Inhibition of immune precipitation by complement

Normal human complement serum (NHS) inhibited precipitin reactions between tetanus toxoid and human or rabbit anti-tetanus toxoid IgG antibody, between bovine serum albumin (BSA) and rabbit anti-BSA IgG antibody, and between hen egg albumin and rabbit anti-egg albumin IgG antibody. Ethylene-diaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) prevented this inhibition. Mg-ethyleneglycol-bis(aminoethyl)-tetra-acetic acid-(EGTA) also prevented the inhibition except with lower concentrations of antibody and antigen. Therefore, the inhibition of immune precipitation seemed to occur mainly through the classical pathway of complement activation. The alternative pathway was usually dispensable, but it augmented the inhibition. Guinea pig complement serum (NGS) was less effective than NHS in inhibiting immune precipitation. Guinea pig serum deficient in C4 (C4DGS) did not inhibit the immune precipitation. Mouse complement serum was effective for inhibiting precipitation, and C5-deficient serum was as effective as normal serum. Therefore, the inhibition of immune precipitation is considered to occur by activation of complement up to the step of C3. The size of the soluble immune complexes formed in the presence of NHS varied depending on the concentrations of antibody and antigen, even when the ratio of antigen to antibody was constant. On incubation at 37 degrees C immune precipitation was inhibited by 1/2 dilution of NHS for 2 to 3 hr and then gradually increased to the level in the absence of complement. When the immune complexes were formed in the presence of serum containing complement, fragments of C4 and C3 were incorporated into the soluble immune complexes. The C3 fragments incorporated into the soluble complexes were C3b, iC3b, C3c, and C3d, some of which were bound covalently with heavy chains of IgG antibody molecules. Some of the covalent linkages between C3 fragments and IgG seemed to be destroyed by alkali treatment, but not by hydroxylamine treatment. The formation of covalent bonds between IgG and C3 and probably C4 was essential for inhibition of immune precipitation, because inhibitors of their formation, such as putrescine, cadaverine, and salicylhydroxamic acid, effectively prevented the inhibition of precipitation. When antigen and antibody reacted in the presence of mixtures of various combinations of isolated complement components, C1, C4, C2, and C3 showed maximal inhibition of immune precipitation, whereas factors I and H had little effect.     

Demonstration of the interaction of native C1 with monomeric immunoglobulins and C1 inhibitor

The association of native C1 with physiologically relevant proteins was studied by ultracentrifugation. 125I-C1 was centrifuged through numerous sucrose density gradients, each of which contained a different concentration of monomeric (19S) IgM throughout the gradient. The s-rate of C1 (16S) increased with increasing IgM input to a maximum of 32S. In the absence of C1q, the C1r2s2 subunit did not bind to the Ig. In gradients containing physiologic concentrations of IgM (1.3 mg/ml) at 0.14 M ionic strength, the observed s-rate of C1 was 21S. In the presence of 13 mg/ml IgG, C1 sedimented with an s-rate of 19S. Thus, under physiologic conditions, a significant fraction of native C1 is reversibly bound to monomeric Ig. SDS-PAGE analyses show that this interaction does not lead to C1 activation. The interaction of native C1 with C1 inhibitor (C1-In) was studied by ultracentrifugation at physiologic ionic strength. Purified 125I-C1-In alone sedimented with an s-rate of 4S. However in the presence of excess native C1, one-third of the C1-In co-sedimented with C1 at a 16S position. For these studies, 100 microM nitrophenylguanidinobenzoate (NPGB) was present throughout the sucrose density gradient to prevent C1 activation during centrifugation. As the concentration of NPGB was increased, the percent of 125I-C1-In at 16S decreased, indicating that C1-In was binding (reversibly) to the C1 active site region(s), which is at least partially accessible in uncleaved C1. In controls, when NPGB was omitted or activated C1 was used, the s-rate of 125I-C1-In was only 12S due to the release of C1rC1s(C1-In)2 from activated C1. Thus, under physiologic conditions native C1 is reversibly bound to C1-In.     

