Generation of a complement-derived chemotactic factor for tumor cells in experimentally induced peritoneal exudates and its effect on the local metastasis of circulating tumor cells.

A chemotactic factor for tumor cells was found in inflammatory exudate fluids induced by giving intraperitoneal injections of glycogen to Sprague-Dawley rats. The quantity of chemotactic activity and the period of time during which it could be detected correlated with the inflammatory reaction, measured by the cellular composition of the exudates and their content of protein and lysosomal enzymes. In gel filtration the chemotactic factor behaved mainly as a molecule having a molecular weight of approximately 6000 daltons. Its biologic activity was blocked by antiserums directed against C5 but not by antiserums against C3 or C4. In these two respects, the factor generated in vivo has the same properties as a previously described chemotactic factor that can be generated in vitro by proteolysis of purified C5 or C5a. Chemotactic activity was not detected in the glycogen-induced peritoneal exudates of rats depleted of serum complement by cobra venom factor. Intravenously injected Walker tumor cells arrested and formed metastases in the mesenteries of rats with peritonitis in greater numbers than in normal controls, animals depleted of complement during the experimental period, or animals given intraperitoneal injections of the vasopermeability agent, histamine. The growth of tumor cells in vitro was not promoted by peritoneal exudate fluids, nor was the number of metastases on vivo greater than in negative controls, in animals in which peritonitis was induced 24 hours after the intravenous injection of tumor cells. It is argued that chemotactic mechanisms can contribute to the formation of metastases at sites of tissue injury.     

The chemotactic response of tumor cells. A model for cancer metastasis.

Injection of a C5-derived chemotactic factor for tumor cells into the peritoneal cavities of Sprague-Dawley rats induced diffuse mesenteric metastasis following the intravenous injection of Walker carcinosarcoma cells. Intraperitoneal injections of culture medium, histamine, or of trypsin-treated albumin resulted in many fewer metastases. Intraperitoneal injections of the chemotactic factor, unlike histamine, did not alter mesenteric vasopermeability as measured by the exudation of Evans blue into the mesentery. In vitro, tumor cells responded to the chemotactic factor by demonstrating directed migration in the Boyden chamber, by volume changes, measurable in the Coulter counter, and by demonstrating an increased adherence to nylon fibers. These phenomena are similar to the behavior of neutrophils in the presence of their chemotactic factors. All the responses in vitro were markedly depressed by the addition of 2-deoxyglucose, while the cell swelling response was slightly enhanced by cytochalasin B (again similar to the responses of leukocytes). The data suggest that movement of tumor cells from the circulation may be under chemotactic influence in the manner similar to the responsiveness of neutrophils to leukotactic stimuli in vivo.     

Characteristics of the chemotactic response of neoplastic cells to a factor derived from the fifth component of complement.

Chemotactic factors for malignant neoplastic cells can be generated from either the fifth component of complement or from leukotactic fractions obtained from zymosanactivated serum. Digestion of the fifth component of complement by trypsin initially produced leukotactic activity, but as digestion continues, leukotactic activity is lost and tumor cell chemotactic activity is generated. Separation of the leukotactic activity is lost and tumor cell chemotactic activity is generated. Separation of the leukotactic activity and tumor cell chemotactic activity can be accomplished by gel filtration or isoelectric focusing. Gel filtration indicates that the tumor cell chemotactic factor has a molecular weight of approximately 8000 daltons. Tumor cell chemotactic activity can be generated by trypsinizing the leukotactic fractions isolated by isoelectric focusing. The responses of cultured Walker tumor cells or of Walker ascites tumor cells are dose-dependent and truly chemotactic. Cells from a murine malignant lymphoma do not respond to the complement-derived chemotactic factor for tumor cells, indicating that not all malignant cells share this functional property.     

