scholarly journals Formation of the initial C3 convertase of the alternative complement pathway. Acquisition of C3b-like activities by spontaneous hydrolysis of the putative thioester in native C3.

1981 ◽  
Vol 154 (3) ◽  
pp. 856-867 ◽  
Author(s):  
M K Pangburn ◽  
R D Schreiber ◽  
H J Müller-Eberhard
Keyword(s):  
Hemolytic Activity ◽  
Alternative Pathway ◽  
Sulfhydryl Group ◽  
Fluid Phase ◽  
Factor H ◽  
Low Concentrations ◽  
Spontaneous Hydrolysis ◽  
Thioester Bond ◽  
Fragmentation Patterns ◽  
Hydrolysis Of

Activation of the alternative pathway of complement commences with the formation of an initial fluid-phase C3 convertase. Treatment of C3 with the nucleophilic reagent methylamine has previously been shown to result in the cleavage of an intramolecular thioester bond and to induce C3b-like properties, including the ability to form a fluid-phase C3 convertase. This report examines the hypothesis that spontaneous hydrolysis of the thioester generates a derivative of C3 that is responsible for the formation of the initial C3 convertase of the alternative pathway. The rate of spontaneous decay of C3 hemolytic activity in buffer was found to be between 0.2 and 0.4%/h. In the presence of other alternative pathway proteins, the rate of inactivation was 1%/h. The rate of spontaneous inactivation was greatly accelerated by low concentrations of chaotrophic agents such as KSCN or guanidine. Liberation of a sulfhydryl group, not present in native C3, correlated with loss of hemolytic activity, indicating that exposure to chaotropic agents resulted in thioester hydrolysis. Unlike native C3, C3 bearing a single reactive sulfhydryl group was capable of generating fluid-phase C3 convertase with Factors B, D, and P and was cleaved by Factor I (C3b inactivator) in the presence of Factor H (beta 1H). The fragmentation patterns indicated that the C3a domain was covalently associated with the functionally C3b-like C3. Organomercurial agarose was employed for the rapid removal of sulfhydryl-bearing, hemolytically inactive forms of C3 and C3b from native hemolytically active C3.

scholarly journals Relation of putative thioester bond in C3 to activation of the alternative pathway and the binding of C3b to biological targets of complement.

1980 ◽  
Vol 152 (4) ◽  
pp. 1102-1114 ◽  
Author(s):  
M K Pangburn ◽  
H J Müller-Eberhard
Keyword(s):  
Functional Properties ◽  
Alternative Pathway ◽  
Sulfhydryl Group ◽  
Target Surface ◽  
Hydroxyl Groups ◽  
Factor B ◽  
Biological Targets ◽  
Low Concentrations ◽  
Thioester Bond ◽  
Concomitant Exposure

The reaction of [14C]methylamine with native human C3 led to the stoichiometric incorporation of methylamine, loss of hemolytic activity, and the concomitant exposure of a sulfhydryl group that could be labeled with [14C]iodoacetamide. Both labeled sites were located in the C3d portion of the alpha-chain, which is known to contain the metastable binding of C3b. The methylamine-modified C3 [C3(CH3NH2)] was shown to exhibit many of the functional properties of C3b, although the C3a portion of the molecule remained covalently attached. C3(CH3NH2) bound Factor B and beta 1H, and could be cleaved by C3b inactivator in the presence of beta 1H. C3(CH3NH2) added to human serum caused activation of the alternative pathway and consumption of C3. In presence of Factors B and D and Mg++, C3(CH2NH2) formed a C3 convertase. The convertase-forming material could be removed from solution by anti-C3a Sepharose and the preformed convertase was completely inhibited by purified antibody to C3a. This antibody did not affect the function of the C3 convertase that contained C3b. Similar functional properties were exhibited by C3 exposed for short periods of time to relatively low concentrations of chaotropic reagents, such as KSCN or guanidine. These results suggest that the initial C3 convertase of the alternative pathway may be formed from native C3, without proteolysis, by the attack of a variety of nucleophiles including water. The C3 convertase formed from this altered C3 then generates by proteolytic cleavage the initial metastable C3b that is capable of attaching to receptive surfaces. Conversion of C3 to C3b exposes one sulfhydryl residue as does modification of C3 with methylamine. When the C3d portion of C3b bound to zymosan particles via the metastable binding site was treated with radiolabeled methylamine, the fragment was released from the particles in radiolabeled form. These findings are consistent with the concept that native C3 contains an active carbonyl group, probably in the form of a thioester, which can either react with water to form functionally C3b-l;ike C3 or, upon enzymatic conversion of C3 to C3b, allows C3b to form an ester bond with hydroxyl groups on the target surface.

