Effect of antigen site and complement receptor status on the rate of cleavage of C3c antigen from red cell bound C3b.

C3b was bound to human red cells when serum complement was activated by addition of antibodies directed against different red cell antigens, and the rate of cleavage to C3dg was determined by assay for loss of bound C3c antigens using radiolabeled monoclonal anti-C3c. When C3b was bound by antibodies to antigens on branched-chain glycoproteins, cleavage to C3dg occurred more rapidly than when C3b was bound by antibodies to antigens closer to the red cell lipid bilayer. The rate of cleavage to C3dg also correlated directly with the number of complement receptors (CR1) per red cell, reflecting their role as cofactors in the cleavage of iC3b by factor I. Thus, the life span of C3b/iC3b on human red cells, which may be important for determining the rate and mechanism of clearance of C3-coated red cells, appears to depend on the CR1 status of the red cells and the characteristics of the antigen sites around which complement is bound.