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Activation of complement via the alternative pathway.

Activation of complement via the alternative pathway represents one means of natural resistance to infection because it is capable of neutralizing a wide variety of potential pathogens in the total absence of antibody. The pathway involves six serum proteins and possesses a unique amplification system capable of depositing large numbers of C3b molecules on the surfaces of activating particles. C3b deposition enhances phagocytosis and results in activation of the membrane attack pathway of complement. C3b attachment is covalent, arising from a reaction between an intramolecular thiolester bond in nascent C3b and nucleophiles such as hydroxyl groups on surface carbohydrates. The reactions that initiate C3b attachment are not specific interactions like those initiating other biological cascade systems, but involve slow, spontaneous hydrolysis of the thiolester bond in C3 and subsequent random deposition of C3b onto all nearby surfaces. Once bound, C3b is capable of discriminating between host-derived cells and activating particles. Recognition is evidenced by a lower affinity between activator-bound C3b and the complement control protein factor H. Measurements of the association constant between unbound, soluble C3b and factor H suggest that activator-bound C3b recognizes structures on activators that inhibit factor H binding.

Complement C3

C3b deposition during activation of the alternative complement pathway and the effect of deposition on the activating surface.

Examination of C3b deposition on the surface of activators during alternative pathway activation revealed three temporal phases: a lag phase, an amplification phase, and a heretofore uncharacterized plateau phase. During the plateau phase no C3b deposition appeared to occur even in the presence of an excess of alternative pathway components. Double label experiments, however, revealed that the plateau was a steady state between continued C3b deposition and release of C3b or C3bi from the activator. Under conditions of excess complement it was found that deposition of increasing numbers of C3b molecules caused a gradual increase in the ability of Factors H and I to inactivate newly deposited C3b; i.e., the deposited C3b converted the activator into a nonactivator. The data indicate that the surface of rabbit erythrocytes is rendered completely nonactivating when 2.4 X 10(6) molecules of C3b plus C3bi are bound per cell. The plateau of C3b deposition appears to represent the maximum steady state level maintainable by a given concentration of complement components, and it also reflects conversion of an activating surface to one resembling a nonactivator.

Animals

Isolation, characterization, and mechanism of action of rat beta 1H.

beta 1Hrat was purified to homogeneity from fresh rat plasma by precipitation with 28.6% ammonium sulfate followed by sequential chromatography on DEAE-Sephacel, Biorex-70, and gel filtration on Sephacryl-S300. The final material was homogeneous on SDS-PAGE analysis and had an apparent m.w. of 150,000. Reduction with dithiothreitol did not affect its m.w., suggesting that the molecule is composed of one polypeptide chain. The recovery of beta 1H was approximately 10%. A monospecific antibody against beta 1Hrat was obtained from immunized rabbits, which recognized beta 1Hrat as a protein with beta-electrophoretic mobility upon immunoelectrophoresis of fresh rat plasma. The concentration of beta 1H in plasma of normal 4-mo-old Wistar rats was 243.5 +/- 36.3 micrograms/ml (mean +/- S.D.). beta 1Hrat in this study was detected by its capacity to inhibit formation of the P-stabilized cell-bound amplification C3/C5 convertase composed of cell-bound C3bhu and Bbhu. Purified beta 1Hrat produced a dose-related, first-order loss of convertase function and release of 126I-Bbhu from the P-stabilized C3bhuBbhu convertase, indicating a mechanism of action by decay-dissociation of Bbhu from the complex C3bhuBbhuP. beta 1Hrat was at least four times less effective than beta 1Hhu in release of 125I-Bbhu from the homologous convertase composed of C3bhu and Bbhu. On the other hand beta 1H was twice as effective in releasing 125I-Bbrat from the convertase composed of C3bratBbratP when compared to beta 1Hhu. These differences are presumably dependent upon the species-specific affinity of beta 1H from humans or rats for C3bhu or C3brat, respectively.

Animals

Catalytic role of a surface loop of the complement serine protease factor D.

