1
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Goodrich AC, Leclair N, Shillova N, Morton WD, Wittwer AJ, Loyet KM, Hannoush RN. Reconstitution of the alternative pathway of the complement system enables rapid delineation of the mechanism of action of novel inhibitors. J Biol Chem 2024:107467. [PMID: 38876307 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024] Open
Abstract
The complement system plays a critical role in the innate immune response, acting as a first line of defense against invading pathogens. However, dysregulation of the complement system is implicated in the pathogenesis of numerous diseases, ranging from Alzheimer's to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and rare blood disorders. As such, complement inhibitors have enormous potential to alleviate disease burden. While a few complement inhibitors are in clinical use, there is still a significant unmet medical need for the discovery and development of novel inhibitors to treat patients suffering from disorders of the complement system. A key hurdle in the development of complement inhibitors has been the determination of their mechanism of action. Progression along the complement cascade involves the formation of numerous multimeric protein complexes, creating the potential for inhibitors to act at multiple nodes in the pathway. This is especially true for molecules that target the central component C3 and its fragment C3b, which serve a dual role as a substrate for the C3 convertases and as a scaffolding protein in both the C3 and C5 convertases. Here, we report a step-by-step in vitro reconstitution of the complement alternative pathway using bio-layer interferometry. By physically uncoupling each step in the pathway, we were able to determine the kinetic signature of inhibitors that act at single steps in the pathway and delineate the full mechanism of action of known and novel C3 inhibitors. The method could have utility in drug discovery and further elucidating the biochemistry of the complement system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew C Goodrich
- Departments of Early Discovery Biochemistry, Genentech, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080.
| | - Norbert Leclair
- Departments of Biochemical and Cellular Pharmacology, Genentech, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080
| | - Nita Shillova
- Confluence Discovery Technologies Inc., 4340 Duncan Ave, Suite 400, St. Louis, MO 63110
| | - William D Morton
- Confluence Discovery Technologies Inc., 4340 Duncan Ave, Suite 400, St. Louis, MO 63110
| | - Arthur J Wittwer
- Confluence Discovery Technologies Inc., 4340 Duncan Ave, Suite 400, St. Louis, MO 63110
| | - Kelly M Loyet
- Departments of Biochemical and Cellular Pharmacology, Genentech, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080
| | - Rami N Hannoush
- Departments of Early Discovery Biochemistry, Genentech, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080.
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2
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Andersen JF, Lei H, Strayer EC, Pham V, Ribeiro JMC. Mechanism of complement inhibition by a mosquito protein revealed through cryo-EM. Commun Biol 2024; 7:649. [PMID: 38802531 PMCID: PMC11130238 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06351-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Salivary complement inhibitors occur in many of the blood feeding arthropod species responsible for transmission of pathogens. During feeding, these inhibitors prevent the production of proinflammatory anaphylatoxins, which may interfere with feeding, and limit formation of the membrane attack complex which could damage arthropod gut tissues. Salivary inhibitors are, in many cases, novel proteins which may be pharmaceutically useful or display unusual mechanisms that could be exploited pharmaceutically. Albicin is a potent inhibitor of the alternative pathway of complement from the saliva of the malaria transmitting mosquito, Anopheles albimanus. Here we describe the cryo-EM structure of albicin bound to C3bBb, the alternative C3 convertase, a proteolytic complex that is responsible for cleavage of C3 and amplification of the complement response. Albicin is shown to induce dimerization of C3bBb, in a manner similar to the bacterial inhibitor SCIN, to form an inactive complex unable to bind the substrate C3. Size exclusion chromatography and structures determined after 30 minutes of incubation of C3b, factor B (FB), factor D (FD) and albicin indicate that FBb dissociates from the inhibited dimeric complex leaving a C3b-albicin dimeric complex which apparently decays more slowly.
