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Complement modulatory activity of bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids isolated from Isopyrum thalictroides--II. Influence on C3-9 reactions in vitro and antiinflammatory effect in vivo.

The main alkaloids isopyruthaline (It1), fangchinoline (It2) and isothalictrine (It3), isolated from Isopyrum thalictroides (L.) were investigated in complement-mediated reactions. The alkaloids influenced the alternative pathway (AP) activity in normal human serum (NHS). They enhanced the inhibitory action of complement activators--carrageenan (Car), zymosan (Zy), hydrogen peroxide (HP) and high temperature via classical pathway (CP) in NHS. Substances strongly potentiated the action of zymosan and cobra venom (CV) in guinea pig serum (GPS). It was established that they could provoke C3 conversion in NHS and mouse sera (MS). The antiinflammatory properties of the alkaloids were evaluated in mouse paw oedema induced by CV, Zy and histamine (His). Isopyruthaline and isothalictrine suppressed paw swelling in CV- and Zy-oedema. They were applied in Zy-induced multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) in mice. The alkaloids inhibited the increase of the serum complement activity provoked by the injection of zymosan. Itl lowered the mortality rate of mice with MODS if its application proceeded Zy. An increase of the number of mice without tissue injury was established after treatment with It1 and It3.

Alkaloids↗

Inhibitory effect of bilirubin on complement-mediated hemolysis.

We investigated the in vitro action of the bile pigments, unconjugated bilirubin (UB) and bilirubin monoglucuronide (BMG) on complement (C) cascade reaction. Both UB and BMG inhibited hemolysis in the classical pathway (CP) in a dose-dependent manner at low micromolar concentrations, UB showing a stronger effect than BMG. The analysis of the action of UB on the hemolytic activity of the C1, C4, C2 and C-EDTA components of the C cascade revealed that the C1 step was the most inhibited. An enzyme immunoassay was developed to evaluate the effect of UB on the binding of C1q, one of the subcomponents of C1, to human IgM and IgG. The study demonstrated that the unconjugated pigment interferes both the C1q-IgM and -IgG interactions, thus tentatively explaining the inhibitory action of UB on hemolytic activity of C1. We conclude that the anti-complement effect of UB is mainly exerted on the C1 component, the recognition unit of CP. The potential clinical implication of the reported effects in hyperbilirubinemia is discussed.

Animals↗

Complement depletion improves neurological function in cerebral ischemia.

The contribution of the complement system to the exacerbation of cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury was studied by comparing a group of rats with normal complement levels to another group that was complement depleted by cobra venom factor (CVF). The magnitude of reactive hyperemia was significantly greater in the complement depleted animals. There was also better preservation of somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEPs) in the complement depleted animals. These differences were not associated with changes in leukocyte infiltration as evidenced by myeloperoxidase and Leukotriene B4 activity. These data demonstrate that depleting the complement system can improve flow and outcome following cerebral ischemia with reperfusion.

Animals↗

Complement depletion does not reduce brain injury in a rabbit model of thromboembolic stroke.

The contribution of the complement system to cerebral ischemic and ischemia/reperfusion injury was examined in a rabbit model of thromboembolic stroke by delivery of an autologous clot embolus to the intracranial circulation via the internal carotid artery. A two-by-two factorial design was employed to study the impact of complement depletion via pretreatment with cobra venom factor (CVF, 100 U/kg i.v.) in the setting of permanent (without tissue plasminogen activator; t-PA) and transient (with t-PA) cerebral ischemia. Thirty-two New Zealand white rabbits were assigned to one of four groups (n=8, each group): control without t-PA, control with t-PA, CVF without t-PA and CVF with t-PA. In the complement intact animals, t-PA administration resulted in an approximate 30% reduction in infarct size when compared to the group not receiving t-PA (20.4+/-6.6% of hemisphere area vs. 30.1+/-7.2%; mean+/-SEM). However, infarct sizes in the complement depleted rabbits, with (30.7+/-8.2%) or without (30.2+/-7.9%) t-PA, were no different from the control group receiving no therapy. Similarly, no difference in regional cerebral blood flow or final intracranial pressure values was noted between any of the four groups. Complement activation does not appear to be a primary contributor to brain injury in acute thromboembolic stroke.

Animals↗

Anti-inflammatory activities of Trichilia glabra aqueous leaf extract.

