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Regulation of the alternative pathway of human complement by C1q.

The interaction of C1q with C3b and its effect on C3b activities in the alternative pathway of complement (APC) have been studied. Purified C1q markedly inhibited C3b deposition on and lysis of rabbit erythrocytes by the isolated cytolytic APC. It also blocked formation of the C3 convertase, C3b, Bb as well as binding of Factors B and H to sheep erythrocytes (E) bearing C3b. The direct and specific binding of C1q to C3b was clearly demonstrated using the hemagglutination technique at low ionic strength (0.1 M NaCl). C1q concns of 2 micrograms/ml and higher agglutinated, in a dose-dependent fashion, EC3b but not E, EC3bi or EC3d. Addition of C1r and C1s to C1q and formation of C1 did not affect its capacity to agglutinate EC3b. The C1q-mediated agglutination of EC3b was inhibited by EDTA, MgEGTA, C3b and Factor B but not by native C3 or collagen. Heating C1q (56 degrees C) markedly potentiated its agglutinating activity whereas collagenase-treated C1q lost most of its activity. Taken together, these results suggest that C1q binds through its "heads" and in the presence of calcium ions to a site on C3b that is adjacent to the Factor B and Factor H binding sites. This interaction may down-regulate the activity of the alternative pathway of complement on surfaces which activate both the classical and alternative pathways of complement.

Animals

The effect of vitamin C nutriture on complement component C1q concentrations in guinea pig plasma.

This study shows that guinea pigs fed 100 times the amount of vitamin C needed for growth and for prevention of scurvy have elevated levels of complement component C1q. C1q is a plasma protein rich in hydroxyproline, an amino acid whose biosynthesis requires ascorbate. C1q is essential for host defense against pathogens, both as a component of the classical complement pathway and as an opsonin in the phagocytosis process. We measured C1q in vitamin C-depleted guinea pigs that had been repleted for 4 wks with the following daily doses of ascorbate (mg/100 g body wt): 0.50 (suboptimal), 2.0 (adequate), 10 (ample) and 50 (tissue saturating). We measured C1q in three ways: indirectly by quantifying protein-bound hydroxyproline and directly by hemolytic assay and by immunodiffusion against anti-C1q. Regardless of the method, plasma C1q was 30-50% higher in animals fed tissue-saturating ascorbate than in those fed adequate or suboptimal amounts of the vitamin (p less than 0.05, one-way analysis of variance, least significant difference test). These data confirm and significantly extend earlier work that provided indirect evidence for a relationship between C1q and ascorbate nutriture in the guinea pig. They are consistent with a possible relationship between ascorbate nutriture and host defense.

Animals

Complement component C1q and its receptor are involved in the interaction of human sperm with zona-free hamster eggs.

C1q is a component of the classical complement pathway that can react with the Fc-fragment of immunoglobulins and with other proteins, such as fibronectin, laminin, and a specific C1q receptor present on several cell types. Given its role in many adhesion systems, mainly related to phagocytosis, we tested the effects of C1q on the interaction between human spermatozoa and zona-free hamster eggs. The presence of C1q in the medium used for gamete coincubation resulted in promotion of sperm-oolemma adhesion and an inhibition of penetration. The number of adherent sperm per egg at 5 micrograms/ml concentration was 90 +/- 35 vs. 29 +/- 7 for the control (P less than 0.001). At 1 microgram/ml, the lower concentration at which C1q had an effect, the number of penetrating sperm/egg was 0.6 vs. 1.7 for the control without C1q (P less than 0.01), and the percent of penetrated eggs was 28% vs. 85%. At 50 micrograms/ml, the percent of penetrated eggs was 7%, with a penetration index of 0.07. The addition of C1q to the medium resulted in sperm agglutination, which varied between sperm donors. The presence of C1q receptors, as detected by anti-C1qR monoclonal antibodies (Mabs), was demonstrated both on zona-free hamster eggs by immunobead rosetting and on human spermatozoa by immunobead binding and indirect immunofluorescence. Mabs directed against different epitopes of C1qR had different effects on gamete interaction, with a partial inhibition of penetration mediated by some of them. The binding of C1q to antibody-free human spermatozoa was also demonstrated both by means of indirect immunofluorescence and utilizing 125I-C1q.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals

Elevation by muroctasin of the serum level of the complement subcomponent C1q in mice and of its biosynthesis by cultured mouse peritoneal macrophages.

