ICL 3.1 & 3.2: Complement Flashcards
which part of the immune system is the complement system part of?
innate immune system
what does the complement system do?
- protects the host from pathogenic microorganisms
- contributes to immune complex regulation, and
- represents an important link between the innate and specific/adaptive immune system
how does the complement system act as a link between the innate and adaptive immune system?
- major effector system for antibody-mediated killing
2. affects cell-mediated immunity
through what three pathways can the complement system be activated?
- classical pathway
- lectin pathway
- alternative pathway
these three pathways all converge to activate C3 which then goes on to cause inflammation, pathogen killing and membrane disruption
what are the three consequences of the complement system?
- recruitment of inflammatory and immunocompetent cells
- opsonization of pathogens
- killing of pathogens
how does complement system opsonization of pathogens work in general?
binding of C3b to microbe = opsinozation
phagocyte C3b receptor recognizes C3b bound to the surface of the microbe
this leads to phagocytosis of microbe
how does complement system stimulation of inflammatory reactions work in general?
C3b binds to microbe and releases C3a and C5a fragment
C3a and C5a are chemotactic agents that recruit and activate leukocytes
this leads to destruction of microbes by leukocytes
how does complement-mediated cytolysis of pathogens work in general?
C3b binds to microbe which activates the terminal components of complement
MAC complex is formed which leads to osmotic lysis of bacteria
what happens overall in the classical pathway?
there is both antibody-dependent and independent recognition of pathogens or apoptotic self cells
C1 binds to antibody bound to specific antigens on pathogen surface
what happens overall in the lectin pathway?
antibody independent recognition of danger via sugar residue patterns that are recognized by MBL and ficolins on pathogens
MBL or ficolin binds carbohydrate on pathogen surfaces
what happens overall in the alternative pathway?
recognition of possible danger by default; it will activate on any surface that “allows” it to
it’s always active!! the only reason it would be inactive is if the surface of the cell can control it; pathogens don’t have the ability to control it!
pathogen surface creates environment conductive to complement activation
where are complement proteins produced?
liver
complement production increases during the acute-phase response
complement components are largely secreted as inactive stable zymogens (enzyme precursors) and circulate widely through body fluids and tissues
what does activation of the complement system do too zymogens?
zymogens are complement precursors that circulate throughout the body in an inactive form
activation causes a precursor zymogen to be cleaved by serine proteases and become enzymatically active
this activated enzyme then activates a different zymogen and it’s a whole cascade –? each successive enzymatic cleavage causes amplification
what does completion of the complement cascade lead to?
- membrane attack complex (MAC): lysis of microbes
- opsonization of microbes: phagocytic uptake
- solubilization and removal of immune complexes
- proteolytic events produce inflammatory mediators
what is the big list of all the consequences of the complement system?
- opsonization of bacteria
- lysis of bacteria
- kills parasites
- blocks viruses
- chemotaxis of inflammatory cells to site of attack
- mast cell degranulation
- increased vascular permeability
- intern regulation
- smooth muscle contraction
- DC cell maturation
- B cell memory enhancement
- B cell activation
- influence regulatory T cell development
- influence t cell lineage commitment
- clearance of immune complexes
- recognition of apoptotic cells
- clearance of cellular debris
what is the recognition molecule of the classical pathway?
C1
what is the structure of C1?
it’s a C1 (q,r,s) complex
C1q is the stalk that’s made of 2 chains linked together to form a triple helix structure repeated 6 times
there’s also 2r and 2s serine proteases
looks like a tulip bouquet
what part of an antibody does C1 recognize?
Fc
how does C1 bind to an antibody?
C1 binds to the Fc portions of IgG and IgM
the catch is that when IgM is in the blood it’s a pentamer in a planar shape but when the Fb region binds to the antigen, the Fc regions become exposed
if there’s enough antibodies next to each other then C1 can bind to the Fc region
this is why C1 doesn’t bind to IgM and IgG just floating in the blood
which antibodies activate C1?
IgM > IgG3 > IgG1 > IgG2
IgD, IgG4 and IgE DONT activate C1!
what can C1q bind to?
- antibodies
- cell wall component and membrane proteins of all kinds of microorganisms.
- fragments of cellular and sub cellular membranes and modified host proteins and phospholipids
- C-reactive protein, and serum amyloid P protein
what are the steps in the classical pathway?
- C1q binds to an antibody which activates C1R when then activates C1s
- C1s cleaves C4 into C4a and C4b
- if C4b is close enough to a pathogen surface, it will covalently bind to the surface
- C1s cleaves C2 into C2a and C2b
- C2b binds to C4b to form C3 convertase (C4b,2b)
- C3 convertase cleaves C3 into C3a and C3b
- if C3b is close enough to the pathogen cell surface, it will covalently bind to it = opsonization
or. ..C3b can binds to C4b2b to form C5 convertase = C4b,2b,3b
how does C4b bind to a pathogen surface?
covalent binding of C4b to the cell surface via hydroxyl and amino groups present on carbohydrates and proteins, respectively
however, most C4b is not close enough to any surface and is quickly inactivated in the fluid phase of blood
it’s the same thing for C3b!
what does C3a do?
chemotaxis
it recruits inflammatory cells!
what are the subunits of C3 convertase?
C4b
C2b
what are the subunits of C5 convertase?
C4b
C2b
C3b
what does C1q deficiency cause?
susceptible to bacterial infection
systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
what does CRP stand for?
C-reactive protein
what does CRP do?
CRP can initiate the classical pathway of complement
CRP recognizes phosphocholine on bacteria and on disrupted cell membranes (e.g. apoptotic cells)
C1 can bind to CRP on the pathogen surface which activates the classical pathway of complement fixation
this is antibody-independent activation of the common pathway!!!
what is antibody-independent activation of the common pathway?
C1 binding to CRP on pathogen surface!
what is the structure of MBL?
MBL binds specifically to mannose and certain sugar patterns on microbial surfaces
MBL forms a complex with two serine proteases, MASP-1 and MASP-2 (homologous to C1r and C1s)
what are the steps in the lectin pathway?
- MBL complex binds to carbohydrates on pathogen surface
- MASP-2 cleaves C4 into C4a and C4b
- C4b covalently binds to pathogen surface if its close enough
- MASP-2 cleaves C2 into C2a and C2b
- C2b binds to C4b on the pathogen surface to form C3 convertase
- C3 convertase cleaves C3 into C3a and C3b
- C3b binds to pathogen surface if it’s close enough = opsonization
or. ..C3b binds to C4b2b complex to form C5 convertase
what does an MBL deficiency cause?
Increased susceptibility to bacterial infections
especially infants and immunocompromised
are C3 and C5 convertase of the classical and lectin pathways the same?
YES
C3 convertase = C4b,2b
C5 convertase = C4b,2b,3b
what is tickover?
spontaneous cleavage of C3 that is constantly occurring
so there is a constant pool of active C3
what is the recognition molecule in the lectin pathway?
MBL
what is the recognition molecule in the alternative pathway?
trick question, there isn’t one!
AP is not dependent on a recognition molecule for initiation