Demonstration of a local exhaustion of complement components and of an enzymatic degradation of immunoglobulins in pleural empyema: a possible factor favouring the persistence of local bacterial infections

Local bacterial infections such as abscesses or purulent exudates most often contain numerous, easily culturable bacteria despite an intense inflammatory reaction characterized by the ingress of polymorphonuclear leucocytes. In order to understand the mechanisms leading to such a persistent infection, we used pleural empyema as a model and measured the levels and catabolism of complement as well as of immunoglobulins in 28 infectious pleural effusions associated with either a positive or with a negative bacterial culture. Classic and alternative pathway haemolytic activities, factor B and C4 haemolytic activities as well as native C3 were markedly decreased or undetectable in most culture-positive effusions when compared to culture-negative effusions (P less than 0.005); breakdown products of factor B and C3 were markedly increased in culture-positive fluids. Eleven out of 14 culture-positive fluids exhibited IgG breakdown as opposed to none of the culture-negative fluids. In seven out of 14 culture-positive fluids, incubation with 125I-IgG led to their in vitro breakdown. This proteolytic activity could be abolished by preincubation of the culture-positive fluids with normal sera. Thus, increased catabolism of complement and breakdown of immunoglobulins, both leading to local consumption of immune reactants, could be one of the causes for bacterial persistence in pleural empyema.     

In vitro and in vivo production of chemotactic inhibitors by tumor cells.

The ascites fluid or peritoneal washings of DBA/2 mice bearing the P815 mastocytoma have been found to contain a chemotactic factor inactivator (CFI) which inactivates the bacterial chemotactic factor as well as the chemotactic activity associated with the C3 and C5 fragments when assayed on rabbit neutrophils. The amount of CFI is proportional to the number of tumor cells in the peritoneal exudate. The inactivator is also found in tumor cell hemogenates as well as in culture fluid from tumor cells growing in vitro. The activity is heat-labile but is not affected by protease inhibitors. Its molecular weight is greater than 50,000 daltons, based on Sephadex chromatography and sucrose density gradient ultracentrifugation studies. In C57BL/6 mice, which reject the mastocytoma, CFI levels decrease in proportion to the decreasing numbers of tumor cells.     

Complement (C5)-derived chemotactic activity accounts for accumulation of polymorphonuclear leukocytes in cerebrospinal fluid of rabbits with pneumococcal meningitis

Experiments were performed to identify the chemoattractant for polymorphonuclear leukocytes that appears in the cerebrospinal fluid of rabbits with experimental pneumococcal meningitis. Meningitis was induced in anesthetized New Zealand white rabbits by injecting 10(4) cells of stationary-phase Streptococcus pneumoniae type III intracisternally. Before bacteria were injected, cerebrospinal fluid contained neither polymorphonuclear leukocytes nor chemotactic activity. Significant chemotactic activity for rabbit polymorphonuclear leukocytes was detected 12 h after inoculation with bacteria and was maximal after 18 to 20 h. Chemotactic activity appeared in cerebrospinal fluid while concentrations of pneumococci and total protein were increasing but before there was any accumulation of polymorphonuclear leukocytes. The chemotactic activity in cerebrospinal fluid was heat stable (56 degrees C for 30 min), eluted from Sephadex G-75 with a profile identical to that of the chemotactic activity in zymosan-activated rabbit serum, and was inhibited by treatment with antibodies to native human C5. In addition, preincubation of polymorphonuclear leukocytes with partially purified rabbit C5a selectively inhibited their subsequent chemotactic responses to cerebrospinal fluid. These data indicate that complement (C5)-derived chemotactic activity appears in cerebrospinal fluid during the course of experimental pneumococcal meningitis in rabbits and suggest that this activity accounts for the accumulation of polymorphonuclear leukocytes observed in this infection.     

High levels of complement breakdown products in tuberculous pleural effusions

Pleural fluids from 10 patients with tuberculous pleural effusions contained high levels of small molecular weight breakdown products of C3 (C3d) and of properdin factor B (Ba) when compared to 16 patients with effusions of neoplastic origin (P less than 0.001). The same fluids exhibited overlapping values of haemolytic factor B, classical or alternative pathway-mediated haemolytic activity and native C3. A significant correlation between Ba and lysozyme levels was found in all effusions tested (P less than 0.05). These findings suggest that activation of the complement system is an important aspect of the extensive inflammation and tissue destruction characteristic of human tuberculosis.     

Digestion of the fifth component of complement by leukocyte enzymes. Sequential generation of chemotactic activities for leukocytes and for tumor cells.