Inhibition of binding of activated compliment component C4b with its target]

The inhibition of covalent binding of the nascent C4b fragment of the human complement component to its natural target, immunoglobulin G, was studied. To this end, an immunoenzyme system was developed. In this ELISA method, the complement was activated on the sorbed IgG molecules and the resulting nascent C4b fragment acylated IgG or interacted with a competitive inhibitor added to the system. The inhibition constants for binding of the nascent C4b to its target were determined for immunoglobulins G1, G2, G3, G4, M, and A1, as well as for ferritin, yeast mannan, capsid polysaccharides of the Neisseria meningitidis A, B, and C serotypes, diphtheria anatoxin, epinephrine, and salicylic acid. On the basis of the experimental data, the immunoglobulin role at the activation stage of the complement regulation cascade, the relationship between the antigen immunogenicity and its ability to interact with C4b, and the direct effect of a number of therapeutic agents on the complement system were discussed. Lectins of various specificities were shown to inhibit the enzymic activation of C4 by the first complement component and the subsequent C4b sorption to its target, which allowed us to suggest that some oligosaccharide fragments of the C1s and C4 molecules are spatially close to the C1s active site and to the thioester bond of C4.     

The inhibition of covalent binding of the nascent complement component C4b to its target

The inhibition of covalent binding of the nascent C4b fragment of the human complement component to its natural target, immunoglobulin G, was studied. To this end, an immunoenzyme system was developed. In this ELISA method, the complement was activated on the sorbed IgG molecules and the resulting nascent C4b fragment acylated IgG or interacted with a competitive inhibitor added to the system. The inhibition constants for binding of the nascent C4b to its target were determined for immunoglobulins G1, G2, G3, G4, M, and A1, as well as for ferritin, yeast mannan, capsid polysaccharides of theNeisseria meningitidis A, B, and C serotypes, diphtheria anatoxin, epinephrine, and salicylic acid. On the basis of the experimental data, the immunoglobulin role at the activation stage of the complement regulation cascade, the relationship between the antigen immunogenicity and its ability to interact with C4b, and the direct effect of a number of therapeutic agents on the complement system were discussed. Lectins of various specificities were shown to inhibit the enzymic activation of C4 by the first complement component and the subsequent C4b sorption by its target, which allowed us to suggest that some oligosaccharide fragments of the C1s and C4 molecules are spatially close to the C1s active site and to the thioester bond of C4.     

Spontaneous activation of the first component of human complement (C1) by an intramolecular autocatalytic mechanism

For biochemical characterization, the first component of human complement (C1) was reconstituted from physiologic concentrations of purified C1q, 125I C1r, and 131I C1s. Upon incubation at 37 degrees C, C1 spontaneously activated, as evidenced by the characteristic proteolysis of the C1r and C1s polypeptide chains as detected by SDS-PAGE analysis. This spontaneous C1 activation followed first-order kinetics (t 1/2 = 4 min and k = 0.173 min-1) with an activation energy of 19.1 kcal/mol. Spontaneous C1 activation was unaffected by the general protease inhibitor phenylmethylsulfonylfluoride (PMSF) but reversibly blocked by a known inhibitor of C1 activation, nitrophenylguanidinobenzoate (NPGB). Spontaneous C1 activation was measured at C1 concentrations ranging from 9 to 160 nM (i.e., 0.05 to 1.0 times physiologic concentrations). The data indicate that C1 spontaneously activates by an intramolecular autocatalytic mechanism, for first-order kinetics were observed over the entire concentration range with t 1/2 = 4 min at each concentration. However, the percentage of activable C1 decreased with dilution due to C1 dissociation (i.e., C1qr2s2 leads to C1q + C1r2s2). The observed concentration of C1 that spontaneously activated at each dilution equalled the concentration of C1 present as macromolecular C1. When reconstituted C1 was mixed with normal human serum (NHS) and then incubated at 37 degrees C, spontaneous C1 activation was completely inhibited. Pretreating NHS at 56 degrees C for 30 min destroyed its inhibitory activity. In conclusion, C1 spontaneously autoactivates at 37 degrees C by an intramolecular mechanism. This activation is suppressed in NHS.     

