Evidence for three binding sites for C3 (hemolytically inactive), C3b and C3d on a CR2-positive Burkitt lymphoma-derived cell line (Raji)

The fixation of complement protein pairs to CR2 isoforms

Reviewing old protocols, it was found that Raji, a CR2-posistive cell line, binds both endogenous (e-C3) and exogenous C3 (i-C3). The processing of i-C3 to an i-C3b-like protein and their fixation to CR2 isoforms resulted in the formation of heterodimers whose units might be linked via thioester by low m.w. molecule(s). In an attempt to study the origin of the low m.w. molecules, it was found that they were detected following I12⁵-C3d treatment with NHS or hi-S. Indirect evidence would suggest that the products of C3 fragment fixation could have a short half-life and that the aromatic residues present in C3d might have different physico-chemical characteristics than those present in C3c. The surface hydrophobicity expressed by these aromatic residues could be required for the fixation of C3 or CR2 fragments to cell surface proteins.

Construction and immunogenicity of DNA vaccines encoding fusion protein of murine complement C3d-p28 and GP5 gene of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) has recently caused catastrophic losses in swine industry worldwide. The commercial vaccines only provide a limited protection against PRRSV infection. At present, DNA vaccine is the focus on the new vaccines. The gene fragment (p28) coding for the molecular adjuvants complement protein C3d (mC3d) from BALB/c mouse was cloned and expressed as a fusion protein for its application in the vaccine study of mice. Three potential vaccines construct units were engineered to contain two, four and six copies of mC3d-p28 coding gene linked to the GP5 gene of PRRSV and one vaccine expressing GP5 alone (pcDNA3.1-GP5) was constructed. Subsequently, the vaccines' abilities to elicit the humoral and cellular immune responses were investigated in mice. These results showed that significantly enhanced GP5-specific ELISA antibody, GP5-specific neutralizing antibody, IFN-γ level, and IL-4 level, could be induced in mice immunized with DNA construct units encoding the pcDNA3.1-C3d-p28.n-GP5 than those received DNA vaccine expressing GP5 alone (pcDNA3.1-GP5). Analysis of the immunogenicity of different repeats of mC3d-p28 revealed that mC3d-p28 had an enhancing effect on the immunogenicity of antigens, and that six or more repeats of mC3d-p28 may be necessary for efficient enhancement of antigen specific immune responses. This approach may provide a new strategy for the development of efficient vaccines against the PRRSV for pigs in the future.

Co-operation between human CR1 (CD35) and CR2 (CD21) in internalization of their C3b and iC3b ligands by murine-transfected fibroblasts

CR1 and CR2 are expressed as associated proteins on the B-lymphocyte surface. To investigate their respective contributions to the internalization of C3 fragments, transfected murine fibroblasts expressing human CR1, CR2, or both CR1 and CR2 were produced. CR1- and CR1-CR2-expressing cells bound C3b and C3b-dimer whereas CR2- and CR1-CR2-expressing cells bound iC3b and C3de. In all cases, maximum binding was achieved at low ionic strength. CR1-CR2-positive cells internalized two- to threefold more C3b and 1.5-fold more iC3b than CR1- and CR2-single-positive cells, respectively. Internalization of the anti-CR1 antibody J3D3, or C3de was at the same level, in both double-transfected and single-transfected cells. Furthermore, the internalization of C3b dimer by CR1-CR2 cells was impaired in the presence of OKB7, an anti-CR2-blocking antibody, but it was not altered in CR1 cells. Taken together, these findings suggest that CR1 and CR2 collaborate to internalize C3b and iC3b proteins. We suggest that the induction of conformational changes of the ligands enhances their binding to both receptors.

The requirement of localized, CR2-mediated, alternative pathway activation of complement for covalent deposition of C3 fragments on normal B cells

We have shown previously that normal B cells share, with Epstein-Barr virus-transformed and malignant B cells, the ability to activate the alternative pathway (AP) of complement in vitro, resulting in the deposition of C3 fragments on the cell surface. Complement receptor type 2 (CR2, CD21) has been implicated directly as the site for formation of an AP convertase, which provides nascent C3b for deposition at secondary sites on the B-cell surface. In the present study, we have examined C3 fragment deposition in vitro in more detail by (1) assessing the importance of locally generated C3b for the deposition process, (2) investigating whether CR2 is the sole requirement for conferring AP activation capacity on a cell, and (3) determining whether CR2's function, as an AP activator, has different structural requirements from ligand binding. Increasing the availability of native C3, by increasing the serum (NHS) concentration, resulted in enhanced C3 fragment deposition on the B cells, whereas use of factor 1-depleted NHS, which showed massive fluid phase C3 conversion during the incubation, diminished the deposition. Sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and Western blotting of untreated and hydroxylamine-treated lysates from B cells, after in vitro activation, revealed that the majority of C3 fragments (primarily iC3b and C3dg) had been covalently bound to the cell surface. Transfection of COS cells with wild-type CR2 or a deletion mutant lacking 11 of the molecule's 15 homologous domains, but retaining the ligand-binding site, revealed that expression of intact CR2 conferred a 12-fold increase in AP-activating capacity on these cells, while no increase in AP activity was apparent on cells transfected with the mutant CR2.

Cross-linking of at least three binding sites mediates signal transduction in a CR2-positive Burkitt lymphoma derived cell line (Raji)

In this study we demonstrate that Raji cells, a CR2-positive Burkitt lymphoma-derived cell line, during cell growth, need the cross-linking of multiple OKB7 binding sites or C3d determinants to mediate signal transduction. The loss of one of these affects the cellular response. Moreover, OKB7, the anti-CR2 MoAb, recognizes C3d determinants on the cell surface and inhibits signal transduction induced by anti-C3d polyclonal antibody. Since Raji cells are always CR2 positive during cell growth, we suppose that at least another protein, along with CR2, may be involved in setting up a cell surface complex able to receive and transduce the signal triggered by OKB7. In our experimental system the protein that offers a third binding site to OKB7, may be represented by a 33 kDa protein bearing C3d determinants.