Human peripheral blood lymphocytes have membrane receptors for EAC43b (sheep erythrocytes sensitized with antibody and complement) and also for EAC43d, obtained by treating EAC43b with C3b inactivator. Human granulocytes bind only EAC43b, C3 fragments obtained by limited trypsin digestion of purified human C3 display both C3b and C3d sites, since they inhibit rosette formation of lymphocytes wi...

We have measured the release of H2O2 from granulocytes, monocytes, and macrophages during spreading on ligand-coated culture surfaces. While IgG-coated surfaces stimulate vigorous release of H2O2, neither C3b- nor C3bi-coated surfaces promoted appreciable release of H2O2 despite full ligation of C3b and C3bi receptors. We also measured release of H2O2 from cultured monocytes spreading on surfac...

A receptor for fluid phase human complement (C) components C3 and C3b (1, 2) was found on the surface membranes of human lymphoblastoid cells. No other C proteins or serum factors were needed to mediate binding of C3 or C3b to this receptor. In studying its biological importance, we demonstrated that Raji cells cultured in medium containing fresh normal human serum (NHS) 1 and cobra venom facto...

The alternative complement pathway (ACP) functions as a surveillance mechanism by which microorganisms are opsonized with C3b in the absence of specific antibodies. The effectiveness of the ACP relies on its ability to distinguish self from non-self. This recognition function is mediated by C3 regulatory proteins including serum factor H, membrane cofactor protein (MCP), and membrane decay-acce...

Membrane cofactor protein (MCP; CD46) is a widely expressed transmembrane complement regulator. Like factor H it inhibits complement activation by regulating C3b deposition on targets. Factor H mutations occur in 10-20% of patients with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). We hypothesized that MCP mutations could predispose to HUS, and we sequenced MCP coding exons in affected individuals from 30 f...

The alternative pathway of complement is important in innate immunity, attacking not only microbes but all unprotected biological surfaces through powerful amplification. It is unresolved how host and nonhost surfaces are distinguished at the molecular level, but key components are domains 19-20 of the complement regulator factor H (FH), which interact with host (i.e., nonactivator surface glyc...

Upon host infection, the human pathogenic microbe Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) immediately faces innate immune reactions such as the activated complement system. Here, a novel innate immune evasion strategy of S. aureus is described. The staphylococcal proteins surface immunoglobulin-binding protein (Sbi) and extracellular fibrinogen-binding protein (Efb) bind C3/C3b simultaneously with pl...

This report describes receptors for C4b on human peripheral B lymphocytes. The simultaneous presence of C3b and C4b receptors on the same lymphocytes was demonstrated by the formation of mixed rosettes consisting of the lymphocytes, EAC14 and EAC1423. Furthermore, reduction of the number of EAC1423 rosette-forming lymphocytes in a lymphocyte population by albumin gradient centrifugation concomi...

Many microorganisms encode immune evasion molecules to escape host defenses. Herpes simplex virus type 1 glycoprotein gC is an immunoevasin that inhibits complement activation by binding complement C3b. gC is expressed on the virus envelope and infected cell surface, which makes gC potentially accessible to blocking antibodies. Mice passively immunized with gC monoclonal antibodies prior to inf...

The molecular mechanism of complement resistance of the human SK-MEL-170 melanoma cell line was investigated. The cells have been shown to express the C3b-cleaving membrane protease p65. To delineate the molecular consequences of the C3b-cleaving activity for the complement cytotoxicity, the molecular events during the initiation (R24 monoclonal antibody, C1), amplification (C4, C3), and membra...