Augmentative effects of muroctasin (N2-[(N-acetylmuramoyl)-L-alanyl-D-isoglutaminyl]-N6-stearoyl-L-lysine, (MDP-Lys(L18] on the production of a subcomponent of the first complement component, C1q, in mice were examined. The serum level of C1q in mice treated subcutaneously with muroctasin was found to be elevated significantly at 24 h (p less than 0.1) and 48 h (p less than 0.01). At 24 h, samples of peritoneal macrophages were derived from mice, and incubated with Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium (MEM) at 37 degrees C for 24 h. At 19 h of incubation, the C1q concentration in the supernatant of the culture also increased significantly (p less than 0.05). Moreover, when the peritoneal macrophages from non-treated mice were cultured in MEM containing muroctasin (0.001 microgram/ml), the amount of C1q in the culture supernatants also increased significantly 3 h (p less than 0.01) after cultivation. These results indicate that muroctasin activated C1q generation by macrophages in mice through direct and/or indirect mechanisms.

Acetylmuramyl-Alanyl-Isoglutamine

C1q component of complement binds to fibrinogen and fibrin.

The interaction of complement component C1q with fibrinogen and fibrin was studied by using a solid-phase direct binding assay. Scatchard analysis of radioiodinated fibrinogen binding to C1q indicated at least two high-affinity binding constants (Kd) calculated as 8.5 and 120 nM. In contrast, binding of radioiodinated fibrin to C1q showed only a single class of binding sites with a calculated Kd of 600 nM. Fibrinogen-C1q binding was shown to decrease as a function of increasing salt concentrations, indicating either the presence of charged amino acids in the binding sites or an ionic strength induced conformational dependency of the binding. In direct binding studies using isolated fragments of C1q, both the collagen-like domain of C1q and the globular domains of C1q were shown to bind fibrinogen, indicating at least one binding site for fibrinogen is located in each of the major domains of C1q. Addition of the thrombin-generated peptides of fibrinogen, fibrinopeptides A and B, enhanced C1q-fibrinogen binding, again indicating a complex binding interaction. These results indicate that C1q and fibrinogen are capable of high-affinity interactions that may serve to sequester these complexes in areas of tumors, immune complex deposition, or wounds.

Binding Sites

Complement component C1q activity and ascorbic acid nutriture in guinea pigs.

When guinea pigs are fed tissue-saturating amounts of ascorbate, C1q concentrations are significantly higher than in those animals fed only enough ascorbate for adequate growth and for the prevention of scurvy. C1q is the recognition protein of the classical complement pathway, a system of blood proteins that constitutes an important part of host defense against pathogens. The observed effect of ascorbate nutriture on C1q concentrations is consistent with the known role of ascorbic acid in hydroxyproline biosynthesis. C1q is a hydroxyproline-containing protein with structural similarities to collagen.

Analysis of Variance

Collagenase of Clostridium perfringens type A: degradation of human complement component C1q.

The semipurified collagenases from Clostridium perfringens type A strains 2-Cli and ATCC 13124, both characterized by molecular weights of 79.4 kilodaltons, partially degraded purified human complement (C) component C1q. The following purified human serum proteins were refractory: C components C3, C4, C5, C6, C7, C8, and C9; immunoglobulin (Ig)A (from colostrum), IgG, and IgM; alpha 2-macroglobulin, haptoglobin, and C-reactive protein.

Blotting, Western

In vitro synthesis of some complement components (C1q, C3 and C4) by lymphoid tissues and circulating leucocytes in man.

Human lymphoid tissues and peripheral blood leucocytes and monocytes were studies with respect to the synthesis of complement components (C1q, C3 and C4) using an in vitro culture technique. All of the lymphoid tissues investigated (bone marrow, thymus, lymph node, spleen, tonsil, adenoid) synthesize complement components in different patterns. C3 was produced by all lymphoid tissues except the spleen, which was the only lymphoid tissue in which C4 production was regularly found. C1q synthesis was demonstrated in the spleen and adenoid cultures, and occasionally also in those of lymph node tissue. Lymphocytes in peripheral blood from normal individuals and in thoracic duct lymph, and also from patients suffering from chronic lymphatic leukaemia, do not synthesize any of these complement components. Peripheral blood leucocyte samples from normal individuals, containing 60 per cent lymphocytes and 40 per cent monocytes, do synthesize C3, however. Separation of the monocytes from these samples showed that it was in these cells that the synthesis of C3 occurred. Production of C3 by mononuclear phagocytes is also supported by the finding that peripheral blood leucocytes from patients suffering from acute monocytic leukaemia synthesize C3. C1q and C4 synthesis could not be demonstrated in any of the cultures of circulating leucocytes.

Adenoids

Binding of complement components C1q, C3, C4 and C5 to a model immune complex in ELISA.