Trichilia glabra L. aqueous leaf extract exerted a significant antiinflammatory effect 'in vivo' in the zymosan-induced inflammation model. The extract impaired the 'in vitro' activities of polymorphonuclear leukocytes and complement, components of mouse immune system closely related to the inflammatory response induced by zymosan. In particular, a significant reduction in the phagocytic capability and respiratory burst response of mouse polymorphonuclear leukocytes together with an inhibition in the hemolytic activity of mouse complement was observed.

Animals↗

Studies on anti-complementary activity of extracts and isolated flavones from Ligustrum vulgare and Phillyrea latifolia leaves (Oleaceae).

Polar fractions and flavones isolated from methanolic extracts of the leaves of Ligustrum vulgare and Phillyrea latifolia (Oleaceae), whose popular use as an anti-inflammatory is well-known in Mediterranean historical medicine and ethnobotany, showed significant in vitro complement inhibiting effect on the classical pathway of the complement system. Among the isolated flavonoidic structures, apigenin-7-O-glucoside, apigenin-7-O-rutinoside, luteolin-4'-O-glucoside, luteolin-7-O-glucoside and ligustroflavone presented remarkable activity.

Apigenin↗

Rhamnopyranosylgalactofuranan, a new immunologically active polysaccharide from Thamnolia subuliformis.

A complex polysaccharide, Ths-3, consisting mainly of rhamnopyranosyl and galactofuranosyl units, has been isolated from the water extract of the lichen Thamnolia subuliformis using ethanol fractionation, dialysis, ion-exchange chromatography, gel filtration and preparative GP-HPLC. The mean M(r) of Ths-3 was determined to be 1450 kD, and the monosaccharide composition is gal/rha/glc/xyl/man in the ratio of 40:31:13:10:6. The structure of Ths-3 was further elucidated by methylation analysis by GC-MS and NMR spectroscopy and found to be basically composed of (1-->3)-linked beta-D-galactofuranosyl units with branches on C6, and rhamnosyl units being predominantly (1-->2)-linked with branches on C3 and C4, while some units are (1-->3)-linked. Glucose, mannose and galactofuranose are found as terminal units and glucose and mannose are also (1-->4)-linked, while xylose is only present as terminal units. The trisaccharide xylglcglc was detected after partial hydrolysis of the polysaccharide. The immunomodulating activity of Ths-3 was tested in an in vitro phagocytosis assay and the classical anticomplementary assay, and proved to be active in both tests. The authors suggest the trivial name thamnolan for Ths-3.

Chromatography, Gas↗

Synthesis of low molecular weight compounds with complement inhibition activity.

An attempt was made to synthesize a series of non-cytotoxic low molecular weight meta-substituted aromatic ethers (2-4, 5-7) and some of their bioisosteres (14-16) and to evaluate their activity on the activation of human complement (classical pathway) and their intrinsic hemolytic activity. The in vitro assay results of the inhibition of complement-mediated hemolysis by these analogues indicate that the aldehydic meta substituted aromatic ethers show inhibitory potency, while carboxylic acid meta substituted aromatic ethers show hemolytic activity. Some of the bioisosteres exhibit both inhibitory as well as hemolytic property.

Complement Inactivator Proteins↗

Antibody-mediated activation of the classical complement pathway in xenograft rejection.

Transplant rejection is a multifactorial process involving complex interactions between components of the innate and the acquired immune system. In view of the shortage of donor organs available for transplantation, xenotransplantation of pig organs into man has been considered as a potential solution. However, in comparison to allografts, xenografts are subject to extremely potent rejection processes that are currently incompletely defined. Consequently, an appropriate and safe treatment protocol ensuring long-term graft survival is not yet available. The first barrier that has to be taken for a xenograft is hyperacute rejection, a rapid process induced by the binding of pre-formed antibodies from the host to the graft endothelium, followed by activation of the classical complement pathway. The present review concentrates on the role of antibodies and complement in xenograft rejection as well as on the approaches for treatment that target these components. The first part focuses on porcine xenoantigens that are recognized by human xenoreactive antibodies and the different treatment strategies that aim on interference in antibody binding. The second part of the review deals with complement activation by xenoreactive antibodies, and summarizes the role of complement in the induction of endothelial cell damage and cell activation. Finally, various options that are currently under development for complement inhibition are discussed, with special reference to the specific inhibition of the classical complement pathway by soluble complement inhibitors.