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Affiliation(s)
- John F Andersen
- NIH-NIAID, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, Rockville, MD, USA.
| | - Haotian Lei
- NIH-NIAID, Research Technologies Branch, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Ethan C Strayer
- NIH-NIAID, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, Rockville, MD, USA
- Biological and Biomedical Sciences Program, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Van Pham
- NIH-NIAID, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - José M C Ribeiro
- NIH-NIAID, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, Rockville, MD, USA
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3
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Shangguan W, Li X, Wang Y, Huang Z, Dong Y, Feng M, Feng J. Design and Biological Evaluation of the Long-Acting C5-Inhibited Ornithodoros moubata Complement Inhibitor (OmCI) Modified with Fatty Acid. Bioconjug Chem 2024; 35:653-664. [PMID: 38593046 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.4c00126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Disorder of complement response is a significant pathogenic factor causing some autoimmune and inflammation diseases. The Ornithodoros moubata Complement Inhibitor (OmCI), a small 17 kDa natural protein, was initially extracted from soft tick salivary glands. The protein was found binding to complement C5 specifically, inhibiting the activation of the complement pathway, which is a successful therapeutic basis of complement-mediated diseases. However, a short half-life due to rapid renal clearance is a common limitation of small proteins for clinical application. In this study, we extended the half-life of OmCI by modifying it with fatty acid, which was a method used to improve the pharmacokinetics of native peptides and proteins. Five OmCI mutants were initially designed, and single-site cysteine mutation was introduced to each of them. After purification, four OmCI mutants were obtained that showed similar in vitro biological activities. Three mutants of them were subsequently coupled with different fatty acids by nucleophilic substitution. In total, 15 modified derivatives were screened and tested for anticomplement activity in vitro. The results showed that coupling with fatty acid would not significantly affect their complement-inhibitory activity (CH50 and AH50). OmCIT90C-CM02 and OmCIT90C-CM05 were validated as the applicable OmCI bioconjugates for further pharmacokinetic assessments, and both showed improved plasma half-life in mice compared with unmodified OmCI (15.86, 17.96 vs 2.57 h). In summary, our data demonstrated that OmCI conjugated with fatty acid could be developed as the potential long-acting C5 complement inhibitor in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenwen Shangguan
- School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, 201203 Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry, China State Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry, 201203 Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaowan Li
- School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, 201203 Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry, China State Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry, 201203 Shanghai, China
| | - Yandan Wang
- Shanghai Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry, China State Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry, 201203 Shanghai, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta Region Green Pharmaceuticals, Zhejiang University of Technology, 310014 Hangzhou, China
| | - Zongqing Huang
- Shanghai Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry, China State Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry, 201203 Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Duomirui Biotechnology Co Ltd, 201203 Shanghai, China
| | - Yuanzhen Dong
- Shanghai Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry, China State Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry, 201203 Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Duomirui Biotechnology Co Ltd, 201203 Shanghai, China
| | - Meiqing Feng
- School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, 201203 Shanghai, China
| | - Jun Feng
- Shanghai Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry, China State Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry, 201203 Shanghai, China
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4
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Gabriela R, Vera V, Pavel R, Helena R, Igor S, Marie D, Marketa M, Alena MF, Ales T. Discovering the Radiation Biomarkers in the Plasma of Total-Body Irradiated Leukemia Patients. Radiat Res 2024; 201:418-428. [PMID: 38315067 DOI: 10.1667/rade-23-00137.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
The increased risk of acute large-scale radiological exposure for the world's population underlines the need for optimal radiation biomarkers. Ionizing radiation triggers a complex response by the genome, proteome, and metabolome, all of which have been reported as suitable indicators of radiation-induced damage in vivo. This study analyzed peripheral blood samples from total-body irradiation (TBI) leukemia patients through mass spectrometry (MS) to identify and quantify differentially regulated proteins in plasma before and after irradiation. In brief, samples were taken from 16 leukemic patients prior to and 24 h after TBI (2 × 2.0 Gy), processed with Tandem Mass Tag isobaric labelling kit (TMTpro-16-plex), and analyzed by MS. In parallel, label-free relative quantification was performed with a RP-nanoLC-ESI-MS/MS system in a Q-Exactive mass spectrometer. Protein identification was done in Proteome Discoverer v.2.2 platform (Thermo). Data is available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD043516. Using two different methods, we acquired two datasets of up-regulated (ratio ≥ 1.2) or down-regulated (ratio ≤ 0.83) plasmatic proteins 24 h after irradiation, identifying 356 and 346 proteins in the TMT-16plex and 285 and 308 label-free analyses, respectively (P ≤ 0.05). Combining the two datasets yielded 15 candidates with significant relation to gamma-radiation exposure. The majority of these proteins were associated with the inflammatory response and lipid metabolism. Subsequently, from these, five proteins showed the strongest potential as radiation biomarkers in humans (C-reactive protein, Alpha amylase 1A, Mannose-binding protein C, Phospholipid transfer protein, and Complement C5). These candidate biomarkers might have implications for practical biological dosimetry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rydlova Gabriela