Leukocytes contain within their lysosomal granules enzymatic activity that will generate from C5 chemotactic activity for leukocytes (neutrophils) and tumor (Walker carcinosarcoma) cells. Similar activity has been found in phagocytic supernatant fluids from neutrophils and in purified preparations of the leukocyte neutral proteases elastase and cathepsin G. White leukotactic activities can be generated from either the third (C3) or the fifth (C5) components of complement, only C5 serves as a source for generation of the chemotactic activity for tumor cells. As has been previously shown with trypsin, the C5-related chemotactic activities generated by leukocyte proteases are time-dependent: leukotactic activity appears early, then disappears, and is replaced by chemotactic activity for tumor cells. The generation of these chemotactic activities from C5 is blocked by prior treatment of leukocyte preparations with the neutral protease inhibitor Trasylol. The demonstration that enzyme activities from leukocytes have the ability to generate tumor cell chemotactic factors from C5 suggests a possible mechanism by which the development of metastatic lesions may be promoted at sites of tissue injury or inflammation.     

Quantification of mouse macrophage chemotaxis in vitro: role of C5 for the production of chemotactic activity.

Delineation of the mechanisms of macrophage accumulation at local tissue sites will further our understanding of immunologically mediated host resistance to infectious and neoplastic diseases. Since mice are frequently used for the study of immune function, we developed a method for the quantification of mouse macrophage chemotaxis in vitro. By this method it was found that the fifth component of complement is necessary for the production of chemotactic activity in mouse serum by inflammatory agents such as endotoxin or aggregated gamma globulin. The majority of macrophage chemotactic activity produced by these agents in mouse serum can be attributed to a low-molecular-weight (ca. 15,000) chemotactic factor. The data suggest that this factor is the biologically active cleavage product of the fifth component of complement, C5a.     

Studies on cell motility in inflammation. I. The chemotactic activity of experimental,immunological and non-immunological,inflammatory exudates

The accumulation of leucocytes at the site of inflammation may be brought about by chemotaxis or proliferation in the extravascular tissues. The present paper focuses on the chemotactic properties of different types of experimental inflammatory pleural exudates, using a modified Boyden chamber. The time-course of carrageenan-induced exudate chemotactic activity for polymorphs was maximat at 4 h, thereafter diminishing towards 24 and 48 h. Chemotactic activity for mononuclear cells remained unchanged throughout the 4–48 h time-course. Heating the exudates to 56°C for 1 h partially reduced chemotactic activity. These results correlate well with the migration of polymorph and mononuclear cells into the pleural cavity during carrageenan-induced pleurisy. The potency of polymorph and mononuclear cell chemotactic activity of different exudates was of the following order: carrageenan > calcium pyrophosphate > reverse passive Arthus > dextran. These results are discussed in order to elucidate the differences between the underlying mechanisms responsible for leucocyte accumulation in different types of inflammatory reaction.     

Chemotactic activity of C5ades Arg: Evidence of a requirement for an anionic peptide ‘helper factor’ and inhibition by a cationic protein in serum from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Sera from some patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)¹ contain a uniquely specific, reversible inhibitor of complement (C5)-derived chemotactic activity for polymorphonuclear leukocytes. SLE serum, proven capable of significantly inhibiting C5-derived chemotactic activity in zymosan-treated serum (ZTS), was found incapable of inhibiting the chemotactic activity of the highly purified human anaphylatoxin, C5a (10–20 ng/ml). Similarly, SLE serum was found incapable of inhibiting the chemotactic activity generated in ZTS containing the carboxypeptidase inhibitor, epsilon amino-caproic acid (EACA). EACA protects C5a from the action of the anaphylatoxin inactivator in serum and thereby prevents conversion of C5a to a peptide (C5a_{des Arg}) which is completely devoid of anaphylatoxin activity. Highly purified human C5a_{des Arg} (40–160 μg/ml) was not chemotactic unless assayed in the presence of small amounts of normal human serum. The ‘helper factor’ in normal human serum which permits C5a_{des Arg} to exhibit chemotactic activity was isolated and found to be an anionic polypeptide. The chemotactic activity of C5a_{des Arg} plus normal serum was inhibited significantly by SLE serum. The inhibitor in SLE serum was isolated and determined to be a 69,000 mol. wt cationic protein. These data suggest strongly that the cationic inhibitor in SLE serum acts not on C5a but only on the ‘complex’ of C5a_{des Arg} plus a specific peptide ‘helper factor’. This ‘complex’ accounts for a substantial proportion of the chemotactic activity in ZTS.     