Human erythrocytes inhibit complement-mediated solubilization of immune complexes

Incubation of precipitable immune complexes (IC) with fresh human serum or guinea pig serum resulted in solubilization of IC. When packed human E were added to human serum or guinea pig serum, binding of IC to the E occurred and IC solubilization was significantly inhibited. By contrast, SRBC did not bind IC nor inhibit IC solubilization. Because IC binding to human E is mediated by CR type 1 (CR1) we evaluated whether CR1 was responsible for the inhibition of IC solubilization. Human E were treated with trypsin or anti-CR1 mAb. Both treatments abrogated IC binding to human E but did not affect the ability of the human E to inhibit IC solubilization. Human E inhibited C activation by IC. Thus, incubation of IC in human serum caused significant activation of C3 and C5, but not C4. However, when IC were incubated in whole blood or with isolated human E and serum, C3 activation by IC was inhibited significantly. In addition, we demonstrated that the C3b generated during C activation by IC deposited on both IC and human E. Thus, human E may compete for nascent C3 generated during C activation by IC. In conclusion, human E inhibit both complement-mediated solubilization of IC and C activation by IC.     

Evidence for a C4b binding site on the C2b domain of C2

We raised murine mAb against human C protein C2. The representative mAb 3A3.3 (IgG1 kappa) recognized an epitope on the C2b domain of C2, as determined by binding and inhibition of binding radioassays. The hemolytic activity of purified human C2 and of C2 in normal human serum was inhibited by the mAb. The rate of decay of the C3-convertase at 30 degrees C was not affected by the mAb. C2 binding to EAC4b was inhibited by intact IgG and the Fab fragment of the mAb; 50% inhibition required 1 microgram/ml of either. The data suggest the presence of a C4b-binding site on the C2b domain of C2 and that the mAb recognizes an epitope at, or adjacent to, this site. The C2b portion of the C2 molecule may be important in assembly of the classical pathway C3-convertase.     

Factor I co-factor activity of CR1 overcomes the protective effect of IgG on covalently bound C3b residues

We have shown previously that C3b resides in a protected site when it is covalently bound to IgG (C3b-IgG). Such C3b displays a reduced affinity for factor H, with consequent enhanced survival in the presence of factors H and I and increased capacity for promoting alternative pathway consumption of C3. Because erythrocyte CR1 may be a major co-factor for factor I-mediated inactivation of immune complex-borne C3b in blood, we have examined the effect of covalently bound IgG on the C3b-CR1 interaction. Binding of monomeric C3b and C3b-IgG to human erythrocyte CR1 demonstrates identical ionic strength dependence for both species. Identical numbers of binding sites with indistinguishable affinities are detected by both ligands. Cleavage of the alpha'-chain of C3b and the alpha'-heavy chain of C3b-IgG proceeds at the same rate when erythrocyte CR1 serves as co-factor for factor I. Unlike factor H, CR1 supports a second cleavage of fluid-phase iC3b alpha'1 chain (free or bound to IgG) that generates C3c and a 33,000 m.w. fragment, which bears antigenic markers characteristic of C3g. Inactivation of C3b and C3b-IgG by CR1 and factor I also occurs at physiologic ionic strength, but proceeds very slowly relative to rates attainable with sub-physiologic inputs of factor H. CR1 does not recognize IgG-bound C3b as being in a protected site but, because of low binding affinity at physiologic ionic strength, is probably highly dependent on multivalent ligand-receptor interactions to efficiently exert its co-factor functions. Thus, inactivation of C3b-IgG heterodimers or small immune complexes bearing limited numbers of C3b residues may remain largely factor H-dependent in vivo, with resultant enhanced C3b survival.     

