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Meningococcal group W-135 and Y capsular polysaccharides paradoxically enhance activation of the alternative pathway of complement.

ABSTRACT: Although capsular polysaccharide (CPS) is critical for meningococcal virulence, the molecular basis of alternative complement pathway (AP) regulation by meningococcal CPSs remains unclear. Using serum with only the AP active, the ability of strains to generate C3a (a measure of C3 activation) and subsequently deposit C3 fragments on bacteria was studied in encapsulated group A, B, C, W-135, and Y strains and their isogenic unencapsulated mutants. To eliminate confounding AP regulation by membrane-bound factor H (fH; AP inhibitor) and lipooligosaccharide sialic acid, the meningococcal fH ligands (fHbp and NspA) and lipooligosaccharide sialylation were deleted in all strains. Group A CPS expression did not affect C3a generation or C3 deposition. C3a generated by encapsulated and unencapsulated group B and C strains was similar, but CPS expression was associated with reduced C3 deposition, suggesting that these CPSs blocked C3 deposition on membrane targets. Paradoxically, encapsulated W-135 and Y strains (including the wild-type parent strains) enhanced C3 activation and showed marked C3 deposition as early as 10 min; at this time point C3 was barely activated by the unencapsulated mutants. W-135 and Y CPSs themselves served as a site for C3 deposition; this observation was confirmed using immobilized purified CPSs. Purified CPSs bound to unencapsulated meningococci, simulated findings with naturally encapsulated strains. These data highlight the heterogeneity of AP activation on the various meningococcal serogroups that may contribute to differences in their pathogenic mechanisms.

SUBMITTER: Ram S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3048715 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Meningococcal group W-135 and Y capsular polysaccharides paradoxically enhance activation of the alternative pathway of complement.

Ram Sanjay S Lewis Lisa A LA Agarwal Sarika S

The Journal of biological chemistry 20110118 10

Although capsular polysaccharide (CPS) is critical for meningococcal virulence, the molecular basis of alternative complement pathway (AP) regulation by meningococcal CPSs remains unclear. Using serum with only the AP active, the ability of strains to generate C3a (a measure of C3 activation) and subsequently deposit C3 fragments on bacteria was studied in encapsulated group A, B, C, W-135, and Y strains and their isogenic unencapsulated mutants. To eliminate confounding AP regulation by membran ...[more]

PMID: 21245150

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Project description:The innate immune system plays a major role in the pathogenesis of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Recently we reported complement activation in human NASH. However, it remained unclear whether the alternative pathway of complement, which amplifies C3 activation and which is frequently associated with pathological complement activation leading to disease, was involved. Here, alternative pathway components were investigated in liver biopsies of obese subjects with healthy livers (n?=?10) or with NASH (n?=?12) using quantitative PCR, Western blotting, and immunofluorescence staining. Properdin accumulated in areas where neutrophils surrounded steatotic hepatocytes, and colocalized with the C3 activation product C3c. C3 activation status as expressed by the C3c/native C3 ratio was 2.6-fold higher (p<0.01) in subjects with NASH despite reduced native C3 concentrations (0.94±0.12 vs. 0.57±0.09; p<0.01). Hepatic properdin levels positively correlated with levels of C3c (rs?=?0.69; p<0.05) and C3c/C3 activation ratio (rs?=?0.59; p<0.05). C3c, C3 activation status (C3c/C3 ratio) and properdin levels increased with higher lobular inflammation scores as determined according to the Kleiner classification (C3c: p<0.01, C3c/C3 ratio: p<0.05, properdin: p<0.05). Hepatic mRNA expression of factor B and factor D did not differ between subjects with healthy livers and subjects with NASH (factor B: 1.00±0.19 vs. 0.71±0.07, p?=?0.26; factor D: 1.00±0.21 vs. 0.66±0.14, p?=?0.29;). Hepatic mRNA and protein levels of Decay Accelerating Factor tended to be increased in subjects with NASH (mRNA: 1.00±0.14 vs. 2.37±0.72; p?=?0.22; protein: 0.51±0.11 vs. 1.97±0.67; p?=?0.28). In contrast, factor H mRNA was downregulated in patients with NASH (1.00±0.09 vs. 0.71±0.06; p<0.05) and a similar trend was observed with hepatic protein levels (1.12±0.16 vs. 0.78±0.07; p?=?0.08). Collectively, these data suggest a role for alternative pathway activation in driving hepatic inflammation in NASH. Therefore, alternative pathway factors may be considered attractive targets for treating NASH by inhibiting complement activation.

Dataset Information

Meningococcal group W-135 and Y capsular polysaccharides paradoxically enhance activation of the alternative pathway of complement.

Publications

Meningococcal group W-135 and Y capsular polysaccharides paradoxically enhance activation of the alternative pathway of complement.

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