- Department of Radiobiology
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Hradec Králové, Czech Republic, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
| | | | | | - Rehulkova Helena
- Department of Toxicology, Faculty of Military Health Sciences, University of Defence, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
| | - Sirak Igor
- Department of Oncology and Radiotherapy and 4th Department of Internal Medicine - Haematology, University Hospital, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Davidkova Marie
- Department of Radiation Dosimetry, Nuclear Physics Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Markova Marketa
- Department of Haematology and Blood Transfusion, University Hospital Na Bulovce, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Myslivcova-Fucikova Alena
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Hradec Králové, Czech Republic, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
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5
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Peixoto VP, Prudêncio C, Vieira M, Sousa SF. Evaluation of the impact of two C5 genetic variants on C5-eculizumab complex stability at the molecular level. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024:1-10. [PMID: 38529903 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2024.2331091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
Complement C5 is the target of the monoclonal antibody eculizumab, used in complement dysregulating disorders, like the rare disease Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria (PNH). PNH is an acquired hematopoietic stem cell condition characterized by aberrant destruction of erythrocytes, chronic hemolytic anemia, and thromboembolism propensity. C5 is a protein component of the complement system which is part of the immune system of the body and plays a prominent role in the destruction of red blood cells, misidentifying them as a threat. This work describes the application of molecular dynamics simulations to the study of the underlying interactions between complement C5 and eculizumab. This study also reveals the importance of single nucleotide polymorphisms on C5 protein concerning the effective inhibition of the mAB, involving the mechanistic events taking place at the interface spots of the complex. The predicted conformational change in the C5 Arg885/His/Cys mutation has implications on the protein's interaction with eculizumab, compromising their compatibility. The acquired insights into the conformational changes, dynamics, flexibility, and interactions shed light on the knowledge of the function of this biomolecule providing answers about the poor response to the treatment in PNH patient carriers of the mutations. By investigating the intricate dynamics, significant connections between C5 and eculizumab can be uncovered. Such insights may aid in the creation of novel compounds or lead to the enhancement of eculizumab's efficacy.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanda P Peixoto
- Chemical and Biomolecular Sciences, School of Health, Polytechnic Institute of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Center for Translational Health and Medical Biotechnology Research (TBIO), Polytechnic Institute of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- LAQV/REQUIMTE, BioSIM - Departamento de Biomedicina, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Cristina Prudêncio
- Chemical and Biomolecular Sciences, School of Health, Polytechnic Institute of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Center for Translational Health and Medical Biotechnology Research (TBIO), Polytechnic Institute of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Institute for Research and Innovation in Health (i3S), University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Mónica Vieira
- Chemical and Biomolecular Sciences, School of Health, Polytechnic Institute of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Center for Translational Health and Medical Biotechnology Research (TBIO), Polytechnic Institute of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Institute for Research and Innovation in Health (i3S), University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Sérgio F Sousa
- LAQV/REQUIMTE, BioSIM - Departamento de Biomedicina, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
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6
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Sant'Anna MRV, Pereira-Filho AA, Mendes-Sousa AF, Silva NCS, Gontijo NF, Pereira MH, Koerich LB, D'Avila Pessoa GC, Andersen J, Araujo RN. Inhibition of vertebrate complement system by hematophagous arthropods: inhibitory molecules, mechanisms, physiological roles, and applications. INSECT SCIENCE 2024. [PMID: 38246860 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.13317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 10/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