Role for the third constant domain of the IgG H chain in activation of complement in the presence of C1 inhibitor

The multidomain architecture of Ig H chains was initially implicated in the variety of functions imposed on each species of Ig. However, the activation of C by IgG is the only function that has been attributed to a single domain of C gamma 2, whereas most of other functions of IgG require both C gamma 2 and C gamma 3 domains. This one domain-one function relationship in the C activation by IgG, too, was questioned recently by the fact that a C gamma 3-less fragment of rabbit IgG, F(acb)2, is definitely less capable of activating C than intact IgG. Here we reexamined capacities of F(acb)2 to bind and activate C1 in the presence and absence of C1 inhibitor (C1-In) in comparison with intact IgG, by using SRBC sensitized with these proteins (EFacb, EIgG). At an ionic strength of 0.065 and 37 degrees C, where C1q was bound equally well by these cells and the dissociation was limited, C1s, presumably in the form of C1r2C1s2, dissociated from EFacb at a rate 7-fold greater than that from EIgG, irrespective of the presence or absence of C1-In. A physiologic concentration of C1-In reduced the rate of C1 activation by EFacb to 5% that by EIgG. The results present evidence that the C gamma 3 domain, too, plays a crucial part in the C1 activation process by stabilizing the zymogenic conformation of C1 and protecting it from the attack by C1 inhibitor.     

Quantitative analyses of the relationship between C3 consumption, C3b capture, and immune adherence of complement-fixing antibody/DNA immune complexes

We have studied the turnover of the third component of C (C3) and capture of the major cleavage fragment of C3 produced during C activation (C3b) that occurs when soluble antibody/DNA immune complexes (IC) active C. We used the Amersham RIA kit for the minor cleavage fragment of C3 produced during C activation (C3a), and a new assay utilizing mAb to C3b to measure the fraction of active C3 in a C source after the IC activate C. These mAb, along with a mAb to human IgG, allowed us to measure IC stoichiometries. The efficiency of C3 turnover by the IC is quite high, and under conditions of Ab excess, the maximum number of IgG bound per dsDNA corresponds to 1 IgG/20 to 30 base pairs. The maximum number of C3b found in the IC corresponds to less than 1 C3b/IgG, and the vast majority of the captured C3b is bound to the IgG, and not to the DNA. We identified several IC that consumed large amounts of C3, and captured large amounts of C3b, but did not bind to human E via C3b receptors (C receptor type 1). This finding suggests that the ability of IC to bind to human E depends upon the number and distribution of captured C3b molecules and the conformation and size of the DNA Ag, which reflects the need for multivalent binding between several properly arrayed C3b and a "cluster" of C receptor type 1 on the human E membrane. IC that activate C3 but do not bind to E would presumably "escape" the E IC clearance mechanism, but could deposit in susceptible organs and tissues and play a role in the pathogenesis of SLE because of their potential to generate the inflammatory products of C activation.     

The binding of complement component C3 to antibody-antigen aggregates after activation of the alternative pathway in human serum.

Preformed immune aggregates, containing antigen and either IgG (immunoglobulin G) or F(ab')2 rabbit antibody, were incubated with normal human serum under conditions allowing activation of only the alternative pathway of complement. Both the IgG and F(ab')2 immune aggregates bound C3b, the activated form of the complement component C3, in a similar manner, 2-3% of the C3 available in the serum being bound to the aggregates as C3b, and the rest remaining in the fluid phase as inactive C3b or uncleaved C3. It was found that the C3b was probably covalently bound to the IgG in the aggregates, since C3b-IgG complexes could be demonstrated on sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis, after repeated washing with buffers containing high salt or boiling under denaturing conditions. Incubation of the C3b-antibody-antigen aggregates in buffers known to destroy ester linkages had little effect on the C3b-IgG complexes, which suggested that C3b and IgG might be linked by an amide bond. Two main types of C3b-IgG complexes were found that had apparent mol.wts. of 360000 and 580000, corresponding to either one to two C3b molecules respectively bound to one molecule of antibody. On reduction of the C3b-IgG complexes it was found that the beta-chain, but not the alpha'-chain, of C3b was released along with all the light chain of IgG but only about half or less of the heavy chain of IgG. These results indicate that, during activation of the alternative pathway of complement by immune aggregates containing IgG antibody, the alpha'-chain of C3b may become covalently bound at one or two sites in the Fd portion of the heavy chain of IgG.     