Neutrophil-mediated tumor cell destruction in cancer ascites. II. A OK-432 attracts killer neutrophils through activation of complement C5

When a streptococcal preparation, OK-432, was administered intraperitoneally to patients with malignant ascites, the number of neutrophils with cytotoxic activity against tumor cells was increased in the peritoneal cavity immediately after the OK-432 injection. In order to investigate the underlying mechanisms of such neutrophil accumulation, a possible neutrophil chemotactic activity in ascitic fluid was assayed by a modified Boyden method. The chemotactic activity for neutrophils was found significantly higher 6 hr after the OK-432 injection. OK-432 along had no direct chemotactic activity for neutrophils. The chemotactic activity was generated in vitro when ascitic fluid from patients without OK-432 treatment was incubated with OK-432 for 30 min at 37 degrees C. However, preheating of the fluid at 56 degrees C for 30 min or the addition of EDTA to the fluid resulted in the failure of generation of the chemotactic activity after the incubation with OK-432. The addition of EGTA did not show a significant effect. The chemotactic activity in ascitic fluid was found near cytochrome c marker (MW 12,400 D), when fractionated by Sephadex G-200 gel chromatography. The chemotactic activity was heat stable, nondialyzable, and neutralized completely with anti-human complement C5 antibodies. These results suggest that C5a generated via the alternative pathway activated by OK-432 may be responsible for the infiltration of killer neutrophils in the peritoneal cavity in patients with malignant ascites when they are treated by the intraperitoneal injection of OK-432.     

Interleukin-8 is a major neutrophil chemotactic factor derived from cultured human gingival fibroblasts stimulated with interleukin-1 beta or tumor necrosis factor alpha.

Inflammatory mediators produced by cells in the gingiva have been implicated in the initiation and progression of periodontal disease, a common infectious disease. In this study, we examined the biological activity of neutrophil chemotactic factors and the kinetics of expression of interleukin-8 (IL-8) mRNA derived from normal gingival fibroblasts in response to inflammatory mediators in an in vitro model. Gingival fibroblasts stimulated by either recombinant human interleukin-1 beta or recombinant human tumor necrosis factor alpha produced neutrophil chemotactic factors after 4 h, whereas expression of cell-derived IL-8 mRNA was detected within 1 h after stimulation. Furthermore, in a neutralization assay, rabbit anti-recombinant human IL-8 antiserum inhibited neutrophil chemotactic activity to basal levels. These results provide evidence that gingival fibroblasts synthesize potent chemotactic factors such as IL-8 in the presence of the inflammatory mediators interleukin-1 beta and tumor necrosis factor alpha. The activity of these factors may contribute to neutrophil-mediated processes in the pathogenesis of periodontal disease.     

Measurement of Complement Activation in Rabbit Plasma or Serum Using Monoclonal Antibodies against C5a

Eight murine monoclonal antibodies (MoAb) raised against the major zymosan-induced chemotactic factor in rabbit serum were found to neutralize the chemotactic activity induced by lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and antigen-antibody complexes. A 15 kDa antigen was identified in plasma incubated with LPS by immunoblot analysis with MoAb. This is similar to the molecular weight of the major zymosan-induced chemotactic factor. Both the generation of this 15 kDa antigen and chemotactic activity were abrogated in a heat-inactivated plasma. A cross-reaction to human C5a was demonstrated for three MoAb (5H8B9, 4B1C11, and 2A5E3) in an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) of partially purified C5a and by the isolation of zymosan-induced chemotactic activity by affinity chromatography. MoAb 5H8B9 and 4B1C11 were able to neutralize the chemotactic activity in human zymosan-activated serum. MoAb 2A5E3 was able to bind 125I-labelled human C5a des Arg. We conclude that these MoAb are directed against rabbit C5a. MoAb 5B2C5 and 2B1A2, which are directed to different antigenic binding sites on C5a, may be applied in a sandwich ELISA for the detection and quantification of C5a des Arg in rabbit serum or plasma. The sandwich ELISA can be performed directly on serum or plasma samples without having to precipitate native C5. Complement activation is demonstrated by measuring the increased generation of C5a des Arg in rabbit plasma or serum activated with LPS, zymosan, antigen-antibody complexes, or cobra venom factor.     