We have investigated the structural determinants of the unique functional properties of complement factor D by constructing and testing a series of trypsin-like mutants of the enzyme. Mutational replacement of the primary substrate-binding pocket of factor D with that of trypsin resulted in a mutant (M1) with greatly reduced proteolytic activity and slightly reduced reactivity toward small thioester substrates. Combining the M1 mutations with substitution of Tyr for Ser94, previously shown to enhance substantially both the proteolytic and esterolytic activities of factor D, produced a mutant (M2) with reactivities similar to M1. Replacement of the surface loop formed by residues 184-188 of M1 and M2 with the corresponding loop of trypsin produced mutants exhibiting one and two orders of magnitude higher esterolytic activity, respectively, than native factor D. However, the proteolytic activity of both mutants was similar to that of M1 and M2. We conclude that loop184-188 is an important determinant of the geometry of the primary specificity pocket of factor D. The low proteolytic activity of these mutants supports the proposal that the proteolytically active conformation of factor D is induced by its natural substrate, C3bB.

Amino Acid Sequence

Differential modulation by glucocorticoids of alternative complement protein secretion in cells of the monocyte/macrophage lineage.

The effect of the synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone (DXM) on the secretion by human monocytes of alternative complement proteins C3, factor B and factor H was investigated. Results indicated that DXM modulates this secretion in a direction which would be consistent with its anti-inflammatory properties. DXM, at therapeutic concentrations, had a suppressive effect on C3 and factor B secretion and a stimulatory effect on factor H secretion by monocytes. This differential modulation on C3, factor B and factor H secretion was similar in mature macrophages. Together with previous studies showing that DXM had a suppressive effect on C3 and factor B secretion and a stimulatory effect on factor H secretion by human endothelial cells, our results indicate that DXM appears to have the general property of regulating local production of complement components so as to control complement activation.

Cell Differentiation

The secondary structure of the von Willebrand factor type A domain in factor B of human complement by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Its occurrence in collagen types VI, VII, XII and XIV, the integrins and other proteins by averaged structure predictions.

The type A domain of the von Willebrand Factor is found also in the complement proteins factor B (FB), C2, CR3 and CR4, the integrins, collagen types VI, VII, XII and XIV, and other proteins. FB is a component of the alternative pathway of the complement system of immune defence, and is cleaved into the fragments Bb and Ba during complement activation. Bb contains a von Willebrand Factor type A (vWF) domain of unknown secondary structure and a serine proteinase (SP) domain, whereas Ba contains three short consensus repeat/complement control protein (SCR/CCP) domains. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy on a recombinant vWF domain and on FB and its Bb and Ba fragments shows a broad amide I band. In H2O buffer, second derivative spectra of the amide I band show subcomponents at 1654 to 1657 cm-1, which is typical of alpha-helix, and at 1676 to 1685 cm-1 and 1636 to 1637 cm-1, which are typical of beta-strand. alpha-Helix was detected in the vWF domain, the Bb fragment and FB, and the proportion of alpha-helix present decreased in that order. This shows that the vWF domain contains appreciable amounts of alpha-helix, while the SP and SCR/CCP domains are almost entirely beta-sheet in their secondary structures. Quantitative integration of the vWF FT-IR spectrum showed that this contained 31% alpha-helix and 36% beta-sheet. In 2H2O buffer, the alpha-helix content in the vWF domain is sensitive to the solvent, while the beta-sheet content is less so. An alignment of 75 vWF type A sequences from 25 proteins was used for averaged secondary structure predictions of the total length of 206 residues by the Robson and Chou-Fasman methods. In support of the FT-IR analysis, a total of at least five well-predicted alpha-helices (35% of residues) and at least five well-predicted beta-strands (21% of residues) were identified by both predictive methods, all of which were interspersed by regions of coil or turn conformations. Eight of the ten predicted alpha-helices and beta-strands form an alternating arrangement with each other. Since the predicted alpha-helices are mostly amphipathic, and since the alpha-helix FT-IR band is sensitive to solvent, the alpha-helices are inferred to be on the protein surface.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Amino Acid Sequence

[Effective method of simultaneous isolation from human serum of highly purified factors B and D of the alternative pathway of complement activation].

