Biomaterial Database

Regulation of the activity of platelet-bound C3 convertase of the alternative pathway of complement by platelet factor H. 1987

D V Devine, and W F Rosse

The alternative pathway of complement is regulated on the surface of homologous blood cells at the C3 amplification step by the membrane protein decay-accelerating factor, as well as by the plasma protein factor H. We have reported elsewhere that platelets from patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria regulate the activity of the C3 convertase C3bBb, even though they lack decay-accelerating factor. We now report that normal human platelets contain factor H, which was released from the platelet in response to complement deposition or thrombin stimulation. Factor H was localized to the platelet alpha granules by immunocytochemical techniques. As determined by a solid-phase radioimmunoassay, thrombin-stimulated platelets released approximately equal to 54 ng of factor H per 10(8) platelets. The release of factor H in response to complement or thrombin was inhibited by treating the platelets with metabolic inhibitors. Such inhibition resulted in a 3-fold increase in the activity of C3bBb. Platelets that released factor H bound only half as many molecules of radiolabeled factor B to platelet-bound C3b than platelets that could not release factor H. Treatment of platelets with anti-decay-accelerating factor antibody had no effect on the activity of C3bBb unless the release of factor H was blocked. Therefore, so far as we know, human platelets have a unique mechanism for the regulation of the alternative pathway of complement.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008854	Microscopy, Electron	Microscopy using an electron beam, instead of light, to visualize the sample, thereby allowing much greater magnification. The interactions of ELECTRONS with specimens are used to provide information about the fine structure of that specimen. In TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY the reactions of the electrons that are transmitted through the specimen are imaged. In SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY an electron beam falls at a non-normal angle on the specimen and the image is derived from the reactions occurring above the plane of the specimen.	Electron Microscopy
D003166	Complement Activating Enzymes	Enzymes that activate one or more COMPLEMENT PROTEINS in the complement system leading to the formation of the COMPLEMENT MEMBRANE ATTACK COMPLEX, an important response in host defense. They are enzymes in the various COMPLEMENT ACTIVATION pathways.	Activating Enzymes, Complement,Enzymes, Complement Activating
D003167	Complement Activation	The sequential activation of serum COMPLEMENT PROTEINS to create the COMPLEMENT MEMBRANE ATTACK COMPLEX. Factors initiating complement activation include ANTIGEN-ANTIBODY COMPLEXES, microbial ANTIGENS, or cell surface POLYSACCHARIDES.	Activation, Complement,Activations, Complement,Complement Activations
D003170	Complement Pathway, Alternative	Complement activation initiated by the interaction of microbial ANTIGENS with COMPLEMENT C3B. When COMPLEMENT FACTOR B binds to the membrane-bound C3b, COMPLEMENT FACTOR D cleaves it to form alternative C3 CONVERTASE (C3BBB) which, stabilized by COMPLEMENT FACTOR P, is able to cleave multiple COMPLEMENT C3 to form alternative C5 CONVERTASE (C3BBB3B) leading to cleavage of COMPLEMENT C5 and the assembly of COMPLEMENT MEMBRANE ATTACK COMPLEX.	Alternative Complement Pathway,Properdin Pathway,Alternative Complement Activation Pathway,Complement Activation Pathway, Alternative
D003176	Complement C3	A glycoprotein that is central in both the classical and the alternative pathway of COMPLEMENT ACTIVATION. C3 can be cleaved into COMPLEMENT C3A and COMPLEMENT C3B, spontaneously at low level or by C3 CONVERTASE at high level. The smaller fragment C3a is an ANAPHYLATOXIN and mediator of local inflammatory process. The larger fragment C3b binds with C3 convertase to form C5 convertase.	C3 Complement,C3 Precursor,Complement 3,Complement C3 Precursor,Complement Component 3,Precursor-Complement 3,Pro-C3,Pro-Complement 3,C3 Precursor, Complement,C3, Complement,Complement, C3,Component 3, Complement,Precursor Complement 3,Precursor, C3,Precursor, Complement C3,Pro C3,Pro Complement 3
D003180	Complement C3b Inactivator Proteins	Endogenous proteins that inhibit or inactivate COMPLEMENT C3B. They include COMPLEMENT FACTOR H and COMPLEMENT FACTOR I (C3b/C4b inactivator). They cleave or promote the cleavage of C3b into inactive fragments, and thus are important in the down-regulation of COMPLEMENT ACTIVATION and its cytolytic sequence.	C3b Inactivators,C3b Inhibitors,Complement 3b Inactivators,Complement 3b Inhibitors,Complement C3b Inactivators,Complement C3b Inhibitor Proteins,Conglutinogen Activating Factors,Factors, Conglutinogen Activating,Inactivators, C3b,Inactivators, Complement 3b,Inactivators, Complement C3b,Inhibitors, C3b,Inhibitors, Complement 3b
D005470	Fluorometry	An analytical method for detecting and measuring FLUORESCENCE in compounds or targets such as cells, proteins, or nucleotides, or targets previously labeled with FLUORESCENCE AGENTS.	Fluorimetry,Fluorometric Analysis,Analysis, Fluorometric
D006457	Hemoglobinuria, Paroxysmal	A condition characterized by the recurrence of HEMOGLOBINURIA caused by intravascular HEMOLYSIS. In cases occurring upon cold exposure (paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria), usually after infections, there is a circulating antibody which is also a cold hemolysin. In cases occurring during or after sleep (paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria), the clonal hematopoietic stem cells exhibit a global deficiency of cell membrane proteins.	Paroxysmal Cold Hemoglobinuria,Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria,Marchiafava-Micheli Syndrome,Paroxysmal Hemoglobinuria,Paroxysmal Hemoglobinuria, Cold,Paroxysmal Hemoglobinuria, Nocturnal,Cold Paroxysmal Hemoglobinuria,Hemoglobinuria, Cold Paroxysmal,Hemoglobinuria, Nocturnal Paroxysmal,Hemoglobinuria, Paroxysmal Cold,Hemoglobinuria, Paroxysmal Nocturnal,Marchiafava Micheli Syndrome,Nocturnal Paroxysmal Hemoglobinuria,Syndrome, Marchiafava-Micheli
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D017242	Complement Factor H	An important soluble regulator of the alternative pathway of complement activation (COMPLEMENT ACTIVATION PATHWAY, ALTERNATIVE). It is a 139-kDa glycoprotein expressed by the liver and secreted into the blood. It binds to COMPLEMENT C3B and makes iC3b (inactivated complement 3b) susceptible to cleavage by COMPLEMENT FACTOR I. Complement factor H also inhibits the association of C3b with COMPLEMENT FACTOR B to form the C3bB proenzyme, and promotes the dissociation of Bb from the C3bBb complex (COMPLEMENT C3 CONVERTASE, ALTERNATIVE PATHWAY).	Factor H,Factor H, Complement