Studies of the mechanism of bacterial resistance to complement-mediated killing. V. IgG and F(ab')2 mediate killing of E. coli 0111B4 by the alternative complement pathway without increasing C5b-9 deposition

The mechanism of antibody-dependent complement-(C) mediated killing of Escherichia coli 0111B4, strain 12015 (12015), was examined. 12015 was resistant to serum killing when incubated in hypogammaglobulinemic serum (H gamma S) or pooled normal human serum (NHS) that had been previously adsorbed to remove specific antibody (Abs NHS). Presensitization with immune rabbit serum or purified immune rabbit IgG resulted in 1 to 3 log killing when 5 X 10(8) colony forming units (CFU)/ml were incubated in 10 to 40% Abs NHS. Binding of 125I-C3 and 131I-C9 to the bacterial surface of the presensitized and the nonpresensitized strain was quantitated when these organisms were incubated in 10, 20, and 40% Abs NHS. Stable binding of up to 3.0 X 10(5) molecules of C3 and 8.0 X 10(4) molecules of C9 to presensitized and nonpresensitized isolates occurred in the highest concentration of serum, but there was no killing without presensitization. Similar results were found when Abs NHS was chelated with ethylene bis glycoltetraacetic acid containing 2 mM MgCl2 (Mg EGTA) to block classical pathway activation, indicating that antibody mediated the bactericidal reaction through the alternative pathway. Deposition of C3 and C9 and killing of 120 15 in 10% Abs NHS or 10% H gamma S was measured after presensitization with increasing amounts of IgG, F(ab')2, or Fab'. There was a dose-dependent increase in C3 deposition and killing, but only minimal change in C9 binding when 1.0 X 10(3) to 3.2 X 10(4) IgG or F(ab')2/CFU were bound to the bacterial surface. In contrast, there was no increase in C3 or C9 binding and no bacterial killing when 1 X 10(3) to 3.4 X 10(4) molecules Fab'/CFU were bound to the bacterial surface. These experiments show that immune IgG and F(ab')2 can mediate killing of E. Coli 0111B4 by the alternative pathway without changing the extent of terminal C component attachment to the bacterial surface.     

The surface protease PgtE of Salmonella enterica affects complement activity by proteolytically cleaving C3b, C4b and C5

Complement activity in mammalian serum is fundamentally based on three homologous components C3b, C4b and C5. During systemic infection, the gastrointestinal pathogen Salmonella enterica disseminates within host phagocytic cells but also extracellularly. Consequently, systemic Salmonella transiently confronts the complement system. We show here that the surface protease PgtE of S. enterica proteolytically cleaves C3b, C4b and C5 and that the expression of PgtE enhances bacterial resistance to human serum. Degradation of C3b was further enhanced by PgtE-mediated plasminogen activation.     

Membrane receptors of mouse leukocytes. I. Two types of complement receptors for different regions of C3

Mouse leukocytes were studied for membrane receptors for the third C component by rosette formation with C coated erythrocytes (EAC). Methods were devised for the preparation of EAC complexes containing either mouse C3b or mouse C3d. EAC 1-3dmo were prepared from EA treated with whole mouse serum while EAC 1-3bmo were produced from EAC 142hu treated with whole mouse serum containing sodium suramin. The specificity of the EAC complexes for mouse leukocytes was confirmed by inhibition experiments using fluid phase human C3d. Low concentrations of fluid phase human C3d inhibited EAC1-3dmo rosettes but failed to inhibit EAC 1-3bmo rosettes. Eight-fold higher concentrations of fluid phase C3d caused partial inhibition of EAC1-3bmo rosette formation with lymphocytes, but not with other types of murine leukocytes. Thus mouse leukocytes apparently contain the same two types of C receptors as do human and guinea pig leukocytes. Mouse CR1 is specific for a non-C3d region of C3b, (possibly analogous to human C3c) whereas mouse CR2 is specific for both C3d and the C3d region of C3b.     