A simple method for isolation from human serum of the complement alternative pathway factor B, in a yield over 40% and purity over 80% with respect to protein, has been developed. Such a high yield was reached due to rejection of ammonium sulphate fractionation and employment of only two chromatographic stages: on CM-Sephadex C-50 and on DEAE-Sepharose CL-6B. An additional chromatography on QAE-Sephadex A-50 provides factor B of 100% purity but with a loss of some amount of protein (yield approximately 20%). One of the fractions, obtained at the first stage of factor B purification, contained also factor D. After rechromatography on CM-Sephadex C-50 and gel filtration on Sephadex G-75 it afforded factor D in yield more than 60% and purity above 100%.

Chromatography, DEAE-Cellulose

Biosynthesis of the complement components and the regulatory proteins of the alternative complement pathway by human peripheral blood monocytes.

Short-term cultures of human peripheral blood monocytes were shown to synthesize the alternative pathway complement components C3, factors B (B) and D (D), and properdin, the regulatory proteins C3b inactivator (C3bINA) and beta 1H, in addition to C2, C4, and C5. B, D, properdin, C3bINA, and C2 were detected by functional assays, whereas beta 1H, C4, C3, and C5 could only be detected using immunochemical procedures. Immunoperoxidase localization studies showed that all the cells in each culture contained each component, so it is possible that all monocytes synthesize each component. It is concluded that cells of the monocyte-macrophage series form a mobile source of complement components and regulatory proteins which can be concentrated at sites of inflammation.

Cells, Cultured

Human complement component factor B rescues HIV-1-infected leukemic T cells from cytopathic death.

The addition of 5-10% of fresh normal human serum (NHS) from normal individuals into a culture of primarily HIV-1-infected CD4+ leukemic T-cell lines CEM and MT4 was found to rescue the infected cells from cytopathic death, enabling the cells to achieve growth within 10 days. The HIV-1-infected cells cultured in ordinary medium with fetal calf serum (FCS) all died within 10 days. The effect of NHS was ascribed to human complement component factor B and one or more factor B-dependent heat-labile co-factors. The cells which survived in the presence of NHS rapidly lost surface expression of CD4 and became completely resistant to rechallenge by HIV-1. Viral genomes were dramatically reduced in surviving cells within 30 days, and one cell-line CEM completely expelled them during this period. The results suggest that factor B has protective and potential therapeutic significance in HIV-1 infection.

CD4 Antigens

Carbohydrate composition of the second, third and fifth components and factors B and D of human complement.

The carbohydrate composition of the second, third and fifth components of human complement (C2, C3 and C5) and of factors B and D was determined employing gas-chromatographic and mass-spectrometric methods. C2 was found to contain 15.9% carbohydrate composed of fucose, galactose, mannose, N-acetylglucosamine and N-acetylneuraminate (approximate molar ratio 1:4:9:9:4). N-acetylglucosamine and mannose (approximate molar ratio 1:4), amounting to 1.7% of the mass of the molecule, were the only monosaccharides detected in C3. C5 contained 3.8% carbohydrate composed of galactose, mannose, N-acetylglucosamine and N-acetylneuraminate (approximate molar ratio 2:4:4-5:2). The carbohydrate moiety of B consisted of fucose, galactose, mannose, N-acetylglucosamine and N-acetylneuraminate (molar ratio 1:2:3:4:2). The total carbohydrate content of B was estimated at 8.6%. In addition to these monosaccharides, glucose (0.4-0.9%) was also detected in all preparations analysed. Glucose was the only sugar detected in D.

Carbohydrates

Interleukin 6 stimulates synthesis of complement proteins factor B and C3 in human skin fibroblasts.

