Functional activity of the membrane-associated complement inhibitor CD59 in a pig-to-human in vitro model for hyperacute xenograft rejection

Hyperacute rejection triggered by activation of the recipient's complement system represents the major barrier to successful xenotransplantation. Transfer of human membrane-associated complement regulators to donor organs has been suggested as one strategy to interfere with complement-mediated hyperacute xenograft rejection. Pigs are discussed as potential organ donors. We therefore investigated a putative protective function of the membrane-bound complement inhibitor CD59 in a pig-to-human in vitro model of hyperacute xenograft rejection. Aortic porcine endothelial cells were transfected with human CD59 cDNA. Expression of human CD59 was demonstrated by cytofluorimetric and RNA analysis. Removal of CD59 from the cell surface by phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC) demonstrated its production as a glycosyl phosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored protein. Functional activity of the transfected CD59 was tested by a lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release assay for complement-mediated lysis. Porcine endothelial cells expressing human CD59 were significantly protected from lysis by human serum complement compared with CD59- cells. The protective effect was abolished by preincubating the cells with anti-CD59 antibodies or PI-PLC. We calculated by Scatchard analysis that the established CD59+ cell line expressed a CD59 level comparable to that of human endothelial cells. Our results recommend the production of pigs transgenic for CD59.

CD59: its role in complement regulation and potential for therapeutic use

CD59 regulates complement activation cascade at the final step, inhibiting formation of membrane attack complex (MAC). This protein, being anchored to the cell membrane via glycosyl phosphatidyl inositol (GPI), is expressed ubiquitously on cells which are in contact with body fluids containing components. Recently, MAC formation has been reported to play an important role in pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases such as ischemia or autoimmune diseases. In this review, we describe the structure and biological activities of CD59, the pathogenic role of MAC formation, and discuss application of soluble molecules of CD59 for therapeutic use.

Protection of xenogeneic cardiac endothelium from human complement by expression of CD59 or DAF in transgenic mice

We investigated the ability of membrane-bound human complement regulatory proteins to control complement-driven humoral immune reactions on murine microvasculature. The human complement regulatory proteins CD59 and DAF were expressed using heterologous promoters in a variety of tissues in transgenic mice. Animals expressing these gene products are healthy and exhibit significant levels of endothelial cell expression of CD59 and DAF in cardiac muscle. Transgenic hearts perfused with human plasma exhibited profound reductions in the level of complement deposition compared with nontransgenic controls. We have also produced transgenic pigs that express these two human genes. Our results indicate that expression of complement regulatory proteins can control activation of complement and suggest that these proteins may have therapeutic applications in some inflammatory diseases and in the development of xenogeneic organs for human transplantation.

Host cell-derived complement control proteins CD55 and CD59 are incorporated into the virions of two unrelated enveloped viruses. Human T cell leukemia/lymphoma virus type I (HTLV-I) and human cytomegalovirus (HCMV)

The current study was undertaken to determine whether the human T cell leukemia/lymphoma oncovirus type I (HTLV-I) and the herpesvirus human cytomegalovirus (HCM) incorporate host cell-derived C regulatory proteins. Our experiments showed that both CD59 and CD55 were associated with the external membrane of HTLV-I derived from MT2 cells, since virus could be captured by mAbs to these proteins, and antisera to CD55 and CD59 induced C-mediated lysis of HTLV-I virions. Additionally, both CD55 and CD59 were detected by immunoblot analysis of purified HTLV-I. Purified HCMV produced in human foreskin fibroblasts (HFF) also contained both CD55 and CD59, as detected by immunoblot analysis. However, treatment with anti-CD55, but not anti-CD59, reduced the HCMV infectious titer in the presence of C. Additional studies determined whether HTLV-I-associated CD55 and CD59 participated in the resistance of the virus to C-mediated lysis. Treatment of virus with phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC), which removes glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored CD55 and CD59, increased the sensitivity of HTLV-I to C-mediated destruction in the presence of anti-HTLV-I Abs. Reconstitution of PI-PLC-treated virus with purified CD55 and CD59 restored resistance to C. These experiments show that HTLV-I and HCMV acquire C control proteins from host cells. Together with our previous experiments showing that both CD55 and CD59 are present on HIV-1, these studies demonstrate a mechanism by which a variety of enveloped viruses may acquire resistance to C-mediated destruction.

A novel bifunctional chimeric complement inhibitor that regulates C3 convertase and formation of the membrane attack complex

Human cells express cell surface complement regulatory molecules that inhibit the activity of the C3/C5 convertases (DAF, MCP, CR1) or inhibit the membrane attack complex (CD59). A single molecule that inhibits both the convertase activity and formation of the membrane attack complex has never been characterized. To this end, we have developed two reciprocal chimeric complement inhibitors (CD, NH2-CD59-DAF-GPI; and DC, NH2-DAF-CD59-GPI) that contain the functional domains of decay accelerating factor (DAF; CD55) and CD59. Cell surface expression of the CD and DC chimeric proteins was detected with DAF- and CD59-specific antisera. Cell surface C3d deposition was inhibited on cells expressing the chimeric molecules, thereby indicating that the DAF moiety was functional in both molecules. Conversely, Ab-blocking experiments demonstrated that only the DC molecule retained CD59 function. Therefore, the DC molecule represents a novel potent chimeric bifunctional complement inhibitor that retains the functional domains of two distinct complement regulatory molecules.