Interaction of C3b2–IgG complexes with complement proteins properdin, factor B and factor H: implications for amplification

2000 ◽  
Vol 349 (1) ◽  
pp. 217-223
Author(s):  
Emiliana JELEZAROVA ◽  
Anna VOGT ◽  
Hans U. LUTZ
Keyword(s):  
Present Report ◽  
Alternative Pathway ◽  
Fluid Phase ◽  
Factor H ◽  
Complement Protein ◽  
Factor B ◽  
Physiological Conditions ◽  
Amplification Loop ◽  
Target Molecules ◽  
Properdin Factor B

Nascent C3b can form ester bonds with various target molecules on the cell surface and in the fluid phase. Previously, we showed that C3b2-IgG complexes represent the major covalent product of C3 activation in serum [Lutz, Stammler, Jelezarova, Nater and Späth (1996) Blood 88, 184-193]. In the present report, binding of alternative pathway proteins to purified C3b2-IgG complexes was studied in the fluid phase by using biotinylated IgG for C3b2-IgG generation and avidin-coated plates to capture complexes. Up to seven moles of properdin ‘monomer’ bound per mole of C3b2-IgG at physiological conditions in the absence of any other complement protein. At low properdin/C3b2-IgG ratios bivalent binding was preferred. Neither factor H nor factor B affected properdin binding. On the other hand, properdin strongly stimulated factor B binding. Interactions of all three proteins with C3b2-IgG exhibited pH optima. An ionic strength optimum was most pronounced for properdin, while factor B binding was largely independent of the salt concentration. C3b2-IgG complexes were powerful precursors of the alternative pathway C3 convertase. In the presence of properdin, C3 convertase generated from C3b2-IgG cleaved about sevenfold more C3 than the enzyme generated on C3b. C3b2-IgG complexes could therefore maintain the amplification loop of complement longer than free C3b.

scholarly journals The Human Complement Regulator Factor H Binds Pneumococcal Surface Protein PspC via Short Consensus Repeats 13 to 15

2002 ◽  
Vol 70 (10) ◽  
pp. 5604-5611 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas G. Duthy ◽  
Rebecca J. Ormsby ◽  
Eleni Giannakis ◽  
A. David Ogunniyi ◽  
Uwe H. Stroeher ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alternative Pathway ◽  
Regulatory System ◽  
Surface Protein ◽  
Fluid Phase ◽  
Direct Consequence ◽  
Factor H ◽  
Negative Regulator ◽  
Short Consensus Repeats ◽  
High Concentrations ◽  
Complement Regulator

ABSTRACT The innate ability of Streptococcus pneumoniae to resist complement activation and complement-mediated phagocytosis may be a direct consequence of the ability of the bacteria to bind components of the complement regulatory system. One such component, factor H (fH), is a crucial fluid-phase negative regulator of the alternative pathway of complement and is utilized by a number of pathogenic organisms to resist complement attack. The pneumococcal surface protein C (PspC [also known as CbpA] and SpsA) has been shown to bind fH, although the exact binding site within one or more of the 20 short consensus repeats (SCRs) of the molecule is not known. The purpose of the current study was to map specific SCRs on fH responsible for this binding. Initial experiments utilizing type 2 pneumococcal strain D39 and its isogenic PspC-negative derivative (D39/pspC mutant) showed that fH binding was PspC dependent. A purified recombinant protein derivative of PspC that lacked the proline-rich region (PspCΔPro) had a reduced binding efficiency for fH, thereby directly showing the importance of this region for the fH interaction. We have specifically shown by inhibition experiments that SCRs responsible for heparin and C3b binding of fH are not involved in binding PspC and the interaction between fH and PspC is largely hydrophobic, since no inhibition was observed in the presence of high concentrations of NaCl. Construction of SCR proteins encompassing the whole fH molecule showed that SCRs 8 to 15 (SCR 8-15) mediated binding to PspC. Further localization experiments revealed that SCR 13 and SCR 15 were required for full binding, although partial binding was retained when either SCR was removed.

scholarly journals Specific alkylation of a histidine residue in carnitine acetyltransferase by bromoacetyl-l-carnitine

1970 ◽  
Vol 116 (4) ◽  
pp. 713-720 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. F. A. Chase ◽  
P. K. Tubbs
Keyword(s):  
Enzyme Activity ◽  
Alkylation Reaction ◽  
Histidine Residue ◽  
Carnitine Acetyltransferase ◽  
Irreversible Loss ◽  
Total Acid ◽  
Active Centre ◽  
Low Concentrations ◽  
Spontaneous Hydrolysis ◽  
Hydrolysis Of

