Receptors for complement C5a. The importance of C5aR and the enigmatic role of C5L2

Fifth complement cascade protein (C5) cleavage fragments disrupt the SDF-1/CXCR4 axis: further evidence that innate immunity orchestrates the mobilization of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells

OBJECTIVE

Having previously demonstrated that the complement system modulates mobilization of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPC) in mice, we investigated the involvement of C5 cleavage fragments (C5a/(desArg)C5a) in human HSPC mobilization.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

C5 cleavage fragments in the plasma were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using human anti-(desArg)C5a antibody, and expression of the C5a/(desArg)C5a receptor (CD88) in hematopoietic cells by flow cytometry. We also examined the chemotactic responses of hematopoietic cells to C5 cleavage fragments and expression of stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1)-degrading proteases that perturb retention of HSPC in bone marrow, namely matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9, membrane type (MT) 1-MMP, and carboxypeptidase M.

RESULTS

We found that plasma levels of (desArg)C5a are significantly higher in patients who are good mobilizers and correlate with CD34(+) cell and white blood cell counts in mobilized peripheral blood. C5 cleavage fragments did not chemoattract myeloid progenitors (colony-forming unit granulocyte-macrophage), but (desArg)C5a did strongly chemoattract mature nucleated cells. Consistently, CD88 was not detected on CD34(+) cells, but appeared on more mature myeloid precursors, monocytes, and granulocytes. Moreover, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor-mobilized peripheral blood mononuclear cells and polymorphonuclear cells had a significantly higher percentage of cells expressing CD88 than nonmobilized peripheral blood. Furthermore, C5a stimulation of granulocytes and monocytes decreased CXCR4 expression and chemotaxis toward an SDF-1 gradient and increased secretion of MMP-9 and expression of MT1-MMP and carboxypeptidase M.

CONCLUSION

C5 cleavage fragments not only induce a highly proteolytic microenvironment in human bone marrow, which perturbs retention through the CXCR4/SDF-1 axis, but also strongly chemoattracts granulocytes, promoting their egress into mobilized peripheral blood, which is crucial for subsequent mobilization of HSPC.

The C5a receptor (C5aR) C5L2 is a modulator of C5aR-mediated signal transduction

The complement anaphylatoxin C5a is a proinflammatory component of host defense that functions through two identified receptors, C5a receptor (C5aR) and C5L2. C5aR is a classical G protein-coupled receptor, whereas C5L2 is structurally homologous but deficient in G protein coupling. In human neutrophils, we show C5L2 is predominantly intracellular, whereas C5aR is expressed on the plasma membrane. Confocal analysis shows internalized C5aR following ligand binding is co-localized with both C5L2 and beta-arrestin. Antibody blockade of C5L2 results in a dramatic increase in C5a-mediated chemotaxis and ERK1/2 phosphorylation but does not alter C5a-mediated calcium mobilization, supporting its role in modulation of the beta-arrestin pathway. Association of C5L2 with beta-arrestin is confirmed by cellular co-immunoprecipitation assays. C5L2 blockade also has no effect on ligand uptake or C5aR endocytosis in human polymorphonuclear leukocytes, distinguishing its role from that of a rapid recycling or scavenging receptor in this cell type. This is thus the first example of a naturally occurring seven-transmembrane segment receptor that is both obligately uncoupled from G proteins and a negative modulator of signal transduction through the beta-arrestin pathway. Physiologically, these properties provide the possibility for additional fine-tuning of host defense.

Complement and its role in innate and adaptive immune responses

The complement system plays a crucial role in the innate defense against common pathogens. Activation of complement leads to robust and efficient proteolytic cascades, which terminate in opsonization and lysis of the pathogen as well as in the generation of the classical inflammatory response through the production of potent proinflammatory molecules. More recently, however, the role of complement in the immune response has been expanded due to observations that link complement activation to adaptive immune responses. It is now appreciated that complement is a functional bridge between innate and adaptive immune responses that allows an integrated host defense to pathogenic challenges. As such, a study of its functions allows insight into the molecular underpinnings of host-pathogen interactions as well as the organization and orchestration of the host immune response. This review attempts to summarize the roles that complement plays in both innate and adaptive immune responses and the consequences of these interactions on host defense.

Recent developments in low molecular weight complement inhibitors

As a key part of the innate immune system, complement plays an important role not only in defending against invading pathogens but also in many other biological processes. Inappropriate or excessive activation of complement has been linked to many autoimmune, inflammatory, and neurodegenerative diseases, as well as ischemia-reperfusion injury and cancer. A wide array of low molecular weight complement inhibitors has been developed to target various components of the complement cascade. Their efficacy has been demonstrated in numerous in vitro and in vivo experiments. Though none of these inhibitors has reached the market so far, some of them have entered clinical trials and displayed promising results. This review provides a brief overview of the currently developed low molecular weight complement inhibitors, including short peptides and synthetic small molecules, with an emphasis on those targeting components C1 and C3, and the anaphylatoxin receptors.

