Lec4 Complement Flashcards
Where are complement proteins produced primarily?
Liver
3 major functions of complement
- innate immunity [pattern recognition receptors, facilitate killing and disposal of pathogens]
- waste disposal [clearance immune complexes and apoptotic cells]
- bridge innate and adaptive immunity
Mannose binding lectin activation
- lectin is a pattern recognition receptor for mannose
- binds mannose on pathogens and initiates complement activation
Classical activation
- cross-linkeed antibody is attached to antigen
- initiates complement activation
Alternative pathway activation
- spontaneous breakdown of C3 in serum causes low level activation of complement on pathogen surface
- dominant pathway after initiation
What does C3 convertase do?
cleaves C3 –> C3a and C3b
What is the central amplification step of complement?
C3 –> C3b repeatedly by C3 convertase
get lots of C3b molecules deposited on surface
What 2 factors involved in complement amplification?
factor B and D bind C3b on cell surface [regardless of how it got there] and amplify downstream complement
What are 2 anaphylatoxins?
C3a
C5a
What are 4 inhibitors of complement
- C1q inhibitor
- Factor H
- Decary accelerating factor [CD55]
- CD59 [protectin]
What 3 regulators inhibit C3 convertase
- Factor H/I
- Decay Accelerating Factor
- Membrane cofactor protein
MAC protein deficiency [which component most commonly deficient, effect]
- most commonly C9 deficient
- predisposes to fulminant meningitis [neisserial infection]
Effect of C3 deficiency [in humans, mice]
- uncommon in humans
- associated with pyogenic infections
- in mice leads to T and B cell dysfunction
What set of 3 cofactors degrades C3b? What is function of resulting product?
- Factor I, membrane cofactor protein, factor H
- degrades C3b so don’t get amplification of signal
- instead get iC3b that is an opsinin
C1q inhibitor deficiency [cause, effect]
cause: genetic deficiecny [multiple mutations] or autoantibodies [acquired]
effect: hereditary angioedema
- - get swelling without uticaria in skin, mucosal tissue of GI and upper respiratory