Partial characterization of in vivo chemotactic activity: Comparison to human C5a

Spontaneous eosinophil chemotactic activity (SECA) can mediate the directed movement of human eosinophils and neutrophils.¹ Preliminary characterization of SECA has been carried out. SECA is nondialyzable and heat-stable (56 °C, 30 min). Chromatography on Sephadex G-75 demonstrated that SECA had elutional and functional properties similar to C5a (prepared from endotoxin-activated normal sera). Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) with the use of 15% bisacrylamide gels of lyophilized, chemotactically active column fractions demonstrated a single protein band of identical electrophoretic mobility from either SECA or C5a preparations. Enzymatic hydrolysis with carboxypeptidase B, a known inhibitor of CSa activity, significantly decreased chemotactic activities of C5a and SECA. The addition of purified anti-C5 to either SECA or C5a significantly inhibited chemotactic activity. SECA is naturally occurring chemotactic activity identical to human C5a. Thus C5a may be an important source of in vivo chemotactic activity in various inflammatory disorders.     

Inhaled asbestos activates a complement-dependent chemoattractant for macrophages

Pulmonary macrophages migrate to the sites where inhaled chrysotile asbestos fibers initially are deposited (i.e., surfaces of alveolar duct bifurcations). These macrophages have been shown to form a major component of an early asbestos-induced interstitial lesion in rats. In this report, we describe a potential mechanism by which macrophages are attached to these sites of fiber deposition. Chrysotile asbestos fibers used in vitro activate complement proteins in peripheral blood serum and in lavaged cell-free lung proteins. After brief inhalation of chrysotile asbestos, fluids lavaged from the lungs of exposed rats contain substantial chemotactic activity for macrophages compared to fluids from sham-exposed animals (p less than 0.01). We hypothesize that this chemotactic activity is derived from complement activated by inhaled asbestos on alveolar surfaces. This contention is supported by the following observations. Production of chemotactic activity by asbestos in vitro in serum or in lavaged lung fluids was blocked by complement inhibitors. Fractionation, by molecular sieve chromatography, of serum proteins and concentrated proteins lavaged from the lungs of asbestos-exposed rats showed that chemotactic activity was detected in the 14,000- to 18,000-dalton range. This fractionation profile is similar to C5a, the chemotactic product of complement activation. Rats treated with cobra venom factor to deplete circulating complement as well as complement-deficient mice demonstrated significantly depressed macrophage accumulation at sites of asbestos deposition. Pulmonary macrophages are the cells that form the initial inflammatory response to asbestos inhalation. Our findings support the hypothesis that asbestos fibers, and possibly other inhaled particulates, activate complement-derived chemotactic activity on alveolar surfaces. Consequently, macrophages are attracted to the alveolar duct bifurcations where inhaled asbestos fibers are deposited, and this is where the initial lesion of asbestosis is manifested.     

Treatment of cancer ascites by intraperitoneal administration of a streptococcal preparation OK-432 with fresh human complement--role of complement-derived chemotactic factor to neutrophils

The role of complement in the polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN)-mediated tumor cell destruction in cancer ascites was investigated in relation to a streptococcal preparation OK-432, a so-called biological response modifier. Incubation of OK-432 with fresh human serum at 37 degrees C for 60 min resulted in the generation of C3a and C5a chemotactic factors. Intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of the mixture to a patient with cancer ascites revealed an accumulation of PMNs in the ascitic fluid for a longer period with a rapid reduction of the ascitic fluid, than an intraperitoneal injection of OK-432 alone examined in the same patient. PMNs were found to invade clusters of the tumor cells and then form rosettes followed by the destruction of tumor cells. These findings induced by OK-432 continued over 10 days in the presence of fresh serum, while diminished within 3-4 days when OK-432 alone was injected. When fresh human plasma or fresh frozen plasma was used instead of serum and i.p. injected with OK-432 avoiding preincubation, the same cytological and clinical changes were observed in other patients. These data strongly indicate that OK-432 activates human complement either in vitro or in the peritoneal cavity, and induces PMNs to accumulate in the ascitic fluid. Although the mechanism of killing of tumor cells by PMNs is obscure, addition of human serum or plasma to i.p. use of OK-432 seems to be valuable for the management of patients with malignant ascites.     