Human interleukin (IL) 6 is a multifunctional cytokine which is synthesized by fibroblasts in response to many stimuli, including bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). During acute-phase response, liver cells secrete a specific group of proteins among which components of the complement system and IL 6 appear to be an important mediator of this response. Human skin fibroblasts also synthesize at least seven proteins of the complement system. Each of these seems to be characteristically regulated by soluble mediators of the inflammatory process. Here we report that in fibroblasts, IL 6 induces increases in the rate of synthesis of factor B and C3, activator proteins of the alternative pathway of complement activation. The increases in factor B and C3 were concentration dependent reaching about 40- and 15-fold, respectively. The protein increases were observed within 4 h after IL 6 addition to the cells and were accompanied by increase in factor B and C3 mRNA. The data suggest that the induction of factor B and C3 by LPS may be mediated, at least in part, by IL 6 induced by LPS. This new function of IL 6 could provide a local protection against invading agents through activation of the antibody-independent alternative pathway of complement activation.

Blotting, Northern

Partial sequence of human complement component factor B: novel type of serine protease.

Factor B (a component of the alternative pathway of complement) is believed to contain the proteolytic site of the complex enzymes C3 convertase (C3bB) and C5 convertase (C3bnB). Conflicting results have been obtained in regard to the inactivation of these enzymes by diisopropyl phosphorofluoridate but it has been suggested that activated Factor B (Factor B) is a serine protease with the active site in Bb, a COOH-terminal fragment of approximately 60,000 molecular weight. Partial amino acid sequence studies of Bb derived from human Factor B have shown that the NH2-terminal 40 residues have no homology with NH2-terminal sequences of other serine proteases. However, positioning of a further 170 residues out of approximately 290 residues in two continuous CNBr fragments from the COOH terminus has shown that there is a strong homology of sequence in this section. The active site residues histidine, aspartic acid, and serine all are present in positions corresponding with those of typical serine proteases. It is suggested that Factor B is a novel type of serine protease with a catalytic chain of molecular weight twice that of proteases previously studied and probably with a different activation mechanism.

Amino Acid Sequence

Antiinflammatory effects of polypeptide growth factors. Platelet-derived growth factor, epidermal growth factor, and fibroblast growth factor inhibit the cytokine-induced expression of the alternative complement pathway activator factor B in human fibroblasts.

The synthesis of complement components in human fibroblasts is modulated by mediators of inflammation such as cytokines. In particular, interleukin-1 (IL-1) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) induce time- and dose-dependent increases in the synthesis of complement proteins factor B (FB), C3, and factor H (FH). Polypeptide growth factors are also soluble mediators released during inflammation and able to modulate many fibroblast functions. We have studied the effects of polypeptide growth factors platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), epidermal growth factor (EGF), and fibroblast growth factor (FGF) on the synthesis of complement proteins in cultured human fibroblasts. PDGF, EGF, and FGF alone did not affect the level of synthesis of any of the complement proteins analyzed, but simultaneous incubation of PDGF, EGF, or FGF with IL-1 and TNF resulted in a dose-dependent inhibition of the cytokine-enhanced expression of FB. Inhibition of FB synthesis was observed between 4 and 8 h of exposure to PDGF and persisted for 4 h after the removal of the growth factor. Analysis of steady-state levels of specific FB mRNA suggested that PDGF-induced inhibition of FB synthesis is mediated at a pretranslational level and that it requires new protein synthesis. The effect of the growth factors was limited to FB, with marginal or no inhibition on the cytokine-enhanced synthesis of C3 and FH, excluding the possibility that the inhibitory effects of PDGF, EGF, and FGF on FB synthesis were due to a negative modulation of the growth factors on cytokine cell membrane receptors. Specific inhibition of cytokine-induced increases in FB synthesis by the growth factors may represent down regulation of the acute inflammatory process, further permitting progression to processes of tissue repair and remodeling. Study of the interactions between cytokines and growth factors in the regulation of synthesis of complement proteins may also provide a system for investigating mechanisms of signal transduction of both polypeptide growth factors and cytokines.

Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal