Naturally occurring human anti-band 3 autoantibodies accelerate clearance of erythrocytes in guinea pigs

A variety of naturally occurring autoantibodies (NOAs) have been found in sera of animals and humans. Although their specific homeostatic role in the clearance of altered or senescent cells has been proposed and in vitro studies support such functions, in vivo evidence has been lacking. We studied the effect of affinity-purified human anti-band 3 NOA on the survival of untreated and diamide-treated erythrocytes in normal and complement C3-deficient guinea pigs. In vitro exposure to diamide, an oxidative agent, severely reduced the erythrocyte deformability and increased the amount of high-molecular-weight forms of band 3 protein and band 3-hemoglobin adducts in erythrocyte membranes, thereby markedly shortening the survival of these cells in vivo. Human anti-band 3 NOA bound in a dose-dependent manner to erythrocytes, and binding increased with exposure to diamide. In normal guinea pigs anti-band 3 NOA significantly accelerated the clearance of erythrocytes that were mildly damaged by iodine surface labeling and of those that were further oxidized by diamide. However, the anti-band 3 effect was transient and small. In contrast, anti-band 3 NOA did not significantly alter erythrocyte survival in functionally C3-deficient guinea pigs, thereby supporting the C3b requirement for anti-band 3 NOA activity. On the other hand, a pretreatment of animals with purified human band 3 protein slowed down the clearance of erythrocytes incubated with IgG depleted of anti-band 3 NOA. These results provide the first in vivo evidence of a role for anti-band 3 NOA in the clearance of erythrocytes.     

HUMAN COMPLEMENT ACTIVATION BY SELF-ASSOCIATED IgG RHEUMATOID FACTORS

IgG rheumatoid factors (IgG–RFs) undergo concentration-dependent self-association into dimers and higher polymers, as previously reported. The interactions of purified IgG–RF from the plasma of 3 patients with rheumatoid arthritis, with guinea pig and human complement were studied. Self-associating IgG–RFs were isolated by affinity columns and gel filtration. These preparations contained no detectable IgM and were composed only of IgG subclasses known to fix complement. Complement utilization of IgG–RF was compared with that of monomeric IgG, heat-aggregated IgG, and soluble rabbit IgG immune complexes. Although incubation of IgG–RF or monomeric IgG with 3 units of guinea pig or human complement resulted in decreased hemolysis of sheep erythrocytes sensitized with IgM hemolysin, these substances were less than 100 times as effective as heat-aggregated IgG or soluble immune complexes. The ability of human or guinea pig complement that had been incubated with IgG–RF to restore hemolytic activity to C4-deficient guinea pig serum served to distinguish Clq binding from complement cascade activation. IgG–RFs and monomeric IgG did not activate guinea pig complement cascade in contrast to aggregated IgG. IgG–RFs, however, activated human complement cascade; monomeric IgG only bound human Clq. These results indicate that self-associated IgG–RFs can activate human complement in fluid phase, but less effectively than aggregated IgG or large-latticed immune complexes.     

Rheumatoid factor inhibition of in vitro binding of IgG complexes in the human glomerulus

We studied the effects of rheumatoid factor (RF) on binding of immune complexes to activated C3 (C3b) receptors in vitro. IgM fraction of serum containing RF activity (IgM-RF), IgM isolated from pooled normal human serum and having no RF activity (IgM-control), bovine serum albumin, and Veronal buffered saline solutions were used in a C3b assay system consisting of aggregated human IgG (AggHuIgG) coupled to sheep erythrocytes (SRBC) with guinea pig and normal human serum complement. The number of glomerular bound AggHuIgG-SRBC with IgM-control and bovine serum albumin or Veronal buffered saline was similar, while the number of bound cells with IgM-RF was reduced significantly. This effect was seen with both guinea pig and normal human serum complements. Supernatant hemolytic complement activity was maintained with IgM-RF, but reduced with control solutions. The blocking factor was shown to be RF by serial dilutions of IgM-RF resulting in inverse correlations with latex flocculation and inhibition of SRBC binding, absorption of blocking from IgM-RF with insolubilized AggHuIgG, and failure of IgM-control to block binding. IgM-RF did not directly interfere with activation of complement, but blocked attachment of C3 to AggHuIgG and formation of C3b capable of reacting with glomerular receptors. These results showed that IgM-RF can inhibit binding of AggHuIgG complexes to human glomeruli. This in vitro phenomenon may represent a possible protective mechanism of RF in vivo in diseases with immune complexes.     

Relationship between nonspecific airway hyperreactivity and antigen-induced contraction in an allergic animal model in vitro

Tracheal strips from actively sensitized guinea pigs exhibited an enhanced responsiveness (greater maximal effects; Emax) and sensitivity (smaller effective concentration 50%; pD2) to CaCl2 (in K(+)-depolarized tissues), KCl and histamine compared with that of strips from nonsensitized animals. A significant correlation was found between the magnitude of the contraction produced by bovine serum albumin (1 mg/ml) and the Emax and pD2 values of CaCl2, KCl and histamine in tracheal strips from sensitized guinea pigs. This indicates that specific and nonspecific challenges correlate in sensitized guinea pig trachea.     

Cell-free synthesis of the fourth component of guinea pig complement (C4): identification of a precursor of serum C4 (pro-C4).

Polysomes (S-20) from homogenates of guinea pig liver synthesized serum albumin and a precursor of the fourth component of guinea pig complement (C4) in vitro. The C4 precursor (pro-C4) accounted for approximately 0.2% and albumin 4% of the radiolabeled protein precipitable by trichloroacetic acid and not bound to polysomes. Pro-C4 is a single polypeptide chain (molecular weight 200,000) which is then converted to C4, a three-chain (molecular weights 95,000, 78,000 and 31,000) structure linked by interchain disulfide bridges. Pro-C4 was also detected intracellularly in short-term tissue cultures of guinea pig liver. C4 was found in the medium harvested from these cultures.     

Complement-independent Clearance of IgG-sensitized Erythrocytes: Inhibition by Cortisone

The effect of corticosteroid administrationon the complement-independent clearanceof IgG-sensitized erythrocytes was examined in guinea pigs. ⁵¹Cr-labeledguinea pig erythrocytes coated with aknown amount of high-avidity IgG antibody were injected into control andcortisone-treated C4-deficient guinea pigs,and cell survival was determined. In theseanimals with a genetically controlled totaldeficiency of the fourth complement component, cell-bound antibody does notactivate the biologically active complement components; clearance is thereforecomplement independent. At low levels ofsensitization, cortisone completely inhibited the splenic sequestration of IgGcoated red cells. As the amount of antibody coating the red cell was increased,higher cortisone doses were required todecrease the rate and magnitude ofclearance. Eventually a level of erythrocyte sensitization was reached wherecortisone did not significantly alter theclearance pattern compared to untreatedcontrols. The cortisone effect was presentby 3 days but required 5-7 days before itwas maximal. No evidence was found tosuggest that cortisone decreased the affinity of the antibody for the red cell membrane. Rather, the most likely explanationfor these results is that cortisone affects theinteraction between IgG on the erythrocytesurface and its receptor on splenic andhepatic macrophages. This experimentalmodel of immune hemolytic anemiaparallels those cases of warm-antibody-mediated disease in which complementplays no role. These findings suggest thata major clinical effect of cortisone therapymay be to decrease complement-independent erythrocyte clearance, thereby inducing a remission even in the presenceof a positive antiglobulin test.

Submitted on February 26, 1974 Accepted on May 24, 1974     

Effects of intravenous immunoglobulin on platelet count and antiplatelet antibody disposition in a rat model of immune thrombocytopenia

Experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) in a rat model of immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). Rats were pretreated with 0 to 2 g/kg IVIG and then challenged with an antiplatelet antibody (7E3, 8 mg/kg). IVIG effects on 7E3-induced thrombocytopenia and on 7E3 pharmacokinetics were determined. IVIG pretreatment led to significant changes in the degree and time-course of 7E3-induced thrombocytopenia (P =.031). Nadir percent platelet counts were 121% to 279% greater in animals treated with IVIG (0.4-2 g/kg) than in animals receiving 7E3 alone. IVIG treatment also led to dose-dependent increases in 7E3 clearance (P <.001), with more than 2-fold increases in 7E3 clearance seen following the highest dose of IVIG. In vitro experiments showed that IVIG effects on platelet count are not likely due to anti-idiotypic inhibition of 7E3-platelet binding and that IVIG did not directly bind to 7E3. Consequently, IVIG-7E3 binding cannot explain the increase of 7E3 clearance following IVIG treatment. We propose that the observed increase in 7E3 clearance with IVIG therapy is due to saturation of the FcRn salvage receptor for IgG. The importance of the effect of IVIG on 7E3 clearance to the prevention of thrombocytopenia in these animals is unclear at present; nonetheless, these data provide experimental support for a new mechanism of IVIG action in ITP (ie, IVIG-mediated increases in antiplatelet antibody elimination). This model of ITP will be useful for further investigations of IVIG mechanism of action and for development of new therapies for ITP.     

Homologous species restriction in lysis of erythrocytes by terminal complement proteins.

The cytolytic efficiency of the terminal complement protein complex, C5b-9, varies with the species of origin of C8 and C9. In the present study, we explored the susceptibility of erythrocytes from various species to lysis by C5b6,7 plus C8 and C9 from different species. EC5b6,7 intermediates were prepared on human, guinea pig, rabbit, mouse, and rat erythrocytes with human C5b6 and guinea pig C7. The degree of lysis of these intermediates by C8 and C9 was found to vary widely depending on the species of the proteins and the target cells. In all cases, lysis was least efficient when C8 and C9 were homologous with respect to the target cell species. This effect was mostly attributable to C9. The inefficient lysis in a homologous system is not due to a failure of C9 binding. Rather, the poor lysis in the homologous system may be attributable to inefficient insertion or channel formation.     

Intravenously applied IgG stimulates complement attenuation in a complement-dependent autoimmune disease at the amplifying C3 convertase level

Intravenously applied normal human immunoglobulin G (IgG) has anti-inflammatory effects in the treatment of autoimmune diseases. Systemic inflammation can originate from an overreacting amplification loop of the complement system. In blood, C3b2-containing complexes maintain complement amplification much better than the extremely short-lived C3b. Therefore, in patients with the complement-dependent autoimmune disease, dermatomyositis, we studied whether intravenously applied normal human IgG (IVIG) stimulated in vivo inactivation of these complexes. In the course of IVIG treatment, clinically effective in 6 of 8 patients, the concentration of C3b2-containing complexes dropped to 37% +/- 14% (n = 6) of the pretreatment level when having infused 0.5 g IgG/kg body weight, increased marginally and in parallel to factor Bb thereafter until full-dose IgG was infused. By day 14 following infusion of 2 g IgG/kg body weight the concentration of C3b2-containing complexes was 66% +/- 19%. The plasma concentration of C3 remained constant in myopathic or increased by 15% to 20% in amyopathic patients. In contrast to this, IVIG infusion was associated with consumption of up to 40% of plasma C4 at day 1 to 2 after completion of IVIG infusion. Thus, IVIG had an immediate and long-lasting attenuating effect on complement amplification in vivo, despite the fact that it induced classical complement pathway activation.     

High doses of intravenous immunoglobulin do not affect the recognition phase of the classical complement pathway

We have recently found that intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) prevents deposition of C3 and C4 fragments onto antibody sensitized erythrocytes. To find out if such an effect results from the blockade of the recognition phase of the classical complement cascade, we investigated the ability of human serum containing high concentrations of IVIg to deposit the recognition subunit of the first complement component (C1q) onto targets. Normal human serum supplemented in vitro with IVIg did not demonstrate reduced C1q binding to targets as determined by radiolabeled antihuman C1q antibody uptake. Similarly, methylamine-treated normal human serum to which IVIg was added was equally effective in terms of C1q binding as the same serum without IVIg. At increasing doses of sensitizing antibody, C1q uptake decreased proportionally; however, at all antibody dilution points C1q uptake was not significantly different in the serum with IVIg in comparison with normal serum. Serum from a patient treated with IVIg did not differ in its capacity to deposit C1q from the same patient's serum before therapy. Our data suggest that IVIg does not interfere with the recognition step of classical complement pathway. This is a US government work. There are no restrictions on its use.     

Contrasting splenic mechanisms in the blood clearance of red blood cells and colloidal particles.

We have studied the blood clearance and organ uptake of colloidal particles and of antibody-coated and chemically treated Na2 51Cr O4-labeled erythrocytes (RBC) in mice. Hepatic and splenic uptake of both colloidal particles and autologous RBC coated with rabbit antibody were reduced significantly following pretreatment of animals with cortisone acetate. Hepatic removal of RBC previously treated in vitro with N-ethyl-maleimide (NEM) or phenylhydrazine-HCl (PHZ) was similarly depressed by pretreatment with cortisone. In contrast, the splenic uptake of NEM- and PHZ-altered erythrocytes was unaffected by cortisone. Scanning and transmission electron microscopic examination of perfused spleens from PHZ-injected animals demonstrated extensive mechanical trapping of Heinz body-containing RBC in sinus wall apertures, whereas little erythrophagocytosis was observed. These studies suggested that, while clearance of inert particulate matter and of antibody-coated RBC from the blood occurred primarily by a cortisone-suppressible, presumably phagocytic process in the spleen, chemically altered RBC were removed primarily by a cortisone-insensitive filtration process in the splenic microvasculature.     

Accelerated autoantibody clearance by intravenous immunoglobulin therapy: studies in experimental models to determine the magnitude and time course of the effect.

Recently, it has been postulated that the beneficial effect of intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIGs) in antibody-mediated autoimmune disorders is based on accelerated catabolism of autoantibodies. In the current study, in vivo experiments were performed with mice in which autoantibody production was mimicked by continuous infusion of monoclonal antibodies. In this model, a single dose of IVIG reduced the plasma concentrations of the infused immunoglobulin (Ig)G1 monoclonal antibody (mAb) by approximately 40% after 3 days, whereas the concentration of an IgA mAb was not affected. To extrapolate these findings to humans, a computational model for IgG clearance was established that accurately predicted the time course and magnitude of the decrease in IgG plasma levels observed in mice. Adapted for humans, this model predicted a gradually occurring decrease in autoantibody levels after IVIG administration (2 g/kg), with a maximum reduction of approximately 25% after 3 to 4 weeks and a continued decrease of several months. In conclusion, a single high dose of IVIG induces a relatively small but long-lasting reduction of autoantibody levels by accelerated IgG clearance. This mechanism has clinical relevance in the sense that it can fully explain, as the sole mechanism, the gradual decrease in autoantibody levels observed in several patient studies. However, in some clinical studies, larger or more rapid effects have been observed that cannot be explained by accelerated clearance. Hence, IVIG can also reduce autoantibody levels through mechanisms such as down-regulation of antibody production or neutralization by anti-idiotypic antibodies.     

The mechanism of appearance of specific antibody-forming cells in lungs of inbred mice after intratracheal immunization with sheep erythrocytes

Immunization, ablation, and adoptive transfer studies were performed in inbred mice to define in vivo the cellular mechanisms for the appearance of specific antibody-forming cells (AFC) in pulmonary parenchyma. Mice were immunized locally or systemically with sheep erythrocytes (SRBC), and the concentrations of IgM- and IgG-producing AFC were measured in lung and extrapulmonary lymphoid tissues with a hemolytic-plaque assay. Splenectomized mice and recipients of adoptively transferred, sensitized lymphocytes were examined. We found that primary intratracheal (IT) immunization regularly failed to induce the appearance of AFC in lungs, whereas IT boosting of primed animals consistently succeeded. Immunization experiments showed that mice could be primed by any of a variety of local or systemic routes, but that the IT route of boosting was an absolute requirement for the induction of pulmonary AFC in primed mice. Recruitment of AFC into lungs by IT boosting of systemically primed and boosted animals was antigen-specific. Splenectomy performed prior to priming reduced, but did not ablate, the pulmonary AFC-response to IT boosting. Adoptive transfer of sensitized lymphocytes to naive recipient mice substituted for antigen-priming, which is required for induction of pulmonary AFC by IT challenge. Results of adoptive transfer studies demonstrate that IT challenge with specific antigen recruits systemically administered sensitized lymphocytes into the lung. We conclude that local primary immunization of mice results in the generation of AFC in extrapulmonary lymphoid tissues and that the major mechanism for the appearance of AFC in lungs is through recruitment of sensitized cells from systemic sources by intrapulmonary boosting with specific antigen.     

Effect of quinacrine on lipid content of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in guinea pigs sensitized to ovalbumin

In both ovalbumin-sensitized and ovalbumin-challenged guinea pigs, the phospholipid content of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid is decreased with respect to that of controls. In the sensitized guinea pig, the activity of lung membrane phospholipase is increased and the phospholipid content of lung membranes is decreased. In determining whether alveolar phospholipids are metabolized in a similar way, quinacrine, a phospholipase A2 inhibitor, was administered (10 mg/kg intravenously) to control, sensitized, and challenged animals before inhalation of ovalbumin. Pulmonary ventilation and lung mechanics were measured both before and after the injection of quinacrine and inhalation of ovalbumin. Phospholipid content was measured in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. In the control and sensitized groups quinacrine had no effect on pulmonary ventilation and lung mechanics, and in the challenged group it reduced the intensity of anaphylactic bronchospasm. In control animals it did not change the phospholipid content, whereas in the sensitized and challenged animals it suppressed the decrease of phospholipid content. The results suggest that in the sensitized and challenged guinea pigs alveolar phospholipids are degraded by phospholipase A2, the activity of which is increased.     

Immunologic factors affecting the in-vivo and in-vitro survival of the Legionnaires' disease bacterium.

Immunologic factors affecting viability of the Legionnaires' disease (LD) bacterium were studied in vitro and in vivo in mice and guinea pigs. In bactericidal tests, fresh human serum quickly killed LD cells. Heating fresh serum to 56 degrees C for 30 min destroyed bactericidal activity; absorbing it with bentonite had little effect. Fresh normal human serum was more effective than guinea pig serum. Adding LD cells to fresh normal human serum caused a greater than 50% depletion in functional complement activity, apparently by activating the classic C-142 pathway, because human serum deficient in C4 was not bactericidal. Antibodies to the Knoxville 1 LD strain in guinea pigs showed enhanced complement-mediated bactericidal activity. Without complement, immune guinea pig or human sera prolonged in-vitro LD cell survival. Antibodies to Knoxville 1 in mice depressed in-vitro bactericidal activity of human complement against Knoxville 1. In-vitro bactericidal tests support in-vivo studies in subcutaneous chambers. Complement-deficient mice immunized with Knoxville 1 were (P less than 0.01) less resistant to homologous challenge than nonimmunized mice. Immunized guinea pigs had a greater than 80-fold increase in resistance to subcutaneous-chamber infection.     

The effects of components of guinea pig serum on lymphosarcoma 6C3HED in C3H mice

The effects of various preparations of guinea pig serum on the Gardnerlymphosarcoma 6C3HED in C3H mice were studied. Complete regression oftumor as well as marked retardation of growth were noted as a result of treatment with the following sera: (1) normal; (2) depleted of complement 1(R1); of complement 3 (R3), and of complement 4 (R4); (3) depleted ofproperdin (RP); (4) heated at 56 C. for 20 minutes and for 60 minutes andat 66 C. for 30 minutes; and (5) supernatant from centrifuged at 35,000 Gat 2 C. for 3 hours. No tumor inhibitory effect was noted as a result of treatment with (1) serum depleted of complement 2 (R2) and (2) pellet (containing lipopolysaccharides) from serum centrifuged at 35,000 G at 2 C. for3 hours. These results indicate that the tumor inhibitory principle (TIP) inguinea pig serum is probably not complement, properdin, or lipopolysaccharide.

Properdin titers of sera from mice treated with each of the preparations listedabove disclosed low properdin levels when the tumors were growing or werelarge, and normal or elevated properdin levels when the tumors were regressing or disappeared completely. In addition, normal nontumor-bearingmice showed as much as a threefold increase in properdin levels when treatedwith normal or heated guinea pig serum.

While it is possible that the tumor inhibitory principle (TIP) in guinea pigserum may exert its effect through the animal’s own properdin system, such arelationship has not as yet been demonstrated.

Submitted on November 14, 1957 Accepted on January 28, 1958     

Cardiac anaphylaxis. Complement activation as an amplification system

Complement is activated, and C3a and C5a anaphylatoxins are generated during hypersensitivity reactions clinically associated with cardiopulmonary collapse. The administration of C3a or C5a to nonsensitized isolated guinea pig hearts mimics the events caused by antigen challenge of sensitized hearts (i.e., cardiac anaphylaxis) in the absence of complement. Thus, complement-derived anaphylatoxins may participate in immediate hypersensitivity reactions in which the heart is a target organ. To assess the contribution of complement activation and anaphylatoxin generation to cardiac dysfunction, we have elicited anaphylaxis in isolated guinea pig hearts in the presence of complement and found that the ensuing dysfunction is markedly enhanced. This amplification is most likely attributable to anaphylatoxin formation because 1) inactivation of C3 or selective C3 depletion, i.e., the loss of the component responsible for the formation of the anaphylatoxins C3a and C5a, prevents complement-induced exacerbation of cardiac anaphylaxis, whereas reconstitution with C3 and C5, or even only C3, restores it; in fact, the greater the C3 content at the time of antigen challenge, the more intense the anaphylactic crisis; and 2) the severity of cardiac anaphylaxis is markedly reduced by preexposure to C3a, and this reduction is directly related to the dose of C3a injected and to the amount of endogenous cardiac histamine depleted by C3a before antigen challenge. Complement-derived anaphylatoxins appear to promote the same mediator release that has been initiated by the antigen-antibody reaction; thus, complement activation functions as an amplification system in cardiac anaphylaxis.     

支气管哮喘持续状态下豚鼠气道感觉神经生长相关蛋白43的表达

目的研究支气管哮喘(简称哮喘)过敏性刺激诱发气道感觉神经敏化机制。方法成年雄性豚鼠39只,按随机数字表法分为生理盐水致敏/激发对照组(A组,9只)、卵白蛋白(OVA)致敏/生理盐水激发对照组(B组,9只)、OVA致敏/激发实验组(C组,21只)。A组以生理盐水(0.5ml/只)致敏,B、C组以10%OVA(0.5ml/只)致敏,第10天开始雾化吸入生理盐水(A、B组)或1%OVA(C组)进行激发,每天1次,每次30min,根据实验需要又将C组21只豚鼠分为激发1d组(C1组,6只)、连续激发3d组(C2组,6只)、连续激发5d组(C3组,9只)。利用免疫荧光双标技术结合激光共聚焦扫描显微观察与Westernblot技术,研究生长相关蛋白43(GAP43)在气道神经以及结状神经节、颈静脉神经节内分布与水平及与P物质(SP)和胶质源神经生长因子(GDNF)受体c RET表达神经元关系。结果免疫荧光结果显示,C3组豚鼠气道内GAP43免疫反应阳性神经呈网状分布于大、中支气管内,以黏膜下层为主,部分GAP43阳性神经纤维向黏膜层内延伸;在结状神经节和颈静脉神经节内有大量GAP43免疫阳性神经胞体,在结状神经节内主要与SP免疫阳性胞体共存,在颈静脉神经节内主要与c RET免疫阳性胞体共存。Westernblot结果显示,A、B、C1、C2、C3组GAP43蛋白表达水平吸光度(A)值分别为0.38±0.04、0.41±0.03、0.49±0.05、0.79±0.08、0.76±0.04。C1、C2、C3组分别与A、B组比较差异均有统计学意义(P均0.05);C2组GAP43蛋白表达与C1组比较差异有统计学意义(P<0.01),但与C3组GAP43蛋白表达比较差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论哮喘过敏性刺激能诱发气道感觉神经———SP肽能神经、GDNF敏感性神经纤维与胞体表达GAP43蛋白。     

Studies on the Mechanism of in Vitro Acid Hemolysis in Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria

1. The mechanism of acid hemolysis of PNH erythrocytes appears to be adirect mechanism, with the production of an initial "hole" in the membranesufficiently large to permit the direct egress of hemoglobin.

2. PNH erythrocytes react like normal red cells with rabbit antihuman redcell antibody and human or guinea pig C' at pH 7.2 to produce a membranedefect which is less than 32.5 Å in effective diffusion radius.

3. Inhibition of acid hemolysis of PNH erythrocytes by high molecularweight dextrans (Dextran 150) is also associated with inhibition of K⁺ loss,indicating inhibition of complement.

Submitted on April 13, 1966 Accepted on January 9, 1967     

An Alternate Complement Pathway: C-3 Cleaving Activity, Not Due to [unk], on Endotoxic Lipopolysaccharide after Treatment with Guinea Pig Serum; Relation to Properdin

The reaction between endotoxic lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and the guinea pig complement system was shown to proceed by way of an intermediate complex, LPS-X, which contains at least six guinea pig serum proteins. LPS-X, like [unk] (sheep erythrocytes carrying antibody molecules and [unk] complexes), destroys the C3 molecule by cleavage. On incubation at 37 degrees C, LPS-X loses its capacity to destroy C3 at about the same rate as the decay of [unk], so that it has been assumed that LPS-X carries [unk] sites that are responsible for the destruction of C3.We have now shown that monospecific rabbit antiguinea pig C2, which effectively inhibits C3 cleavage by [unk], does not interfere with the destruction of C3 by LPS-X. Furthermore, not more than a trace of C2a(d) is released from LPS-X on incubation at 37 degrees C. These results indicate that LPS-X does not carry a significant quantity of [unk] and, hence, that its capacity to destroy C3 is due to another factor which is presumably a component of the properdin system.