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Complement Inhibition (complement + inhibition)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Chemistry	50%

Selected Abstracts

Astrocyte-specific expression of a soluble form of the murine complement control protein Crry confers demyelination protection in the cuprizone model

GLIA, Issue 14 2007
Dustin T. Briggs
Abstract Complement has been implicated as a potential effector mechanism in neurodegeneration; yet the precise role of complement in this process remains elusive. In this report, we have utilized the cuprizone model of demyelination-remyelination to examine the contribution of complement to disease. C1q deposition was observed in the corpus callosum of C57BL/6 mice during demyelination, suggesting complement activation by apoptotic oligodendrocyte debris. Simultaneously, these mice lost expression of the rodent complement regulatory protein, Crry. A soluble CNS-specific form of the Crry protein (sCrry) expressed in a transgenic mouse under the control of an astrocyte-specific promoter was induced in the corpus callosum during cuprizone treatment. Expression of this protein completely protected the mice from demyelination. Interestingly, sCrry mice had low levels of demyelination at later times when control mice were remyelinating. Although the sCrry transgenic mice had lower levels of demyelination, there was no decrease in overall cellularity, however there were decreased numbers of microglia in the sCrry mice relative to controls. Strikingly, sCrry mice had early recovery of mature oligodendrocytes, although they later disappeared. TUNEL staining suggested that production of the sCrry protein in the transgenic mice protected from a late apoptosis event at 3 weeks of cuprizone treatment. Our data suggest complement provides some protection of mature oligodendrocytes during cuprizone treatment but may be critical for subsequent remyelination events. These data suggest that temporal restriction of complement inhibition may be required in some disease settings. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

Biological activity, membrane-targeting modification, and crystallization of soluble human decay accelerating factor expressed in E. coli

PROTEIN SCIENCE, Issue 9 2004
Jennifer White
CHAPS, 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]-1-propanesulfonate; GPI, glycophosphatidyl inositol; PpDAF, human DAF1,4 expressed in Pichia pastoris, N glycosylated and with an oligohistidine tag; EcDAF, nonglycosylated human DAF 1,4 expressed in Escherichia coli; nDAF, human native glycosylated (GPI-anchored) DAF from erythrocytes; EcDAF-MP, soluble E. coli human DAF linked through a C-terminal cysteine to the myristoylated peptide APT542; PCR, polymerase chain reaction; SCR, short consensus repeat; TCEP, Tris- (2-carboxyethyl) phosphine Abstract Decay-accelerating factor (DAF, CD55) is a glycophosphatidyl inositol-anchored glycoprotein that regulates the activity of C3 and C5 convertases. In addition to understanding the mechanism of complement inhibition by DAF through structural studies, there is also an interest in the possible therapeutic potential of the molecule. In this report we describe the cloning, expression in Escherichia coli, isolation and membrane-targeting modification of the four short consensus repeat domains of soluble human DAF with an additional C-terminal cysteine residue to permit site-specific modification. The purified refolded recombinant protein was active against both classical and alternative pathway assays of complement activation and had similar biological activity to soluble human DAF expressed in Pichia pastoris. Modification with a membrane-localizing peptide restored cell binding and gave a large increase in antihemolytic potency. These data suggested that the recombinant DAF was correctly folded and suitable for structural studies as well as being the basis for a DAF-derived therapeutic. Crystals of the E. coli -derived protein were obtained and diffracted to 2.2 Å, thus permitting the first detailed X-ray crystallography studies on a functionally active human complement regulator protein with direct therapeutic potential. [source]

Novel complement inhibitor limits severity of experimentally myasthenia gravis,

ANNALS OF NEUROLOGY, Issue 1 2009
Jindrich Soltys DVM
Objective Complement mediated injury of the neuromuscular junction is considered a primary disease mechanism in human myasthenia gravis and animal models of experimentally acquired myasthenia gravis (EAMG). We utilized active and passive models of EAMG to investigate the efficacy of a novel C5 complement inhibitor rEV576, recombinantly produced protein derived from tick saliva, in moderating disease severity. Methods Standardized disease severity assessment, serum complement hemolytic activity, serum cytotoxicity, acetylcholine receptor (AChR) antibody concentration, IgG subclassification, and C9 deposition at the neuromuscular junction were used to assess the effect of complement inhibition on EAMG induced by administration of AChR antibody or immunization with purified AChR. Results Administration of rEV576 in passive transfer EAMG limited disease severity as evidenced by 100% survival rate and a low disease severity score. In active EAMG, rats with severe and mild EAMG were protected from worsening of disease and had limited weight loss. Serum complement activity (CH50) in severe and mild EAMG was reduced to undetectable levels during treatment, and C9 deposition at the neuromuscular junction was reduced. Treatment with rEV576 resulted in reduction of toxicity of serum from severe and mild EAMG rats. Levels of total AChR IgG, and IgG2a antibodies were similar, but unexpectedly, the concentration of complement fixing IgG1 antibodies was lower in a group of rEV576-treated animals, suggesting an effect of rEV576 on cellular immunity. Interpretation Inhibition of complement significantly reduced weakness in two models of EAMG. C5 inhibition could prove to be of significant therapeutic value in human myasthenia gravis. Ann Neurol 2009;65:67,75 [source]

Crystallization of human complement component C3b in the presence of a staphylococcal complement-inhibitor protein (SCIN)

ACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA SECTION F (ELECTRONIC), Issue 5 2009
Brandon L. Garcia
Staphylococcus aureus secretes a number of small proteins that effectively attenuate the human innate immune response. Among these, the staphylococcal complement-inhibitor protein (SCIN) disrupts the function of the complement component 3 (C3) convertase that is initiated through either the classical or the alternative pathway and thereby prevents amplification of the complement response on the bacterial surface. Recent studies have shown that SCIN may affect the activities of the C3 convertase by binding in an equimolar fashion to C3b, which is itself an integral although non-enzymatic component of the convertase. In order to better understand the nature of the C3b,SCIN interaction, the hanging-drop vapor-diffusion technique was used to crystallize human C3b in the presence of a recombinant form of SCIN. These crystals diffracted synchrotron X-rays to approximately 6,Å Bragg spacing and grew in a primitive tetragonal space group (P41212 or P43212; unit-cell parameters a = b = 128.03, c = 468.59,Å). Cell-content analysis of these crystals was consistent with the presence of either two 1:1 complexes or a single 2:2 assembly in the asymmetric unit, both of which correspond to a solvent content of 51.9%. By making use of these crystals, solution of the C3b,SCIN structure should further our understanding of complement inhibition and immune evasion by this pathogen. [source]