When normal human serum is added to microELISA plates coated with monomeric or aggregated IgG various complement components become bound and can be detected with specific chicken anti-C1q, anti-C3, anti-C4 and anti-C5 antibodies. Using such assays we found increased C1q- and decreased C3- and C4-binding in sera from patients with SLE. In contrast, sera from patients with rheumatoid arthritis showed decreased C3 binding but normal C1q binding. The decreases in C3 and C4 binding observed in the sera from patients with SLE were larger than the corresponding decreases determined by radial immunodiffusion. Comparing these results with those of the CH50 assay, the correlation coefficient between CH50 and the C3-binding assay was 0.48. There was no correlation between the results of the CH50 and those of the C1q-, C4- or C5-binding assays.

Antigen-Antibody Complex

[Kinetics of the complement subcomponent C1q production of peritoneal macrophages in NZB/W F1 female mice].

To clarify the role of local production (exohepatic) of complement on primary host defense mechanisms against microbial infections in the host who decreased the amount of complement in serum, the kinetics of the complement production by the complement-producing cells in exohepatic tissue was examined by measuring the amount of C1q, subcomponent of the first complement component, in cultured supernatant of the monolayer of peritoneal macrophages (PM phi) collected from 5, 15, 35, and 48 weeks-old female mice of NZB/W F1 (B/W F1). The C1q production of PM phi in B/W F1 mice showed remarkable decrease at 15 weeks-old. After that, however, the C1q producibility of PM phi recovered gradually and, at mice 48 weeks old, the complement produced finally exceeded the amount observed in mice 5 weeks-old, contrariwise the C1q values in serum were significantly lowering in the same aged mice. The increased production of C1q of PM phi was observed in both 35 and 48 weeks-old mice, of which the value corresponded with increase of anti-nuclear antibody titer in serum and of the amount of protein in urine. On female mice of ddY (control), the amount of C1q production of PM phi in 5 weeks-old mice was two-fold higher than that of 5 weeks-old B/WF1 mice. But at 15 weeks, the production showed a 1/2 decrease in that of mice 5 weeks-old and the decreased values were kept to 35 weeks-old.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aging

Binding of complement component C1q by spectrin.

125I-labelled human C1q was found to bind to human spectrin. Scatchard plots for the binding process were non-linear, indicating the possible presence of multiple classes of binding sites for C1q on spectrin. The binding was ionic-strength-dependent; the extent of binding decreased with increasing ionic strength. Chemical modification of arginine and histidine residues on C1q as well as pretreatment of C1q at pH 4.45 or at 56 degrees C reduced its spectrin binding activity. The amount of 125I-labelled C1q bound to immune complexes was reduced by the presence of spectrin. Spectrin was also able to deplete the complement haemolytic activity of human serum in a dose-dependent manner.

Complement Activating Enzymes

Immunoglobulin M possesses two binding sites for complement subcomponent C1q, and soluble 1:1 and 2:1 complexes are formed in solution at reduced ionic strength.

Soluble complexes were formed between C1q, a subunit of the first component of human complement, and four different Waldenström IgM proteins at reduced ionic strengths. The equilibria between these complexes and the free proteins were studied in the ultracentrifuge. Complex formation was found to be a very sensitive function of the salt concentration, and at physiological ionic strength complex formation was negligible. The complexes were cross-linked with a water-soluble carbodiimide and separated by sucrose gradient centrifugation. Both 22 S 1:1 and 26 S 2:1 C1q X IgM complexes were formed; stoichiometry was established by cross-linking 125I-C1q with 131I-IgM and determining the ratios of the specific activities of the gradient-purified materials. The association process was studied as a function of protein concentration and was analyzed by Scatchard and Hill plots to yield stoichiometry, association constant, and degree of cooperativity. The results indicated that IgM has two identical and independent binding sites for C1q. The intrinsic association constant was found to vary between 10(6) M-1 at 0.084 M ionic strength to 10(4) M-1 at physiological ionic strength; the slope of the log-log plot gave a value of -6.0. The cross-linked complexes were examined by electron microscopy, and the C1q appeared to be attached to the IgM through the C1q heads, implying that the biologically significant binding sites were involved in this interaction. For the 2:1 complexes, the two C1q appeared to attach to opposite surfaces of the IgM, suggesting the presence of a pseudo-2-fold axis lying in the plane of the IgM disk.

Binding Sites

Measurement of macromolecular interactions between complement subcomponents C1q, C1r, C1s, and immunoglobulin IgM by sedimentation analysis using the analytical ultracentrifuge.