Incubation of carnitine acetyltransferase with low concentrations of bromoacetyl-l-carnitine causes a rapid and irreversible loss of enzyme activity; one mol of inhibitor can inactivate one mol of enzyme. Bromoacetyl-d-carnitine, iodoacetate or iodoacetamide are ineffective. l-Carnitine protects the transferase from bromoacetyl-l-carnitine. Investigation shows that the enzyme first reversibly binds bromoacetyl-l-carnitine with an affinity similar to that shown for the normal substrate acetyl-l-carnitine; this binding is followed by an alkylation reaction, forming the carnitine ester of a monocarboxymethyl-protein, which is catalytically inactive. The carnitine is released at an appreciable rate by spontaneous hydrolysis, and the resulting carboxymethyl-enzyme is also inactive. Total acid hydrolysis of enzyme after treatment with 2-[14C]bromoacetyl-l-carnitine yields N-3-carboxy[14C]methylhistidine as the only labelled amino acid. These findings, taken in conjunction with previous work, suggest that the single active centre of carnitine acetyltransferase contains a histidine residue.

scholarly journals Modulation of complement activation on hemodialysis membranes by immobilized heparin.

1992 ◽  
Vol 2 (8) ◽  
pp. 1328-1337
Author(s):  
A K Cheung ◽  
C J Parker ◽  
J Janatova ◽  
E Brynda
Keyword(s):  
Complement Activation ◽  
Alternative Pathway ◽  
Membrane Surface ◽  
Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Sodium Dodecyl ◽  
Fluid Phase ◽  
Factor H ◽  
Binding Studies ◽  
Factor B ◽  
Pathway Activity

To determine the effects of surface-associated heparin on the capacity of hemodialysis membranes to activate complement, cellulose acetate (CA) membranes that were untreated and CA membranes that had been coated with heparin (HCA) were incubated with C3-depleted serum repleted with radio-labeled C3. Next, the proteins in the supernatant and those eluted from the membranes were subjected to sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. C3 activation was quantified by determining the radioactivity of the C3a-containing band in the gel. Total C3a generation (fluid phase C3a plus membrane-associated C3a) was three times greater in the presence of HCA compared with CA. Most (88%) of the C3a generated in the presence of HCA, however, was adsorbed onto the membrane surface. Consequently, there was more C3a in the CA supernatant than in the HCA supernatant. To determine the mechanism by which heparin enhanced alternative pathway activity, binding studies with radiolabeled factor B and factor H were performed. HCA bound 3.4 times more factor B and 20 times more factor H than did CA. The binding of these proteins, however, was not dependent on complement activation. Studies designed to test the functional activity of isolated factor H and factor B that had been adsorbed to the membrane showed that factor H was active on both CA and HCA, whereas factor B was active only on HCA. These data demonstrate that heparin immobilized onto CA hemodialysis membrane enhances C3 activation but produces low levels of C3a in the fluid phase because of high surface adsorption of the anaphylatoxin. Heparin appears to augment alternative pathway activity by favoring the interactions of factor B with other constituents of the amplification C3 convertase of the alternative pathway of complement.

scholarly journals Hijacking Factor H for Complement Immune Evasion

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara R. Moore ◽  
Smrithi S. Menon ◽  
Claudio Cortes ◽  
Viviana P. Ferreira
Keyword(s):  
Host Cell ◽  
Complement System ◽  
Alternative Pathway ◽  
Expression Patterns ◽  
Fluid Phase ◽  
Factor H ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Complement C3 ◽  
Complement Regulators ◽  
The Complement System

