ala for Asp-240 or Ser-244, respectively, resulted in more than 100-fold decrease of hemolytic activity. The results suggest that residues 240 to 244 of human C2 represent an important structural determinant of the C4b binding site of C2a. They also confirm that Cys-241 is the residue responsible for the increased activity of C2 reacted with I2.
A genetic influence of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) on the susceptibility and the development of the different clinical forms of paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) has been postulated. In the present investigation allotypes of MHC-coded class III gene products (complement components C2, BF, C4A, and B) were determined in 69 Brazilian PCM patients and 225 healthy control individuals matched for ethnic and geographic origin. The frequency of the non-expressed C4B allele (C4B*Q0) was significantly elevated in comparison to the controls (p less than 0.01; Fisher's exact test). Three out of 69 patients had a complete C4B deficiency as against 2 among 223 control individuals. The C4A*Q0 allele was also more frequent in the patients. Other C4 alleles were not seen to differ between the two groups. The analysis of BF allotypes showed a non-significant predominance of the rarer allele BF*S07 in the patients, whereas no difference in the distribution of C2 alleles was seen. The data on MHC class III association may support the hypothesis of immune response modulation in PCM and suggest a functional genetic role of complement action against the fungus and in the outcome of PCM infection. We conclude that MHC class III products, especially C4B*Q0, are associated with chronic uni- or multifocal PCM and may influence the course of the infection.
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This note describes the designations for variants of the human complement component C2, which were approved by the Nomenclature Committee of the International Union of Immunological Societies (IUIS).