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Radiation leukemia virus (RadLV)-induced leukemogenesis is associated with an increased number and activity of thymic macrophages.

The radiation leukemia virus (RadLV) is a chronic leukemia retrovirus that induces thymic lymphomas in C57BL/6 mice after a latency of 3 to 6 months. During the pre-leukemic (PL) period, the number of thymic macrophages gradually increased up to 100 fold. Of the cells in a RadLV-induced lymphoma, 0.3% were large macrophages packed with infected lymphoma cells. These thymic lymphoma macrophages (TLM) also ingested RadLV-induced lymphoma cells in vitro. Cultured RadLV-induced lymphoma lines could activate and fix C3 fragments through the alternative complement pathway (ACP). C3-bound lymphoma cells elicited an oxidative burst (OB) response in TLM but not in bone-marrow macrophages (BMM). However, IL4 treatment of BMM rendered them capable of responding with an OB following triggering by C3-opsonized cells. Thymic macrophages (TM) responded moderately with OB to C3-opsonized cells and this response was elevated if the TMs were treated by rIL4. The OB reaction of the TLMs could be partially inhibited by anti-LFA-I or anti-MALA-2 antibodies, and was completely inhibited by anti-CR3 antibodies. These results suggest that IL4 can prime macrophages for triggering an OB reaction and that the interaction between C3-opsonized cells and IL4-primed macrophages is mediated primarily through CR3.

Animals↗

Role of de novo protein synthesis by human mononuclear leukocytes in opsonin-independent phagocytosis.

Human peripheral blood lymphocytes or the soluble (105,000g) supernatant of the lymphocyte lysate can increase the percentage of human monocytes ingesting particulate activators of the human alternative complement pathway, e.g., rabbit erythrocytes (Chakravarti et al., J. Immunol. 137, 880, 1986). We now show that preincubation of the lymphocytes led to an increase in their augmenting ability. However, no such increase in the augmenting ability of the lymphocytes or soluble supernatant made from these lymphocytes was observed when they were preincubated and added to monocytes in the presence of cycloheximide; rather there was a significant reduction in the ingesting ability of the monocytes. Our results demonstrate that in the case of intact lymphocytes, the observed inhibition was because of (i) inhibition of de novo synthesis of protein(s) in the monocytes during their adherence and (ii) inhibition of de novo synthesis of protein(s) in the lymphocytes, possibly of a signaling molecule necessary for release of the peptide cytokine, phagocytosis-inducing factor (PIF), from the lymphocytes. However, the inhibition observed with soluble supernatant made from lymphocytes preincubated in the presence of cycloheximide was because of the above phenomenon (i) only and indicated that there was no de novo synthesis of PIF during preincubation of the lymphocytes.

Blood Proteins↗

A reexamination of the role of clusterin as a complement regulator.

Clusterin is a highly conserved glycoprotein which has been proposed to protect host cells against complement-mediated cytolysis. We tested the hypothesis that clusterin is a complement regulator using erythrocytes and cells which had been stably transfected with a membrane-anchored form of clusterin as targets for complement-mediated cytolysis. Clusterin gave dose-dependent protection of antibody-coated sheep erythrocytes against complement-mediated lysis by diluted normal human serum. There was a linear relationship between the concentration of clusterin giving 50% protection and the concentration of serum; extrapolation of this to the case of undiluted human serum showed that a clusterin concentration at least two orders of magnitude greater than its physiological plasma concentration would be needed to confer protection against complement-mediated cytolysis under physiological conditions. Physiological concentrations of clusterin did not protect rabbit erythrocytes against alternative complement pathway-mediated lysis using dilute human serum. Exogenous clusterin had no effect on lysis of human erythrocytes triggered by the addition of inulin to autologous human serum. Induction of cell-surface clusterin expression by L929 (murine fibroblast) cells which had been stably transfected with cDNA for human clusterin linked to DNA coding for the 44 C-terminal amino acid residues of CD55 did not protect the cells against complement-mediated lysis by either normal or clusterin-depleted human serum. These data suggest that clusterin may not be a physiologically relevant regulator of complement activation.

Animals↗

The kinetics of the hypoferraemic response and changes in levels of alternative complement activity in diploid and triploid Atlantic salmon, following injection of lipopolysaccharide.