The interactions between the complement components and with immunoglobulins are greatly enhanced by lowering the ionic strength and become readily measurable by physical techniques. Thus, the binding between C1q and IgM was previously shown to be appreciable (k = 1 x 10(6) M-1) at 0.084 M ionic strength (Poon, P.H., Phillips, M.L., and Schumaker, V.N. (1985) J. Biol. Chem. 260, 9357-9365). We have now found that, at 0.128 M ionic strength, the binding between human C1- (the activated first component of complement) and IgM was strong at physiological concentrations (k = 1 x 10(7) M-1), while under the same conditions binding between C1q and IgM was not observed. To explore the nature of the interactions responsible for this enhanced binding by C1- over C1q, mixtures of the various subcomponents of C1- were studied alone and with IgM. C1r2 did not bind to C1q, even when the ionic strength was reduced to 0.098 M, nor did the presence of C1r2 enhance the binding of C1q to IgM. In contrast, two C1s2 independently bound to C1q (k = 1 x 10(6) M-1), and caused a marked increase in its association with IgM (k = 5 x 10(6) M-1) at 0.098 M ionic strength. No detectable interaction was found between C1s2 and/or C1r2 and IgM in the absence of C1q. Moreover, there was no detectable interaction between the C1(-)-like complex formed between C1r2C1s2 and the collagenous C1q stalks (pepsin-digested C1q) and IgM. These data suggest that the binding of C1s2 to C1q, either alone or together with C1r2, induces a conformational change in C1q which results in additional C1q heads binding to complementary sites on IgM.

Complement C1q

Complement subcomponent C1q secreted by cultured human monocytes has subunit structure identical with that of serum C1q.

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (e.l.i.s.a.) that is capable of quantifying C1q concentrations as low as 2 ng/ml and a sensitive haemolytic assay were used to study the appearance of material that cross-reacts with human serum C1q as well as C1q haemolytic activity in human monocyte culture media. This material was detected in the medium after 10-14 days and continued to be secreted through to day 28 of culture, at which time the cultures were terminated. Material specifically immunoabsorbed with Sepharose-anti-C1q antibody from a culture medium of cells that was metabolically labelled with [3H] proline or [35S] methionine demonstrated a polypeptide pattern identical with that of serum C1q on SDS/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis. Under non-reducing conditions two protein bands were detected migrating with the same Rf values as the serum C1q A-B and C-C dimers. On reduction three bands were evident, which migrated identically with the A, B and C chains of serum C1q. The amount of radioactivity in these bands increased with time in culture, consistent with the e.l.i.s.a. and haemolytic C1q assays. These bands were reactive with monospecific anti-C1q antibody after transfer to nitrocellulose.

Ascorbic Acid

Complement subcomponent C1q stimulates Ig production by human B lymphocytes.

The regulation of Ig production by human B lymphocytes is a complex process involving interactions among B cells, APC, T lymphocytes and soluble factors including activation, growth, and differentiation factors. Components of the complement system, including C3a, C3b, C3d, and C5a, have been shown to influence various stages in this process. In this study, we demonstrate that the C1q subcomponent of complement binds to both small resting and large activated B cells and stimulates immunoglobulin production by Staphylococcus aureus Cowan-activated tonsillar B lymphocytes. This effect is present whether C1q is added to the B cells either at the beginning or near the end of a 7-day culture period and is not associated with enhancement of proliferation. The C1q stimulation of Ig production is, however, associated with increased steady state levels of mRNA for the mu Ig H chain. Furthermore, C1q stimulated IgM production by the human B cell line SKW 6.4, which is capable of secreting IgM in response to B cell differentiation factors (BCDF). SLE is a disorder frequently associated with polyclonal activation of B lymphocytes. We studied the effect of C1q on B cells from two patients with this disorder and one with an SLE-like illness, all selected for the predominance of either IgM or IgG in serum. Spontaneous or BCDF-stimulated Ig secretion was of the isotype predominant in vivo, whereas C1q selectively stimulated B cells to produce the other isotype (IgG vs IgM). Thus, C1q interacts with B lymphocytes in a manner distinct from that of BCDF found in mixed lymphocyte supernatants. C1q may be an important factor influencing the production of Ig by B lymphocytes in normal individuals and in patients with abnormalities of B cell activity.

B-Lymphocytes

Binding of complement component C1q by rat adipocyte membranes.

Human C1q was found to bind to rat adipocyte membranes with an affinity comparable to that for aggregated immunoglobulin. The binding was ionic strength dependent, and modification of arginyl and histidyl residues in C1q abrogated its binding activity. Treatment of the adipocyte membranes with either high ionic strength buffers, EDTA or trypsin had little effect on their C1q-binding activity.

Adipose Tissue