The complement system is an essential player in innate and adaptive immunity. It consists of three pathways (alternative, classical, and lectin) that initiate either spontaneously (alternative) or in response to danger (all pathways). Complement leads to numerous outcomes detrimental to invaders, including direct killing by formation of the pore-forming membrane attack complex, recruitment of immune cells to sites of invasion, facilitation of phagocytosis, and enhancement of cellular immune responses. Pathogens must overcome the complement system to survive in the host. A common strategy used by pathogens to evade complement is hijacking host complement regulators. Complement regulators prevent attack of host cells and include a collection of membrane-bound and fluid phase proteins. Factor H (FH), a fluid phase complement regulatory protein, controls the alternative pathway (AP) both in the fluid phase of the human body and on cell surfaces. In order to prevent complement activation and amplification on host cells and tissues, FH recognizes host cell-specific polyanionic markers in combination with complement C3 fragments. FH suppresses AP complement-mediated attack by accelerating decay of convertases and by helping to inactivate C3 fragments on host cells. Pathogens, most of which do not have polyanionic markers, are not recognized by FH. Numerous pathogens, including certain bacteria, viruses, protozoa, helminths, and fungi, can recruit FH to protect themselves against host-mediated complement attack, using either specific receptors and/or molecular mimicry to appear more like a host cell. This review will explore pathogen complement evasion mechanisms involving FH recruitment with an emphasis on: (a) characterizing the structural properties and expression patterns of pathogen FH binding proteins, as well as other strategies used by pathogens to capture FH; (b) classifying domains of FH important in pathogen interaction; and (c) discussing existing and potential treatment strategies that target FH interactions with pathogens. Overall, many pathogens use FH to avoid complement attack and appreciating the commonalities across these diverse microorganisms deepens the understanding of complement in microbiology.

scholarly journals Factor H Autoantibodies and Complement-Mediated Diseases

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuzhou Zhang ◽  
Nicolo Ghiringhelli Borsa ◽  
Dingwu Shao ◽  
Arthur Dopler ◽  
Michael B. Jones ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tissue Injury ◽  
Alternative Pathway ◽  
Phenotypic Variability ◽  
Atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome ◽  
Fluid Phase ◽  
Factor H ◽  
Regulatory Function ◽  
Regulators Of Complement Activation ◽  
Uremic Syndrome ◽  
Genetic Deletion

Factor H (FH), a member of the regulators-of-complement-activation (RCA) family of proteins, circulates in human plasma at concentrations of 180–420 mg/L where it controls the alternative pathway (AP) of complement in the fluid phase and on cell surfaces. When the regulatory function of FH is impaired, complement-mediated tissue injury and inflammation occur, leading to diseases such as atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (a thrombotic microangiopathy or TMA), C3 glomerulopathy (C3G) and monoclonal gammopathy of renal significance (MGRS). A pathophysiological cause of compromised FH function is the development of autoantibodies to various domains of the FH protein. FH autoantibodies (FHAAs) are identified in 10.9% of patients with aHUS, 3.2% of patients with C3G, and rarely in patients with MGRS. The phenotypic variability of FHAA-mediated disease reflects both the complexity of FH and the epitope specificity of FHAA for select regions of the native protein. In this paper, we have characterized FHAA epitopes in a large cohort of patients diagnosed with TMA, C3G or MGRS. We explore the epitopes recognized by FHAAs in these diseases and the association of FHAAs with the genetic deletion of both copies of the CFHR1 gene to show how these disease phenotypes are associated with this diverse spectrum of autoantibodies.

PLATELET FACTOR H REGULATES THE ACTIVITY OF THE ALTERNATIVE PATHWAY OF COMPLEMENT ON THE SURFACE OF NORMAL AND PAROXYSMAL NOCTURNAL HEMOGLOBINURIA PLATELETS

1987 ◽  
Author(s):  
D V Devine ◽  
W F Rosse
Keyword(s):  
Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria ◽  
Alternative Pathway ◽  
Regulatory Protein ◽  
Fluid Phase ◽  
Factor H ◽  
Metabolic Inhibitors ◽  
Platelet Factor ◽  
Complement Proteins ◽  
Protein Factor ◽  
Immunocytochemical Techniques

Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH)-is frequently complicated by thrombosis. It has been suggested that the abnormal interactions of PNH platelets with complement contribute to thrombosis. Using purified complement proteins, we have previously demonstrated that the platelets from some patients with PNH do not demonstrate elevated activity of C3bBb, the alternative pathway C3 amplification enzyme complex, even though they lack the C3bBb regulatory protein, decay accelerating factor (DAF). As measured by fluorescence flow cytometry, washed platelets from both normal donors and PNH patients released the fluid phase C3bBb regulatory protein, factor H, in response to the deposition of purified complement proteins. Platelet factor H was localized to the alpha granules by immunocytochemical techniques. A quantitative radioimmunoassay demonstrated that normal platelets released 54 ± 6 ng factor H/108 platelets in response to thrombin stimulation. PNH platelets contained less factor H (22 ±7 ng/108 platelets) than normal platelets. Thrombin stimulated platelets from patients with elevated C3bBb activity released less than half of the factor H measured in detergent extracts. However, thrombin stimulated platelets from PNH patients exhibiting normal C3bBb activity released nearly all their factor H. The release of factor H from normal platelets was blocked by treating the platelets with metabolic inhibitors. In the absence of factor H release, the activity of the C3bBb complex increased three-fold. In addition, the number of molecules of 1251-factor B bound per C3b increased from 0.40 to 0.92 when factor H release was blocked. The inhibition of DAF by anti-DAF had no effect on the activity of C3bBb if factor H could be released from the platelets. However, when factor H release was blocked by treatment with metabolic inhibitors, the inhibition of DAF by anti-DAF increased the activity of C3bBb by 40%. Therefore, in the absence of DAF, platelets can regulate complement activation by the alternative pathway via the release of platelet factor H. Since factor H is an alpha granule protein, platelet release in the presence of activated complement may contribute to the occurrence of thrombosis.

