Expression and function of gingival fibroblast C1q receptors are upregulated by interleukin-1β and transforming growth factor-β

In injury and inflammation, complement (C) component C1q, in addition to its central role in initiation of classical pathway of complement activation, modulates diverse cellular functions by binding to specific cell surface receptors. Interaction of substrate-bound C1q with receptors for the collagen-like domain of C1q (C1qRC) of human gingival fibroblasts (HGF) promotes cell attachment. We investigated modulation of the adhesive function and expression of C1qRC by interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β). Confluent fibroblast monolayers were incubated under standard culture conditions with or without cytokines. C1qRC function was measured by attachment assays. IL-1β and TGF-β increased fibroblast adhesion to C1q to 146% and 131% of controls, respectively. Cytokine enhancement of HGF adhesion was concentration-dependent, saturable (20 ng/ml IL-1β; 1 ng/ml TGF-β) and time-dependent (IL-1β 12-hr peak; TGF-β 24-hr peak). Effect of IL-1β and TGF-β on C1qRC expression was assessed by flow cytometry measurements of fluorescence intensity of cells stained with C1q and FITC anti-C1q antibody, and by binding studies with ¹²⁵l-C1q. Cells treated with cytokines displayed a two- to four-fold increased fluorescence of cell-bound C1q compared to controls. Binding studies indicated the increased fluorescence correlated with increase in number of C1qRC in both IL-1β (4.7 × 10⁶/cell) and TGF-β (3.9 × 10⁶/cell)-treated cells, compared to control (3.0 × 10⁶/cell), but had no effect on binding affinity. Rates of internalization of receptor-bound C1q were similar in cytokine-treated cells and controls. We propose from these data that IL-1β and TGF-β have the ability to upregulate C1qRC expression, and this effect contributes to increased adhesion of HGF to substrate-bound C1q. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.