To study any possible effects of triploidy on the kinetics of the response of two non-specific disease factors, full sibling diploid and triploid Atlantic salmon were injected intraperitoneally with either lipopolysaccharide (1 mg kg(-1) body weight) or saline. Individually marked fish were repetitively blood sampled for up to 19 days. Total serum protein concentrations remained constant throughout the experiment indicating that the sampling regime did not cause haemodilution. The alternative complement pathway activity (measured by the titre of haemolytic activity against rabbit erythrocytes) in the serum of saline injected fish remained constant but in LPS-injected fish it fell to barely detectable levels 2 days after injection, but recovered to pre-treatment levels by about day 5. Triploid fish took slightly longer to reach full recovery levels than diploids. All groups of fish showed a hypoferraemic response, suggesting that the sampling regime was at least partially responsible. However, the response was more rapid and pronounced in the LPS-injected fish. In the latter, serum iron concentrations decreased to very low levels by day 2 post-injection in the diploid fish and by day 3 in the triploid fish. Pre-treatment iron levels were re-established by about 15 days post-injection in all groups. The data show only slight differences between the diploid and triploid fish, but the longer time taken for the triploids to recover complement activity and the slower onset of the hypoferraemic response following injection of LPS, suggest that they may be at a disadvantage compared with their diploid siblings in their defence against bacterial infections.

Animals↗

Complement resistance in Borrelia burgdorferi strain 297: outer membrane proteins prevent MAC formation at lysis susceptible sites.

Two variants of Borrelia burgdorferi strain 297, complement-resistant wild-type (WT297) and complement-sensitive mutant (MUT297), were used as a model to study the mechanism of resistance to the alternative complement pathway in this organism. No difference in the quantity of membrane attack complex (MAC) deposition on WT297 and MUT297 was observed after 2 h incubation with normal human serum (NHS), at which time 4% of WT297 and 95% of MUT297 were killed. The polymerization of C9 bound to WT297 and MUT297 was demonstrated by immunoblotting using an anti-C9 polyclonal antibody. Immunofluorescence and thin-section immunoelectron microscopy showed MAC to be diffusely distributed on the outer membrane of both variants. Furthermore, MAC appeared to be tightly bound to the surface of both variants as demonstrated by elution studies. Protease treatment rendered WT297 susceptible to killing by NHS, suggesting that outer membrane proteins may be associated with complement resistance of WT297. One- and two-dimensional gel electrophoreses showed that proteins of 20 and 30 kDa, and 66 kDa were present in WT297 but were absent or sparse in trypsin-treated WT297 and MUT297. Interestingly, immunoblotting using a polyclonal antibody against C3 showed that C3 fragments appeared to bind different acceptors on WT297 than on trypsin-treated WT297, or MUT297. Therefore, the binding of C3 fragments to acceptors on WT297, in contrast to MUT297, may not direct the formation of the MAC to lysis-susceptible sites on the surface of the bacterium, resulting in the complement resistance of WT297.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

The complement system in type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes.

The complement proteins C1q, r, s, C2, C4, C3, factor B, C5, C6, and the inhibitors, C1 inhibitors, factors I and H were measured in 35 patients with recently diagnosed Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes, 76 patients with longer-duration disease (30 with complications) and 43 first-degree healthy relatives. We found that C1q, C4 and C3 were reduced significantly in all groups of patients (p less than 0.001 for each protein in recent onset and uncomplicated patients; p less than 0.01, p less than 0.01 and p less than 0.05 respectively, for patients with complications) compared to 60 control subjects and that C4 was also reduced in healthy relatives (p less than 0.001). C4 allotypes were examined in 63 subjects (selected from the patient groups) in order to clarify the role of null alleles in the production of the C4 abnormality. These showed serum C4 to be reduced significantly in 50 patients without null alleles (patient mean 0.24 g/l; control subject mean 0.34 g/l) (p less than 0.0001), although levels were lowest in the 13 patients with one or more null alleles (mean 0.19 g/l). Finally, to examine the metabolic basis for the low concentrations of C4 and C3, the turnover of highly-purified, radiolabelled C4 and C3 was measured in seven recently diagnosed patients; four of these had low levels of C4. The data showed that three out of four of these patients had reduced synthesis of C3 and C4 and normal values for fractional catabolic rate. Two patients showed features of C4 hypercatabolism. We conclude that several early complement proteins are reduced in Type 1 diabetes, irrespective of duration or complications.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗

Complement system activation by contrast media in neuroradiology.

Complement system activation was studied in six series of 12 patients undergoing routine contrast study following IV injection of five recently developed contrast media. The decreasing order of effectiveness on the complement system was as follows: ioxaglic acid, metrizamide, iodamidol. Metrizoic and ioxithalamic acids did not provoke any complement depletion at the doses used in this study. Both pathways of activating the complement system were involved. We could not find any definite correlation with osmolarity, ionic or nonionic formulation, protein binding, or hydrophobicity.

Complement Activation↗

A computerized microassay for complement hemolytic activity using an automated spectrophotometer.

A microassay carried out with V-bottomed microplates was developed as a simplified procedure to estimate the complement hemolytic activity. This microassay has the advantage of permitting the evaluation of the extent of lysis without the need to separate the supernatants from the unlysed erythrocytes. This is accomplished by calculating the ratio between the absorbance at 405 nm and that at 450 nm. The results, read automatically on a Dynatech MR580 spectrophotometer, are transformed into CH50 U by means of a computer program. Finally, a kinetic assessment of complement hemolytic activity, easily carried out by this simple procedure, may reveal complement abnormalities otherwise undetected by the standard hemolytic assay.

