Complement Flashcards
Where are complement proteins located?
mostly in the plasma (but also in secretions and interstitial fluid)
Does complement work on it’s own, or in tandem with humoral immunity?
both
What are the 6 functions of complement?
- lysis of invaders
- opsonization of antigen
- source of mediators for the inflammatory response
- solubilization and clearance of immune complexes
- clearance of apoptotic cells
- augment stimulation of the B cell to increase the humoral immune response
What are the three complement pathways?
- classical
- lectin
- alternative
Which of the three pathways requires antibody?
classical
What is the order of complement protein activation?
C1, 4, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
If you have a complement deficiency in the classical pathway, what sort of disease are you at higher risk for?
Immune complex diseases
If you have a complement deficiency in the alternative pathway, what sort of disease are you at higher risk for?
infection - especially meningococcal infections
Where are the complement proteins synthesized for the most part?
the liver hepatocytes and by tissue macrophages (but also epitheliual cells, fibroblasts and monocytes)
What complement protein has the highest concentration in the plasma?
C3
What sort of reactions occur with complement 1-5? What reactions happen with C5-C9?
at first it’s all proteolytic cleavage, after C5, it’s all protein-protein interactions
Usually, the larger, active subunit after cleavage is derived as the #b unit. What’s the exception?
C2 - C2a is the bigger active subunit
What will trigger the classical pathway?
Antigen binding to antibody: either 2 IgG or 1 IgM
Is the binding of C4b and C3b to the surface ionic or covalent? With what type of bonds?
covalent - thioester bonds
What’s the first complement protein to bind the surface after the C1q interacts with the antibodies?
C4 (technically C4b)
C2 will be cleaved by C1s and interact with C4b to form what?
C4bC2a, which is the C3 convertase
THrough interactions, the C4bC2a and C3b form what?
the C5 convertase
What’s the primary constituent of the MBL pathway?
the plasma protein mannose binding lectin
What is the main trigger for the MBL pathway?
polysaccharide structures of microbes - specifically the NAG of LPS on salmonella, listeria, neiserria, candida, etc.
What proteins does MBL interact with to form a reaction similar to the C1qr2s2?
MASP1 and MASP2