C5a-stimulated recruitment of beta-arrestin2 to the nonsignaling 7-transmembrane decoy receptor C5L2

C5L2 (or GPR77) is a high-affinity receptor for the complement fragment C5a and its desarginated product, C5a-desArg. Unlike the classical C5a receptor CD88, C5L2 does not couple to intracellular G-protein-signaling pathways but is thought to function as a decoy receptor. The authors show that stimulation of C5L2 with C5a and C5a-desArg induces redistribution of green fluorescent protein-labeled beta-arrestin2 to cytoplasmic vesicles. C3a and C3a-desArg were inactive in the beta-arrestin translocation assay. Direct interaction of ligand-stimulated C5L2 with beta-arrestin was confirmed using a novel beta-galactosidase fragment complementation assay. In this assay, C5L2 was labeled with a mutationally altered peptide fragment of beta-galactosidase, whereas beta-arrestin2 was labeled with a corresponding deletion mutant of the enzyme. Stable transfection of the modified C5L2 and subsequent stimulation with C5a or C5a-desArg restored beta-galactosidase activity in a dose-dependent manner. The subnanomolar potency of beta-arrestin coupling in the beta-galactosidase fragment complementation assay is in agreement with the affinity of the receptor-ligand interaction. C5L2 is the first example of a 7-transmembrane decoy receptor that couples to beta-arrestin in a ligand-dependent manner. This observation supports the notion that G-protein-signaling and beta-arrestin coupling can be 2 separate activities of 7-transmembrane receptors. Furthermore, the beta-arrestin assays described in this article provide methods of screening for selective C5L2 modulators.

Neuroprotection in stroke by complement inhibition and immunoglobulin therapy

Activation of the complement system occurs in a variety of neuroinflammatory diseases and neurodegenerative processes of the CNS. Studies in the last decade have demonstrated that essentially all of the activation components and receptors of the complement system are produced by astrocytes, microglia, and neurons. There is also rapidly growing evidence to indicate an active role of the complement system in cerebral ischemic injury. In addition to direct cell damage, regional cerebral ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) induces an inflammatory response involving complement activation and generation of active fragments, such as C3a and C5a anaphylatoxins, C3b, C4b, and iC3b. The use of specific inhibitors to block complement activation or their mediators such as C5a, can reduce local tissue injury after I/R. Consistent with therapeutic approaches that have been successful in models of autoimmune disorders, many of the same complement inhibition strategies are proving effective in animal models of cerebral I/R injury. One new form of therapy, which is less specific in its targeting of complement than monodrug administration, is the use of immunoglobulins. Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) has the potential to inhibit multiple components of inflammation, including complement fragments, pro-inflammatory cytokine production and leukocyte cell adhesion. Thus, IVIG may directly protect neurons, reduce activation of intrinsic inflammatory cells (microglia) and inhibit transendothelial infiltration of leukocytes into the brain parenchyma following an ischemic stroke. The striking neuroprotective actions of IVIG in animal models of ischemic stroke suggest a potential therapeutic potential that merits consideration for clinical trials in stroke patients.

Functions of C5a receptors

The split product of the complement protein, C5, is C5a and is an extremely potent pro-inflammatory peptide that interacts with two C5a receptors, C5aR and C5L2, present on surfaces of phagocytes as well as other cell types. The former is a well-established receptor that initiates G-protein-coupled signaling via mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways. Its in vivo blockade greatly reduces inflammatory injury. Much less is known about C5L2, occupancy of which by C5a does not initiate increased intracellular Ca(2+). There are numerous conflicting reports suggesting that C5L2 is a "default receptor" that attenuates C5a-dependent biological responses by competing with C5aR for binding of C5a. However, there are other reports suggesting that C5L2 plays an active, positive role in inflammatory responses. Better definition of C5L2 is needed if its in vivo blockade, along with C5aR, is to be considered in complement-dependent inflammatory diseases.

The human complement fragment receptor, C5L2, is a recycling decoy receptor

C5L2 is a 7 transmembrane domain receptor for complement fragment C5a that, unlike the classical C5a receptor, C5aR, does not couple to G proteins. However, in mice where C5L2 has been deleted, the response to C5a is altered, suggesting that C5L2 may have a signaling function. In order to investigate whether human C5L2 also has some capacity to transduce signals, we have attempted to produce a signaling competent form of human C5L2 by inserting C5aR sequences at three key G protein activation motifs. However, we detected neither an intracellular Ca²⁺ response nor β-arrestin redistribution in mutated C5L2, suggesting that the potential for G protein coupling is completely absent in this receptor and that, in humans, C5L2 may have functions that are unrelated to signaling. In confirmation of this, we detected constitutive ligand-independent internalization of C5L2 that resulted in the rapid accumulation of C5a and its stable metabolite, C5a des Arg, within the cell with only a small net change in cell surface receptor levels. Internalization was found to be through a clathrin-dependent mechanism that led to the retention and, in cells natively expressing C5L2, the degradation of the ligand within an intracellular compartment. In contrast, the classical C5a receptor, C5aR, internalized ligand much more slowly and a majority of this ligand was released back into the extracellular environment in an apparently undegraded form. These data suggest that a major function of human C5L2 is to remove active complement fragments from the extracellular environment.

Moving targets: cell migration inhibitors as new anti-inflammatory therapies

The pharmaceutical industry has targeted various types of molecules to subdue inflammatory diseases. Drugs that disrupt cell migration appear particularly promising in clinical trials and in many animal models of inflammatory disease. Cell migration inhibitors not only interfere with migration of cells to a tissue, but also can affect other necessary processes such as mediator release and angiogenesis. However, the question is whether drugs that target adhesion molecules or chemoattractant receptors will prove superior to drugs that target other molecular types. This review proclaims the virtues of targeting cell migration-related molecules for development of new anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor based drugs. It is likely that cell migration inhibitors will transform the way in which many human inflammatory diseases and cancers are treated.