In arthropods, hematophagy has arisen several times throughout evolution. This specialized feeding behavior offered a highly nutritious diet obtained during blood feeds. On the other hand, blood-sucking arthropods must overcome problems brought on by blood intake and digestion. Host blood complement acts on the bite site and is still active after ingestion, so complement activation is a potential threat to the host's skin feeding environment and to the arthropod gut enterocytes. During evolution, blood-sucking arthropods have selected, either in their saliva or gut, anticomplement molecules that inactivate host blood complement. This review presents an overview of the complement system and discusses the arthropod's salivary and gut anticomplement molecules studied to date, exploring their mechanism of action and other aspects related to the arthropod-host-pathogen interface. The possible therapeutic applications of arthropod's anticomplement molecules are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mauricio Roberto Vianna Sant'Anna
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Adalberto Alves Pereira-Filho
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | | | - Naylene Carvalho Sales Silva
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Nelder Figueiredo Gontijo
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Marcos Horácio Pereira
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Leonardo Barbosa Koerich
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Grasielle Caldas D'Avila Pessoa
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - John Andersen
- Vector Molecular Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Ricardo Nascimento Araujo
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
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7
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Chen HC, Wang CW, Toh WH, Lee HE, Chung WH, Chen CB. Advancing Treatment in Bullous Pemphigoid: A Comprehensive Review of Novel Therapeutic Targets and Approaches. Clin Rev Allergy Immunol 2023; 65:331-353. [PMID: 37897588 DOI: 10.1007/s12016-023-08973-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/30/2023]
Abstract
Bullous pemphigoid is one of the most common autoimmune bullous diseases occurring primarily in the elderly. Pathogenic autoantibodies against BP180 and BP230 at the dermal-epidermal junction cause subepidermal blisters, erosions, and intense pruritus, all of which adversely affect the patients' quality of life and may increase their morbidity and mortality. Current systemic treatment options for bullous pemphigoid are limited to corticosteroids and immunosuppressants, which can have substantial side effects on these vulnerable patients that even exceed their therapeutic benefits. Therefore, more precisely, targeting therapies to the pathogenic cells and molecules in bullous pemphigoid is an urgent issue. In this review, we describe the pathophysiology of bullous pemphigoid, focusing on autoantibodies, complements, eosinophils, neutrophils, proteases, and the T helper 2 and 17 axes since they are crucial in promoting proinflammatory environments. We also highlight the emerging therapeutic targets for bullous pemphigoid and their latest discoveries in clinical trials or experimental studies. Further well-designed studies are required to establish the efficacy and safety of these prospective therapeutic options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsuan-Chi Chen
- Department of Medical Education, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Chuang-Wei Wang
- Department of Dermatology, Drug Hypersensitivity Clinical and Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung, Linkou, Taipei, Taiwan
- Cancer Vaccine and Immune Cell Therapy Core Laboratory, Department of Medical Research, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taiwan
- Chang Gung Immunology Consortium, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Department of Dermatology, Xiamen Chang Gung Hospital, Xiamen, China
- Xiamen Chang Gung Allergology Consortium, Xiamen Chang Gung Hospital, Xiamen, China
| | - Wu Han Toh
- Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Translational Tissue Engineering Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Computer Science, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Hua-En Lee
- Department of Dermatology, Drug Hypersensitivity Clinical and Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung, Linkou, Taipei, Taiwan
- Cancer Vaccine and Immune Cell Therapy Core Laboratory, Department of Medical Research, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taiwan
- College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Hung Chung
- Department of Dermatology, Drug Hypersensitivity Clinical and Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung, Linkou, Taipei, Taiwan.
- Cancer Vaccine and Immune Cell Therapy Core Laboratory, Department of Medical Research, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taiwan.
- Chang Gung Immunology Consortium, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
- Department of Dermatology, Xiamen Chang Gung Hospital, Xiamen, China.
- Xiamen Chang Gung Allergology Consortium, Xiamen Chang Gung Hospital, Xiamen, China.
- College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
- Immune-Oncology Center of Excellence, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taiwan.
- Whole-Genome Research Core Laboratory of Human Diseases, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung, Taiwan.
- Department of Dermatology, Beijing Tsinghua Chang Gung Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
- Department of Dermatology, Ruijin Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
- Genomic Medicine Core Laboratory, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taiwan.
| | - Chun-Bing Chen
- Department of Dermatology, Drug Hypersensitivity Clinical and Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung, Linkou, Taipei, Taiwan.
- Cancer Vaccine and Immune Cell Therapy Core Laboratory, Department of Medical Research, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taiwan.
- Chang Gung Immunology Consortium, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
- Department of Dermatology, Xiamen Chang Gung Hospital, Xiamen, China.
- Xiamen Chang Gung Allergology Consortium, Xiamen Chang Gung Hospital, Xiamen, China.
- School of Medicine, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan.
- College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
- Immune-Oncology Center of Excellence, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taiwan.