Complement activation in acne vulgaris: in vitro studies with Propionibacterium acnes and Propionibacterium granulosum.

To better define the role of bacteria in inflammatory acne vulgaris, we have investigated the ability of four strains of Propionibacterium acnes and three strains of Propionibacterium granulosum to activate complement. Complement activation was assayed by incubating normal human serum with varying concentrations of each strain and measuring residual total hemolytic complement activity. When serum was tested unaltered, P. acnes strains were approximately threefold more potent than an equal weight of P. granulosum in consuming complement, which could reflect classical and/or alternative pathway activation. All strains also consumed complement in serum chelated with ethyleneglycol-bis (beta-aminoethyl ether)-N,N'-tetraacetic acid, which selectively assays alternative pathway activation. Incubation of unaltered serum with both P. acnes and P. granulosum resulted in immunoelectrophoretic conversion of C4, C3, and factor B of the alternative pathway. Incubation of chelated serum resulted in conversion of C3 and factor B. These data taken together suggest that both species can activate complement through either pathway. Serum incubated with P. acnes was chemotactic for polymorphonuclear leukocytes, and this chemotactic activity was largely C5 dependent as shown by antibody inhibition. It is suggested that complement activation may occur in vivo in acne, and the inflammatory response may be contributed to by the generation of C5-dependent chemotactic factors.     

CHEMOTACTIC ACTIVITY FOR POLYMORPHONUCLEAR AND MONONUCLEAR LEUKOCYTES IN RHEUMATOID SYNOVIAL FLUIDS

In order to why polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) are predominant and mononuclear leukocytes (MNLs) are few in rheumatoid synovial fluids, chemotactic factor(s) for PMNs and MNLs were studied in the synovial fluids of rheumatoid arthritis (RA-SF) and osteoarthritis (OA-SF) using both Boyden's and agarose methods. The RA-SF showed strong chemotactic activity for human peripheral blood PMNs compared with non-rheumatoid OA-SF. The chemotactic activity for PMNs was well correlated with the number of PMNs in RA-SF, suggesting that it was a natural mediator for PMN emigration into rheumatoid joint cavity. The major chemotactic factor for PMN in RA-SF was of apparent molecular weight of 14,000 and its activity was suppressed to less than 10 percent by anti-C5a antibody, but it failed to show any anaphylatoxin activity which was an attribute of C5a. It was, therefore, suggested to be C5a-like molecule but not C5a itself. The possibility that the factor may be a C5a des-Arg was discussed. On the contrary, the chemotactic activity for MNLs was not found neither in RA-SF nor OA-SF. These findings may explain the fact that PMNs are predominant in rheumatoid synovial fluids.     

Chemotactic activity for polymorphonuclear and mononuclear leukocytes in rheumatoid synovial fluids

In order to why polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) are predominant and mononuclear leukocytes (MNLs) are few in rheumatoid synovial fluids, chemotactic factor(s) for PMNs and MNLs were studied in the synovial fluids of rheumatoid arthritis (RA-SF) and osteoarthritis (OA-SF) using both Boyden's and agarose methods. The RA-SF showed strong chemotactic activity for human peripheral blood PMNs compared with non-rheumatoid OA-SF. The chemotactic activity for PMNs was well correlated with the number of PMNs in RA-SF, suggesting that it was a natural mediator for PMN emigration into rheumatoid joint cavity. The major chemotactic factor for PMN in RA-SF was of apparent molecular weight of 14,000 and its activity was suppressed to less than 10 percent by anti-C5a antibody, but it failed to show any anaphylatoxin activity which was an attribute of C5a. It was, therefore, suggested to be C5a-like molecule but not C5a itself. The possibility that the factor may be a C5a des-Arg was discussed. On the contrary, the chemotactic activity for MNLs was not found neither in RA-SF nor OA-SF. These findings may explain the fact that PMNs are predominant in rheumatoid synovial fluids.