Animals↗

Complement in transplant rejection: diagnostic and mechanistic considerations.

After decades of neglect, complement has been rediscovered as a potent mediator and diagnostic indicator of inflammation and rejection in organ transplants. In part, this reflects a better understanding of the biology of complement, but it also reflects changes in clinical practice. The relevance of complement to clinical transplantation has increased as access to transplantation continues to be extended. Extended criteria for organ donors include older donors and non-heart beating donors. Simultaneously, the criteria for recipients have been extended to include more presensitized and blood group incompatible recipients. All of these variables can increase complement activation. As a result, several components of complement have received attention as potential diagnostic tools, and, with more sophisticated reagents, evidence of complement activation has been found in larger numbers of biopsy samples. Understanding the biology of complement is important to appreciate fully the diagnostic and mechanistic implications of complement activation in organ transplants. Mechanistically, a series of effector molecules in the complement cascade mediate proinflammatory functions that can account for chemotaxis and activation of cells of the innate immune system, such as granulocytes and monocytes. Simultaneously, many of these same complement mediators activate and disrupt the endothelial cell interface between the recipient and the transplant. In addition, there is growing appreciation that complement can stimulate B and T lymphocytes of the adaptive immune system. More recent evidence indicates that complement participates in the non-inflammatory clearance of apoptotic cells. Therefore, the complement cascade can be activated by multiple mechanisms and various components of complement can modulate the response to transplants in different directions.

Animals↗

Reciprocal antibody and complement responses of two chicken breeds to vaccine strains of Newcastle disease virus, infectious bursal disease virus and infectious bronchitis virus.

Serum antibody responses and haemolytic complement activity were evaluated in White Leghorn (WLH) and Rhode Island Red (RIR) chickens that were vaccinated with live-attenuated vaccines of Newcastle disease virus, or infectious bronchitis virus, or infectious bursal disease virus by means of ocular challenge at 10 times the normal vaccination dose. Complement titres in non-vaccinated birds were significantly higher in WLH birds compared to RIR birds. The lentogenic viral infection resulted in an immediate stimulation of complement activity, followed by a decrease to initial complement levels within 2 weeks post vaccination, when the antibody response took over immune defence. As compared to WLH chickens, RIR birds mounted a faster and significantly higher antibody response to the vaccine viruses used. In WLH hens, significantly higher haemolytic complement activity post vaccination was found as compared to RIR hens. Possible consequences of the observed differences in immune responsiveness of the two breeds to viral vaccines are discussed.

Animals↗

Lysis of P3HR-1 cells induced to enter the viral cycle by antibody-dependent and independent immunological mechanisms.

The P3HR-1 Burkitt lymphoma line carries the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) genome and a small proportion of the cells (1-3%) enter the lytic cycle spontaneously. Treatment with TPA and n-butyrate elevates considerably the number of virus-producing cells (25-35%). Cells which enter the lytic cycle express the EBV early antigen EA, the viral capsid antigen VCA, and the membrane antigen MA. Antibodies against these antigens are present in EBV-immune human sera. The expression of virus envelope protein on the plasma membrane renders the cells sensitive to immune effector mechanisms. These were shown to be initiated by the alternative complement pathway (ACP)-activating capacity of the cells and by their reactivity with antibodies directed to the MA. When incubated with EBV-immune or nonimmune human serum, the induced (P3HR-1-V) cells activated C3 through ACP and fixed the generated C3 fragments. The efficiency of opsonization was higher in immune serum. By varying the experimental conditions we showed the damage of the induced cells by the complement system and by blood lymphocytes, and analysed the involvement of antibodies and the activated C3 fragments in the lymphocyte-mediated lysis. P3HR-1-V cells were lysed by immune serum and also by nonimmune serum though with lower efficiency. The induced cells had elevated sensitivity to the NK effect which was potentiated if the conditions allowed their opsonization. In the presence of antibodies the lymphocyte-mediated lysis was considerably higher and the ADCC mechanism was also potentiated by opsonization. These experiments suggest that B cells which enter the virus-producing cycle may be eliminated in EBV nonimmune host by NK cells. After the antibody response against the virus develops, the attack on these cells is more efficient through complement and lymphocyte-mediated antibody-dependent mechanisms. These effector mechanisms are enhanced by opsonization which is the consequence of the C3-activating capacity of the cells. The multiple ways of the immune attack on the B cells prepared to produce EBV may explain the absence of EA and VCA positive B cells in tumor cell populations and during the acute phase of infectious mononucleosis.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