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8
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Mannes M, Pechtl V, Hafner S, Dopler A, Eriksson O, Manivel VA, Wohlgemuth L, Messerer DAC, Schrezenmeier H, Ekdahl KN, Nilsson B, Jacobsen EM, Hoenig M, Huber-Lang M, Braun CK, Schmidt CQ. Complement and platelets: prothrombotic cell activation requires membrane attack complex-induced release of danger signals. Blood Adv 2023; 7:6367-6380. [PMID: 37428869 PMCID: PMC10625899 DOI: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2023010817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Complement activation in the diseases paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) and atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) results in cytolysis and fatal thrombotic events, which are largely refractory to anticoagulation and/or antiplatelet therapy. Anticomplement therapy, however, efficiently prevents thrombotic events in PNH and aHUS, but the underlying mechanisms remain unresolved. We show that complement-mediated hemolysis in whole blood induces platelet activation similarly to activation by adenosine 5'-diphosphate (ADP). Blockage of C3 or C5 abolished platelet activation. We found that human platelets failed to respond functionally to the anaphylatoxins C3a and C5a. Instead, complement activation did lead to prothrombotic cell activation in the whole blood when membrane attack complex (MAC)-mediated cytolysis occurred. Consequently, we demonstrate that ADP receptor antagonists efficiently inhibited platelet activation, although full complement activation, which causes hemolysis, occurred. By using an established model of mismatched erythrocyte transfusions in rats, we crossvalidated these findings in vivo using the complement inhibitor OmCI and cobra venom factor. Consumptive complement activation in this animal model only led to a thrombotic phenotype when MAC-mediated cytolysis occurred. In conclusion, complement activation only induces substantial prothrombotic cell activation if terminal pathway activation culminates in MAC-mediated release of intracellular ADP. These results explain why anticomplement therapy efficiently prevents thromboembolisms without interfering negatively with hemostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Mannes
- Institute of Clinical and Experimental Trauma Immunology, University Hospital of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Veronika Pechtl
- Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacology of Natural Products, University of Ulm Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Susanne Hafner
- Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacology of Natural Products, University of Ulm Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Arthur Dopler
- Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacology of Natural Products, University of Ulm Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Oskar Eriksson
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Vivek Anand Manivel
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Lisa Wohlgemuth
- Institute of Clinical and Experimental Trauma Immunology, University Hospital of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | | | - Hubert Schrezenmeier
- Institute of Transfusion Medicine, University of Ulm and Institute of Clinical Transfusion Medicine and Immunogenetics Ulm, University Hospital of Ulm and German Red Cross Blood Service Baden-Württemberg–Hessen, Ulm, Germany
| | - Kristina N. Ekdahl
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Bo Nilsson
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Eva-Maria Jacobsen
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Manfred Hoenig
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Markus Huber-Lang
- Institute of Clinical and Experimental Trauma Immunology, University Hospital of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Christian K. Braun
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Christoph Q. Schmidt
- Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacology of Natural Products, University of Ulm Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
- Institute of Pharmacy, Biochemical Pharmacy Group, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
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9
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Zhou L, Chai JH, Zhang Y, Jing XJ, Kong XW, Liang J, Xia YG. TMT-Based Proteomics Reveal the Mechanism of Action of Amygdalin against Rheumatoid Arthritis in a Rat Model through Regulation of Complement and Coagulation Cascades. Molecules 2023; 28:7126. [PMID: 37894605 PMCID: PMC10609517 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28207126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The limitations of current medications for treating rheumatoid arthritis (RA) emphasize the urgent need for the development of new drugs. This study aimed to investigate the potential anti-RA mechanism of amygdalin using tandem mass tag (TMT)-based quantitative proteomics technology. First, the anti-RA activity of amygdalin was evaluated in a Complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA)-induced rat model. Then, the roles and importance of proteins in the extracted rat joint tissue were evaluated using TMT-based quantitative proteomics technology. A bioinformatics analysis was used to analyze differentially abundant proteins (DAPs). A proteomics analysis identified 297 DAPs in the amygdalin group compared with the model group, of which 53 upregulated proteins and 51 downregulated proteins showed opposite regulatory trends to the DAPs produced after modeling. According to enrichment analyses of the DAPs, the signaling pathways with a high correlation degree were determined to be the complement and coagulation cascades. Furthermore, western blotting and molecular docking were used to further validate the key node proteins, e.g., complement C1s subcomponent (C1s), component C3 (C3) and kininogen 1 (Kng1). These results suggest that amygdalin may be a promising agent for treating RA by regulating the complement and coagulation cascades.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Jun Liang
