Generation of a novel Cr2 gene allele by homologous recombination that abrogates production of Cr2 but is sufficient for expression of Cr1

Effect of Avian Influenza Virus subtype H9N2 on the expression of complement-associated genes in chicken erythrocytes

The H9N2 subtype avian influenza virus can infect both chickens and humans. Previous studies have reported a role for erythrocytes in immunity. However, the role of H9N2 against chicken erythrocytes and the presence of complement-related genes in erythrocytes has not been studied. This research investigated the effect of H9N2 on complement-associated gene expression in chicken erythrocytes. The expression of complement-associated genes (C1s, C1q, C2, C3, C3ar1, C4, C4a, C5, C5ar1, C7, CD93 and CFD) was detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Quantitative Real-Time PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to analyse the differential expression of complement-associated genes in chicken erythrocytes at 0 h, 2 h, 6 h and 10 h after the interaction between H9N2 virus and chicken erythrocytes in vitro and 3, 7 and 14 d after H9N2 virus nasal infection of chicks. Expression levels of C1q, C4, C1s, C2, C3, C5, C7 and CD93 were significantly up-regulated at 2 h and significantly down-regulated at 10 h. Gene expression levels of C1q, C3ar1, C4a, CFD and C5ar1 were seen to be different at each time point. The expression levels of C1q, C4, C1s, C2, C3, C5, C7, CFD, C3ar1, C4a and C5ar1 were significantly up-regulated at 7 d and the gene expression of levels of C3, CD93 and C5ar1 were seen to be different at each time point. The results confirmed that all the complement-associated genes were expressed in chicken erythrocytes and showed the H9N2 virus interaction with chicken erythrocytes and subsequent regulation of chicken erythrocyte complement-associated genes expression. This study reported, for the first time, the relationship between H9N2 and complement system of chicken erythrocytes, which will provide a foundation for further research into the prevention and control of H9N2 infection.

Relative Impact of Complement Receptors CD21/35 (Cr2/1) on Scrapie Pathogenesis in Mice

Mammalian prion diseases are caused by prions, unique infectious agents composed primarily, if not solely, of a pathologic, misfolded form of a normal host protein, the cellular prion protein (PrP^C). Prions replicate without a genetic blueprint, but rather contact PrP^C and coerce it to misfold into more prions, which cause neurodegeneration akin to other protein-misfolding diseases like Alzheimer’s disease. A single gene produces two alternatively spliced mRNA transcripts that encode mouse complement receptors CD21/35, which promote efficient prion replication in the lymphoid system and eventual movement to the brain. Here we show that CD21/35 are high-affinity prion receptors, but mice expressing only CD21 die from prion disease sooner than CD35-expressing mice, which contain less prions early after infection and exhibit delayed terminal disease, likely due to their less organized splenic follicles. Thus, CD21 appears to be more important for defining splenic architecture that influences prion pathogenesis.

Complement receptors 1 and 2 (CR1/2 or CD35/CD21) recognize complement-opsonized antigens to initiate innate and adaptive immunity, respectively. CD35 stimulates phagocytosis on macrophages and antigen presentation on follicular dendritic cells (FDCs). CD21 helps activate B cells as part of the B cell coreceptor with CD19 and CD81. Differential splicing of transcripts from the mouse Cr2 gene generates isoforms with both shared and unique complement binding capacities and cell-type expression. In mouse models, genetic depletion of Cr2 causes either a delay or complete prevention of prion disease, but the relative importance of CD35 versus CD21 in promoting prion disease remains unknown. Here we show that both isoforms act as high-affinity cell surface prion receptors. However, mice lacking CD21 succumbed to terminal prion disease significantly later than mice lacking CD35 or wild-type and hemizygous mice. CD21-deficient mice contained fewer splenic prions than CD35 knockout mice early after infection that contributed to delayed prion neuroinvasion and terminal disease, despite forming follicular networks closer to proximal nerves. While we observed no difference in B cell networks, PrP^C expression, or number of follicles, CD21-deficient mice formed more fragmented, less organized follicular networks with fewer Mfge8-positive FDCs and/or tingible body macrophages (TBMφs) than wild-type or CD35-deficient mice. In toto, these data demonstrate a more prominent role for CD21 for proper follicular development and organization leading to more efficient lymphoid prion replication and expedited prion disease than in mice expressing the CD35 isoform.

IMPORTANCE Mammalian prion diseases are caused by prions, unique infectious agents composed primarily, if not solely, of a pathologic, misfolded form of a normal host protein, the cellular prion protein (PrP^C). Prions replicate without a genetic blueprint, but rather contact PrP^C and coerce it to misfold into more prions, which cause neurodegeneration akin to other protein-misfolding diseases like Alzheimer’s disease. A single gene produces two alternatively spliced mRNA transcripts that encode mouse complement receptors CD21/35, which promote efficient prion replication in the lymphoid system and eventual movement to the brain. Here we show that CD21/35 are high-affinity prion receptors, but mice expressing only CD21 die from prion disease sooner than CD35-expressing mice, which contain less prions early after infection and exhibit delayed terminal disease, likely due to their less organized splenic follicles. Thus, CD21 appears to be more important for defining splenic architecture that influences prion pathogenesis.