Animals↗

Stable isotope labeling of a Group A Streptococcus virulence factor using a chemically defined growth medium.

A secreted, hypervariable virulence factor called the streptococcal inhibitor of complement (Sic) has been linked to the reemergence of epidemics due to the human pathogenic bacterium Group A Streptococcus. This paper describes a method for expressing and purifying Sic from an attenuated GAS strain using a chemically defined growth medium. This method was used to label specific amino acid residue types in Sic with forms containing the magnetically active isotope (15)N, at the amide nitrogen. The (15)N-labeling of Sic permits a detailed investigation of the structure and dynamics of the protein using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The level of stable isotope incorporation was established using mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

Amides↗

Structural analysis of engineered Bb fragment of complement factor B: insights into the activation mechanism of the alternative pathway C3-convertase.

The C-terminal fragment, Bb, of factor B combines with C3b to form the pivotal C3-convertase, C3bBb, of alternative complement pathway. Bb consists of a von Willebrand factor type A (vWFA) domain that is structurally similar to the I domains of integrins and a serine protease (SP) domain that is in inactive conformation. The structure of the C3bBb complex would be important in deciphering the activation mechanism of the SP domain. However, C3bBb is labile and not amenable to X-ray diffraction studies. We engineered a disulfide bond in the vWFA domain of Bb homologous to that shown to lock I domains in active conformation. The crystal structures of Bb(C428-C435) and its inhibitor complexes reveal that the adoption of the "active" conformation by the vWFA domain is not sufficient to activate the C3-convertase catalytic apparatus and also provide insights into the possible mode of C3-convertase activation.

Animals↗

Leishmania amazonensis promastigotes evade complement killing by interfering with the late steps of the cascade.

During their growth in vitro, promastigotes of Leishmania amazonensis undergo differentiation from complement-susceptible to complement-resistant forms. Here, we demonstrate that both forms bind comparable amounts of C3 on their surfaces, with the predominant molecule species being the haemolytically active C3b. Likewise, equivalent amounts of C9 are deposited on both forms of promastigotes. However, while C9-bearing complexes are exposed on the cell surface of resistant promastigotes, they are cryptic in the susceptible stage of the parasites. The membrane fraction of complement-resistant promastigote lysates has the ability to inhibit complement-mediated haemolysis, blocking C9, but not C3 deposition to complement-activating complexes. Moreover, the membrane fraction of complement-resistant promastigote lysates can inhibit the late steps of guinea-pig erythrocyte lysis much more efficiently than complement-susceptible ones. Our results indicate that L. amazonensis promastigotes evade complement killing by inhibiting the cytolytic pathway of the complement cascade.

Animals↗

Dendritic polyglycerol sulfates as new heparin analogues and potent inhibitors of the complement system.

Due to several limitations of heparin, a widely used antithrombotic drug, there is large interest to develop alternatives. The aim of the presented study was to produce fully synthetic highly branched heparin mimetics. For this purpose, a new type of 'treelike' polysulfated polymers based on dendritic polyglycerol was synthesized. An efficient synthetic approach has been chosen to prepare several polyglycerol sulfates with different molecular weights as well as a polyglycerol carboxylate analogue and to evaluate them for their anticoagulant and anticomplementary activities. In contrast to the nonderivatized and the carboxylated polyglycerols, the polyglycerol sulfates prolong the activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and thrombin time (TT) and inhibit both the classical (CCA) and alternative complement activation (ACA). Whereas their anticoagulant activity in the APTT and in the TT amounts to 5.7-8.1% and 15.7-33.6%, respectively, of that of unfractionated heparin (UFH), their CCA and ACA inhibitory activity is 13.4-23.9 and 2.7-3.7 times, respectively, higher. In contrast to sulfated polysaccharides, the activities are not clearly dependent on the molecular weight, which might be due to the globular 3D-structure of the dendritic molecules. Due to the coherence between coagulation, complement activation and inflammation in the pathophysiology of numerous diseases, polyglycerol sulfates with both anticoagulant and anticomplementary activities represent promising candidates for the development of potential drugs.

Adult↗

Regulation of C4b-binding protein gene expression by the acute-phase mediators tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-6, and interleukin-1.