- Key Laboratory of Basic and Application Research of Beiyao, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Ministry of Education, 24 Heping Road, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Yong-Gang Xia
- Key Laboratory of Basic and Application Research of Beiyao, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Ministry of Education, 24 Heping Road, Harbin 150040, China
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10
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Tang GQ, Tang Y, Dhamnaskar K, Hoarty MD, Vyasamneni R, Vadysirisack DD, Ma Z, Zhu N, Wang JG, Bu C, Cong B, Palmer E, Duda PW, Sayegh C, Ricardo A. Zilucoplan, a macrocyclic peptide inhibitor of human complement component 5, uses a dual mode of action to prevent terminal complement pathway activation. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1213920. [PMID: 37622108 PMCID: PMC10446491 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1213920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction The complement system is a key component of the innate immune system, and its aberrant activation underlies the pathophysiology of various diseases. Zilucoplan is a macrocyclic peptide that binds and inhibits the cleavage/activation of human complement component 5 (C5). We present in vitro and ex vivo data on the mechanism of action of zilucoplan for the inhibition of C5 activation, including two clinically relevant C5 polymorphisms at R885. Methods The interaction of zilucoplan with C5, including for clinical C5 R885 variants, was investigated using surface plasmon resonance (SPR), hemolysis assays, and ELISA. The interference of C5b6 formation by zilucoplan was investigated by native gel analysis and hemolysis assay. The permeability of zilucoplan in a reconstituted basement membrane was assessed by the partition of zilucoplan on Matrigel-coated transwell chambers. Results Zilucoplan specifically bound human complement C5 with high affinity, competitively inhibited the binding of C5 to C3b, and blocked C5 cleavage by C5 convertases and the assembly of the cytolytic membrane attack complex (MAC, or C5b9). Zilucoplan fully prevented the in vitro activation of C5 clinical variants at R885 that have been previously reported to respond poorly to eculizumab treatment. Zilucoplan was further demonstrated to interfere with the formation of C5b6 and inhibit red blood cell (RBC) hemolysis induced by plasmin-mediated non-canonical C5 activation. Zilucoplan demonstrated greater permeability than a monoclonal C5 antibody in a reconstituted basement membrane model, providing a rationale for the rapid onset of action of zilucoplan observed in clinical studies. Conclusion Our findings demonstrate that zilucoplan uses a dual mode of action to potently inhibit the activation of C5 and terminal complement pathway including wild-type and clinical R885 variants that do not respond to eculizumab treatment. These data may be relevant to the clinically demonstrated benefits of zilucoplan.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yalan Tang
- UCB Pharma, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | | | | | | | | | - Zhong Ma
- UCB Pharma/Ra Pharmaceuticals, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Nanqun Zhu
- UCB Pharma/Ra Pharmaceuticals, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | | | - Charlie Bu
- UCB Pharma, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | | | | | | | - Camil Sayegh
- UCB Pharma/Ra Pharmaceuticals, Cambridge, MA, United States
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11
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Struijf EM, De la O Becerra KI, Ruyken M, de Haas CJC, van Oosterom F, Siere DY, van Keulen JE, Heesterbeek DAC, Dolk E, Heukers R, Bardoel BW, Gros P, Rooijakkers SHM. Inhibition of cleavage of human complement component C5 and the R885H C5 variant by two distinct high affinity anti-C5 nanobodies. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:104956. [PMID: 37356719 PMCID: PMC10374974 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.104956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The human complement system plays a crucial role in immune defense. However, its erroneous activation contributes to many serious inflammatory diseases. Since most unwanted complement effector functions result from C5 cleavage into C5a and C5b, development of C5 inhibitors, such as clinically approved monoclonal antibody eculizumab, are of great interest. Here, we developed and characterized two anti-C5 nanobodies, UNbC5-1 and UNbC5-2. Using surface plasmon resonance, we determined a binding affinity of 119.9 pM for UNbC5-1 and 7.7 pM for UNbC5-2. Competition experiments determined that the two nanobodies recognize distinct epitopes on C5. Both nanobodies efficiently interfered with C5 cleavage in a human serum environment, as they prevented red blood cell lysis via membrane attack complexes (C5b-9) and the formation of chemoattractant C5a. The cryo-EM structure of UNbC5-1 and UNbC5-2 in complex with C5 (3.6 Å resolution) revealed that the binding interfaces of UNbC5-1 and UNbC5-2 overlap with known complement inhibitors eculizumab and RaCI3, respectively. UNbC5-1 binds to the MG7 domain of C5, facilitated by a hydrophobic core and polar interactions, and UNbC5-2 interacts with the C5d domain mostly by salt bridges and hydrogen bonds. Interestingly, UNbC5-1 potently binds and inhibits C5 R885H, a genetic variant of C5 that is not recognized by eculizumab. Altogether, we identified and characterized two different, high affinity nanobodies against human C5. Both nanobodies could serve as diagnostic and/or research tools to detect C5 or inhibit C5 cleavage. Furthermore, the residues targeted by UNbC5-1 hold important information for therapeutic inhibition of different polymorphic variants of C5.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva M Struijf