Exogenous glycosyl phosphatidylinositol-anchored CD59 associates with kinases in membrane clusters on U937 cells and becomes Ca(2+)-signaling competent

CD59, an 18-20-kD complement inhibitor anchored to the membrane via glycosyl phosphatidylinositol (GPI), can induce activation of T cells and neutrophils upon cross-linking with antibody. GPI-anchored molecules cocluster in high mol wt detergent-resistant complexes containing tyrosine kinases that are implicated in the signaling pathway. Exogenous, incorporated GPI-anchored molecules are initially unable to induce activation, presumably because they are not associated with kinases. Here we demonstrate that erythrocyte-derived CD59 incorporated in a CD59-negative cell line acquires signaling capacity in a time-dependent manner. Confocal microscopy revealed an initial diffuse distribution of CD59 that became clustered within 2 h to give a pattern similar to endogenous GPI-anchored molecules. Gel filtration of detergent-solubilized cells immediately after incorporation revealed that CD59 was mainly monomeric, but after 3 h incubation all was in high mol wt complexes and had become associated with protein kinases. Newly incorporated CD59 did not deliver a Ca2+ signal upon cross-linking, but at a time when it had become clustered and associated with kinase activity, cross-linking induced a large calcium transient, indicating that CD59 had incorporated in a specialized microenvironment that allowed it to function fully as a signal-transducing molecule.

Complement regulation in the rat glomerulus: Crry and CD59 regulate complement in glomerular mesangial and endothelial cells

The complement regulators, decay accelerating factor, membrane cofactor protein, and CD59 are present in human glomeruli. Crry is the rodent analogue to the former two proteins. In this study, we examined complement regulation in cultured rat glomerular endothelial cells (GEnC) and mesangial cells (MES). Immunoprecipitation of 125I-labeled membrane proteins and Western blotting studies were performed with anti-Crry and anti-CD59. In both GEnC and MES, Crry was present as 53, 65, and 78 kD proteins. The 20 kD CD59 was apparent in GEnC. CD59 was also present in MES, but in relatively smaller quantities. By Northern analyses, 1.8 kb CD59 mRNA was present in GEnC as well as in RNA from isolated rat glomeruli. mRNA for Crry was present in both GEnC and MES as 2.2 kb species. The functional significance of these proteins was evaluated next. Anti-Thy 1.1 IgG was used to activate the complement classical pathway in MES. To inhibit the function of the complement regulators, anti-CD59 and/or anti-Crry F(ab')2 antibodies were added with anti-Thy 1.1. Inhibition of Crry function led to enhanced cytotoxicity, while there was no effect when CD59 function was inhibited. The complement alternative pathway was studied by adding complement in Mg-EGTA buffer. Inhibition of Crry led to productive alternative pathway activation, which was accentuated by anti-CD59 when Crry was incompletely inhibited. Alternative pathway regulation was also evaluated in GEnC. Inhibition of CD59 function alone had no effect in GEnC, while inhibition of Crry led to significant cytotoxicity from alternative pathway activation. Under conditions in which Crry was inactive, inhibition of CD59 further enhanced cytotoxicity. Therefore, Crry is present in both GEnC and MES and restricts the complement alternative pathway in both cell types. Crry also regulates the classical pathway in MES. CD59 is present and functionally active in GEnC, while it appears to have a minor role in MES.

Glycosyl phosphatidylinositol-linked blood group antigens and paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria

Human erythrocyte cell surface molecules that are attached to the cell membrane by glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchors include the complement regulatory proteins decay accelerating factor (DAF, CD55) and membrane inhibitor of reactive lysis (MIRL, CD59), as well as the proteins that bear the Cartwright, Dombrock, and JMH blood group antigens. The acquired hematopoietic stem cell disorder paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) results from the absence or marked deficiency in expression of GPI-anchored proteins in affected hematopoietic cells. PNH usually if not always results from a somatic mutation of an X-linked gene called PIG-A; the product of the PIG-A gene is a glycosyl transferase necessary for construction of the GPI anchor. DAF is a ubiquitously expressed protein present in many tissues, including gastrointestinal epithelia, corneal epithelia, and serosa of urinary and reproductive organs. DAF is a 70 kD glycoprotein containing complement regulatory short consensus repeats (SCRs); its gene is located in the regulation of complement activation (RCA) gene cluster on chromosome 1 and is about 40 kb in size. The Cromer blood group antigens, which reside on DAF, include 10 currently defined antigens, of which seven are of high incidence. The molecular basis of the Cr (a-) phenotype has been determined to be a single base pair substitution in DAF SCR4 (G-->C, leading to an ala193 to pro amino acid substitution). The Tc alpha antigen appears to be determined by the amino acid sequence of SCR1, with the Tc (a-b+) phenotype arising from a base pair substitution of G55-->T, leading to an arg18 to leu amino acid substitution. The null phenotype for Cromer antigens occurs when DAF is completely absent; only one example has been completely studied on the molecular level. That individual is homozygous for a point mutation in SCR1 (G314-->A) that creates a stop codon (TGA) in place of one normally encoding trp53 (TGG) and thus prevents further translation of the mRNA. The Dr(a-) phenotype expresses reduced quantities of DAF (approximately 40% of normal levels), as well as a polymorphism of DAF. Lack of the Dr alpha antigen has been proved to result from a single point mutation in SCR3 (C-->T in codon 165) that leads to a single amino acid substitution (ser-->leu). The Cartwright (Yt) antigens reside on acetylcholinesterase (AChE). In erythroid cells, a small exon that encodes the signal for attachment of the GPI anchor is retained in a tissue-specific process.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)