C3b2-IgG complexes retain dimeric C3 fragments at all levels of inactivation

C3b2-IgG complexes are formed during complement activation in serum by attachment of two C3b molecules (the proteolytically activated form of C3) to one IgG heavy chain (IgG HC) via ester bonds. Because of the presence of two C3b molecules, these complexes are very efficient activators of the alternative complement pathway. Likewise, dimeric C3b is known to enhance complement receptor 1-dependent phagocytosis, and dimeric C3d (the smallest thioester-containing fragment of C3) linked to a protein antigen facilitates CR2-dependent B-cell proliferation. Because the efficiency of all these interactions depends on the number of C3 fragments, we investigated whether C3b2-IgG complexes retained dimeric structure upon physiological inactivation. We used two-dimensional SDS-PAGE and Western blot to study the arrangement of the C3b molecules by analyzing the fragmentation pattern after cleavage of the ester bonds. Upon inactivation with factors H and I, a 185-kDa band was generated under reducing conditions. It released IgG HC and the 65-kDa fragment of C3b alpha' chain after hydrolysis of the ester bonds with hydroxylamine. The two C3b molecules were not 65-kDa-to-40-kDa linked, because neither ester-bonded 65 kDa HC nor 65 kDa-40 kDa fragments were observed, nor was a 40-kDa peptide released after hydroxylamine cleavage. Factor I and CR1 cleaved the C3b2-IgG molecule to its final physiological product, C3dg2-IgG, which migrated as a 133-kDa fragment in reduced form. This fragment released exclusively C3dg (the final physiological product of C3b inactivation by factor I) and IgG HC. C3dg2-HC appeared as a double band on SDS-PAGE only at low gel porosity, suggesting the presence of two conformers of the same composition. Our results suggest that, upon physiological inactivation, C3b2-IgG complexes retain dimeric inactivated C3b and C3dg, which allows bivalent binding to the corresponding complement receptors.     

Alternative complement pathway activation by C4b deposited during classical pathway activation

Sheep erythrocytes (E) sensitized with anti-E antibody (A) were reacted with guinea pig C1 (C1gp) and human C4 (C4hu) or guinea pig C4 (C4gp) to prepare EAC1, 4b. Treatment of the EAC1, 4b with a buffer containing EDTA removes C1rgp and C1sgp, resulting in the formation of EAC4b. EAC4b prepared in this way were found to be lysed by human or guinea pig serum in a gelatin Veronal-buffered saline containing 2 mM MgCl2 and 8 mM EGTA (Mg-EGTA-GVB). In the hemolytic sensitivity of EAC4bhu, essentially no difference was noted whether IgG or IgM antibodies were used for preparation of EAC4bhu. The extent of the hemolysis of EAC4bhu was dependent on the dose of C4bhu. Because EAC4bhu were lysed even by C2-deficient human serum, C3 convertase of the classical complement pathway would not be involved in the hemolysis of EAC4bhu. Furthermore, the reactivity of EAC4bhu with serum in Mg-EGTA-GVB remained even after treatment of the intermediate cells with 1 mM PMSF, indicating that any remaining C1gp was not responsible for the hemolysis. Therefore, the hemolysis of EAC4b by sera in Mg-EGTA-GVB was considered to be mediated via activation of the alternative complement pathway (ACP). Pretreatment of EAC4bhu with anti-C4hu antibody or C4-binding protein suppressed the hemolysis of EAC4bhu via the ACP activation. Furthermore, EAC4bhu were more sensitive to hemolysis by the reaction with a mixture of C3, B, D, and H followed by rat serum in EDTA-GVB than EAC1qgp were. These results indicate that C4b molecules on the cell membrane participate in the activation of ACP.     

Activation of human C1: analysis with Western blotting reveals slow self-activation