- Department Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Karla I De la O Becerra
- Structural Biochemistry Group, Faculty of Science, Department of Chemistry, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Maartje Ruyken
- Department Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Carla J C de Haas
- Department Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Fleur van Oosterom
- Department Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Danique Y Siere
- Department Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Joanne E van Keulen
- Department Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Dani A C Heesterbeek
- Department Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | | | | | - Bart W Bardoel
- Department Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Piet Gros
- Structural Biochemistry Group, Faculty of Science, Department of Chemistry, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Suzan H M Rooijakkers
- Department Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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12
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Stennett A, Friston K, Harris CL, Wollman AJM, Bronowska AK, Madden KS. The case for complement component 5 as a target in neurodegenerative disease. Expert Opin Ther Targets 2023; 27:97-109. [PMID: 36786123 DOI: 10.1080/14728222.2023.2177532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/15/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Complement-based drug discovery is undergoing a renaissance, empowered by new advances in structural biology, complement biology and drug development. Certain components of the complement pathway, particularly C1q and C3, have been extensively studied in the context of neurodegenerative disease, and established as key therapeutic targets. C5 also has huge therapeutic potential in this arena, with its druggability clearly demonstrated by the success of C5-inhibitor eculizumab. AREAS COVERED We will discuss the evidence supporting C5 as a target in neurodegenerative disease, along with the current progress in developing different classes of C5 inhibitors and the gaps in knowledge that will help progress in the field. EXPERT OPINION Validation of C5 as a therapeutic target for neurodegenerative disease would represent a major step forward for complement therapeutics research and has the potential to furnish disease-modifying drugs for millions of patients suffering worldwide. Key hurdles that need to be overcome for this to be achieved are understanding how C5a and C5b should be targeted to bring therapeutic benefit and demonstrating the ability to target C5 without creating vulnerability to infection in patients. This requires greater biological elucidation of its precise role in disease pathogenesis, supported by better chemical/biological tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amelia Stennett
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, NE1 7RU, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, UK
| | - Kallie Friston
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, NE1 7RU, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, UK
| | - Claire L Harris
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, NE2 4HH, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, UK
| | - Adam J M Wollman
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, NE2 4HH, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, UK
| | - Agnieszka K Bronowska
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, NE1 7RU, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, UK
| | - Katrina S Madden
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, NE1 7RU, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, UK.,Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, NE2 4HH, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, UK
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13
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Schmidt CQ, Smith RJH. Protein therapeutics and their lessons: Expect the unexpected when inhibiting the multi-protein cascade of the complement system. Immunol Rev 2023; 313:376-401. [PMID: 36398537 PMCID: PMC9852015 DOI: 10.1111/imr.13164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Over a century after the discovery of the complement system, the first complement therapeutic was approved for the treatment of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH). It was a long-acting monoclonal antibody (aka 5G1-1, 5G1.1, h5G1.1, and now known as eculizumab) that targets C5, specifically preventing the generation of C5a, a potent anaphylatoxin, and C5b, the first step in the eventual formation of membrane attack complex. The enormous clinical and financial success of eculizumab across four diseases (PNH, atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS), myasthenia gravis (MG), and anti-aquaporin-4 (AQP4) antibody-positive neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD)) has fueled a surge in complement therapeutics, especially targeting diseases with an underlying complement pathophysiology for which anti-C5 therapy is ineffective. Intensive research has also uncovered challenges that arise from C5 blockade. For example, PNH patients can still face extravascular hemolysis or pharmacodynamic breakthrough of complement suppression during complement-amplifying conditions. These "side" effects of a stoichiometric inhibitor like eculizumab were unexpected and are incompatible with some of our accepted knowledge of the complement cascade. And they are not unique to C5 inhibition. Indeed, "exceptions" to the rules of complement biology abound and have led to unprecedented and surprising insights. In this review, we will describe initial, present and future aspects of protein inhibitors of the complement cascade, highlighting unexpected findings that are redefining some of the mechanistic foundations upon which the complement cascade is organized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoph Q. Schmidt