scholarly journals Two distinct conformations of factor H regulate discrete complement-binding functions in the fluid phase and at cell surfaces

2018 ◽  
Vol 293 (44) ◽  
pp. 17166-17187 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy J. Osborne ◽  
Ruodan Nan ◽  
Ami Miller ◽  
Jayesh S. Bhatt ◽  
Jayesh Gor ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Analytical Ultracentrifugation ◽  
Alternative Pathway ◽  
Fluid Phase ◽  
Factor H ◽  
Molecular Structures ◽  
Age Related Macular Degeneration ◽  
Radius Of Gyration ◽  
Saxs Data ◽  
Age Related ◽  
C Terminus

Factor H (FH) is the major regulator of C3b in the alternative pathway of the complement system in immunity. FH comprises 20 short complement regulator (SCR) domains, including eight glycans, and its Y402H polymorphism predisposes those who carry it to age-related macular degeneration. To better understand FH complement binding and self-association, we have studied the solution structures of both the His-402 and Tyr-402 FH allotypes. Analytical ultracentrifugation revealed that up to 12% of both FH allotypes self-associate, and this was confirmed by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), MS, and surface plasmon resonance analyses. SAXS showed that monomeric FH has a radius of gyration (Rg) of 7.2–7.8 nm and a length of 25 nm. Starting from known structures for the SCR domains and glycans, the SAXS data were fitted using Monte Carlo methods to determine atomistic structures of monomeric FH. The analysis of 29,715 physically realistic but randomized FH conformations resulted in 100 similar best-fit FH structures for each allotype. Two distinct molecular structures resulted that showed either an extended N-terminal domain arrangement with a folded-back C terminus or an extended C terminus and a folded-back N terminus. These two structures are the most accurate to date for glycosylated full-length FH. To clarify FH functional roles in host protection, crystal structures for the FH complexes with C3b and C3dg revealed that the extended N-terminal conformation accounted for C3b fluid-phase regulation, the extended C-terminal conformation accounted for C3d binding, and both conformations accounted for bivalent FH binding to glycosaminoglycans on the target cell surface.

scholarly journals Activation of the alternative pathway of complement by monoclonal lambda light chains in membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis.

1992 ◽  
Vol 175 (4) ◽  
pp. 939-950 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Meri ◽  
V Koistinen ◽  
A Miettinen ◽  
T Törnroth ◽  
I J Seppälä
Keyword(s):  
Membranoproliferative Glomerulonephritis ◽  
Alternative Pathway ◽  
Immunoglobulin A ◽  
Fluid Phase ◽  
Normal Serum ◽  
Factor H ◽  
Control Factor ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Complement Components ◽  
Alternative Pathway Of Complement

Immunopathological evidence suggests that activation of the alternative pathway of complement (AP) is involved in membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN) and in immunoglobulin A nephropathy. In this report we describe an AP dysfunction-associated factor that was isolated from the serum and urine of a patient with hypocomplementemic MPGN. Extensive glomerular deposits of C3, properdin, and of the terminal complement components were observed in the kidney of the patient. In her serum the AP hemolytic activity was virtually absent. When mixed with fresh normal serum, the patient's serum induced a 96% C3 conversion during a 30-min incubation at +37 degrees C. This activity was found to be due to a circulating factor that by immunochemical characterization proved to be a 46-kD monoclonal immunoglobulin lambda light (L) chain dimer (lambda L). Purified lambda L, but not control lambda or kappa L chains from patients with L chain disease, activated the AP in a dose- and ionic strength-dependent manner. Functionally, lambda L was differentiated from C3 nephritic factor (an autoantibody against the AP C3 convertase, C3bBb) by its inability to bind to and stabilize the C3bBb enzyme. Instead, lambda L was observed to interact directly with the AP control factor H. Thus, lambda L represents a novel type of immunoglobulin-related AP-activating factor with the capacity to initiate alternative complement pathway activation in the fluid phase.

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