C4b-binding protein (C4BP) is involved in the fluid-phase regulation of the classical pathway of complement. During an acute-phase response, we have shown that hepatic levels of murine C4BP mRNA are elevated 2.5-fold while rat liver C4BP gene expression exhibits a 4-fold induction. Furthermore, a survey of different mouse tissues showed that during acute inflammation C4BP gene expression was confined to the liver. To gain a better understanding of the acute-phase regulation of C4BP gene expression we utilized the rat hepatoma cell line FAO in which tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) produced a 2.7-fold induction of C4BP mRNA levels. In the absence of TNF-alpha, interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) had little effect on C4BP gene expression but when all three cytokines were used together a synergistic 4-fold induction of C4BP mRNA levels was observed. In contrast the synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone inhibited TNF-alpha-induced C4BP gene expression. Cycloheximide-mediated inhibition of inducible C4BP gene expression demonstrated the requirement for ongoing protein synthesis. Rapid induction of C4BP mRNA levels by TNF-alpha and IL-6 (within 1 h) and the observation that stimulation was inhibited by actinomycin D provided evidence that regulation of C4BP gene expression during the acute-phase response is regulated at the transcriptional level. Isolation of a genomic clone extending into the 5' regulatory region of the rat C4BP gene enabled us to identify the major transcriptional start site and putative response elements through which TNF-alpha, IL-6, IL-1 alpha, and dexamethasone may exert their effects on C4BP gene expression.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Acute-Phase Reaction↗

Role of a disulfide-bonded peptide loop within human complement C9 in the species-selectivity of complement inhibitor CD59.

CD59 antigen is a membrane glycoprotein that inhibits the activity of the C9 component of the C5b-9 membrane attack complex (MAC), thereby protecting human cells from lysis by human complement. The complement-inhibitory activity of CD59 is species-selective, and is most effective toward C9 derived from human or other primate plasma. The species-selective activity of CD59 was recently used to map the segment of human C9 that is recognized by this MAC inhibitor, using recombinant rabbit/human C9 chimeras that retain lytic function within the MAC [Husler, T., Lockert, D. H., Kaufman, K. M., Sodetz, J. M., & Sims, P. J. (1995) J. Biol. Chem. 270,3483-3486]. These experiments suggested that the CD59 recognition domain was contained between residues 334 and 415 in human C9. By analyzing the species-selective lytic activity of recombinant C9 with chimeric substitutions internal to this segment, we now demonstrate that the site in human C9 uniquely recognized by CD59 is centered on those residues contained between C9 Cys359/Cys384, with an additional contribution by residues C-terminal to this segment. Consistent with its role as a CD59 recognition domain, CD59 specifically bound a human C9-derived peptide corresponding to residues 359-384, and antibody (Fab) raised against this C9-derived peptide inhibited the lytic activity of human MAC. Mutant human C9 in which Ala was substituted for Cys359/384 was found to express normal lytic activity and to be fully inhibited by CD59. This suggests that the intrachain Cys359/Cys384 disulfide bond within C9 is not required to maintain the conformation of this segment of C9 for interaction with CD59.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Identification of mutations in rat CD59 that increase the complement regulatory activity.

Formation of the membrane attack complex (MAC) of complement on host cells is inhibited by the glycosylphosphatidylinositol- (GPI-) anchored glycoprotein CD59. Published data on the active site of human CD59 are confusing. To clarify these data, we set out to elucidate the active site of a nonprimate CD59 molecule by site-directed mutagenesis. We also undertook to investigate a region of potential species selectivity, and to this end rat CD59 was chosen for all mutations. Our investigations confirmed the proposal that the active site of CD59 is the major hydrophobic groove, with mutations Y36A, W40A, and L54A ablating complement inhibitory function of CD59. Other mutations reducing the function of rat CD59 were I56E, D24A, and D24R. Importantly, mutations at one residue increased the function of rat CD59. The K48E mutation significantly increased function against human rat or rabbit serum, whereas the K48A mutation increased function against human serum alone. A similar mutation in human CD59 (N48E) had no effect on activity against human or rat serum but completely abolished all activity against rabbit serum. These findings suggest that the alpha-helix of human CD59, adjacent to the hydrophobic groove, influences the interaction between human CD59 and rabbit C8, C9, or both.

Amino Acid Substitution↗