The first component of human complement was separated from C1-INH by sucrose linear gradient ultracentrifugation. Activation of C1 was studied in the absence and presence of immune complexes; activation was monitored by SDS-PAGE and Western blot. When the partially purified native C1 preparation was incubated at 37 degrees C without immune complexes, activated C1s appeared after 30 min in the case of eightfold dilution with respect to the original serum, and after 45 min with 32-fold dilution. Kinetics of appearance of activated C1r was the same as that of activated C1s. From the following results, we concluded that spontaneous activation may be partially due to proteolytic enzymes contaminating the preparation: 1) a nonspecific protease inhibitor, PMSF, completely inhibited spontaneous activation but did not inhibit the activation of C1 by immune complexes; 2) alpha 2-macroglobulin partially inhibited spontaneous activation, and 3) although spontaneous activation in the absence of PMSF was relatively slow, activated C1 accelerated spontaneous activation that was completely blocked by C1-INH. In contrast to spontaneous activation, the partially purified native C1 was rapidly activated by immune complexes: within 5 min almost all C1 was activated by rabbit IgG anti-human IgM-human IgM complexes. These results support conclusions derived from activation studies when using native C1 and hemolytic assays, and do not support those derived from the activation studies with reconstituted C1 and SDS-PAGE analysis. We suggest that the contradictions can be resolved if one assumes that C1 activation can be both an intra- and intermolecular process; which process dominates is determined by the state of C1 and by experimental conditions.     

C3, C4, and the terminal complement complex differ from C1q by binding predominantly to the antigenic part of solid phase immune complexes

The binding of the C components C1q, C4, C3, the terminal C5b-9 complement complex (TCC) and S protein to immune complexes was studied. The hapten 5-iodo-4-hydroxy-3-nitrophenacetyl (NIP) conjugated to BSA was adsorbed to polystyrene plates and reacted with a human IgG3-mouse chimeric anti-NIP antibody. After addition of serum a dose-dependent binding of C1q, C4, C3, and TCC to the immune complexes was found. An increase in the amount of NIP-BSA was associated with an increase in the binding of TCC and a decrease in the binding of S-protein. After addition of soluble NIP only 4 to 6% of the anti-NIP antibody remained bound to the Ag. C1q showed diminished binding after addition of NIP, whereas C4, C3, and TCC quantitatively remained bound to the Ag. Binding of TCC to the immune complexes was also found in an alternative assay, in which the anti-NIP antibody was adsorbed to the solid phase before NIP-BSA and an additional layer of anti-NIP antibody were added. The supernatants from the solid phase assay were tested for C3 activation and formation of the fluid phase TCC (SC5b-9). Activation of the C3 was reflected in the fluid phase by a dose-dependent increase in C3 activation products. This was not seen for TCC despite increased binding to the solid phase.     

Binding of fluid-phase complement components C3 and C3b to human lymphocytes.

It is known that a population of B-lymphocytes has receptors for the third component of complement, C3, and that these lymphocytes may be identified by their ability to form rosettes with sheep erythrocytes coated with covalently bound fragments of complement component C3. Human tonsil lymphocytes, enriched for B-cells, form rosettes with sheep erythrocytes coated with antibody and complement components C1, C4b and C3b (EAC143b cells). Fluid-phase C3 will inhibit rosette formation between EAC143b and human tonsil lymphocytes over the same concentration range as fluid-phase C3b. C3 is not cleaved to C3b during incubation with lymphocytes or with lymphocytes and EAC143b cells. Fluid-phase 125I-labelled C3 and 125I-labelled C3b bind to lymphocytes in a specific manner. The characteristics of binding of both radioiodinated C3 and radioiodinated C3b are very similar, but the binding oc C3 is again not a result of cleavage to C3b. Salicylhydroxamic acid does not inhibit binding of 125I-labelled C3 to tonsil lymphocytes at concentrations that completely inhibit binding of 125I-labelled C3 to EAC142 cells via the nascent binding site of C3b. It is concluded that C3 and C3b share a common feature involved in binding to lymphocytes bearing receptors for the third component of complement.     

Binding of activated C3b component with complement effector

Various nucleophilic agents (acceptors) react with thiolester group of nascent activated fragment (C3b) of the third complement component. The C3b-acceptors binding prevents transformation of C3 convertase to C5 convertase and results in inhibition of the cell-target lysis. A convenient method of monitoring the EAC142 to EAC1423 transformation was elaborated. Character of the inhibition suggests that the covalent binding follows a stage of the reversible C3b-acceptor complex formation. The method allows to determine the maximum of inhibition of the C5 convertase formation and the dissociation constant of the reversible C3b-acceptor complex, which reflects the C3b affinity to this acceptor.