- Institute of Pharmacology of Natural Products and Clinical Pharmacology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Richard J. H. Smith
- Departments of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
- Molecular Otolaryngology and Renal Research Laboratories, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
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14
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A Deeper Insight into the Tick Salivary Protein Families under the Light of Alphafold2 and Dali: Introducing the TickSialoFam 2.0 Database. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232415613. [PMID: 36555254 PMCID: PMC9779611 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232415613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Revised: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Hard ticks feed for several days or weeks on their hosts and their saliva contains thousands of polypeptides belonging to dozens of families, as identified by salivary transcriptomes. Comparison of the coding sequences to protein databases helps to identify putative secreted proteins and their potential functions, directing and focusing future studies, usually done with recombinant proteins that are tested in different bioassays. However, many families of putative secreted peptides have a unique character, not providing significant matches to known sequences. The availability of the Alphafold2 program, which provides in silico predictions of the 3D polypeptide structure, coupled with the Dali program which uses the atomic coordinates of a structural model to search the Protein Data Bank (PDB) allows another layer of investigation to annotate and ascribe a functional role to proteins having so far being characterized as "unique". In this study, we analyzed the classification of tick salivary proteins under the light of the Alphafold2/Dali programs, detecting novel protein families and gaining new insights relating the structure and function of tick salivary proteins.
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15
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosario Notaro
- From Istituto per lo Studio, la Prevenzione e la Rete Oncologica (R.N.), and the University of Florence (L.L.) - both in Florence, Italy; and the Department of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (L.L.)
| | - Lucio Luzzatto
- From Istituto per lo Studio, la Prevenzione e la Rete Oncologica (R.N.), and the University of Florence (L.L.) - both in Florence, Italy; and the Department of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (L.L.)
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16
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Maqbool M, Sajid MS, Saqib M, Anjum FR, Tayyab MH, Rizwan HM, Rashid MI, Rashid I, Iqbal A, Siddique RM, Shamim A, Hassan MA, Atif FA, Razzaq A, Zeeshan M, Hussain K, Nisar RHA, Tanveer A, Younas S, Kamran K, Rahman SU. Potential Mechanisms of Transmission of Tick-Borne Viruses at the Virus-Tick Interface. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:846884. [PMID: 35602013 PMCID: PMC9121816 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.846884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Ticks (Acari; Ixodidae) are the second most important vector for transmission of pathogens to humans, livestock, and wildlife. Ticks as vectors for viruses have been reported many times over the last 100 years. Tick-borne viruses (TBVs) belong to two orders (Bunyavirales and Mononegavirales) containing nine families (Bunyaviridae, Rhabdoviridae, Asfarviridae, Orthomyxovirida, Reoviridae, Flaviviridae, Phenuviridae, Nyamiviridae, and Nairoviridae). Among these TBVs, some are very pathogenic, causing huge mortality, and hence, deserve to be covered under the umbrella of one health. About 38 viral species are being transmitted by <10% of the tick species of the families Ixodidae and Argasidae. All TBVs are RNA viruses except for the African swine fever virus from the family Asfarviridae. Tick-borne viral diseases have also been classified as an emerging threat to public health and animals, especially in resource-poor communities of the developing world. Tick-host interaction plays an important role in the successful transmission of pathogens. The ticks' salivary glands are the main cellular machinery involved in the uptake, settlement, and multiplication of viruses, which are required for successful transmission into the final host. Furthermore, tick saliva also participates as an augmenting tool during the physiological process of transmission. Tick saliva is an important key element in the successful transmission of pathogens and contains different antimicrobial proteins, e.g., defensin, serine, proteases, and cement protein, which are key players in tick-virus interaction. While tick-virus interaction is a crucial factor in the propagation of tick-borne viral diseases, other factors (physiological, immunological, and gut flora) are also involved. Some immunological factors, e.g., toll-like receptors, scavenger receptors, Janus-kinase (JAK-STAT) pathway, and immunodeficiency (IMD) pathway are involved in tick-virus interaction by helping in virus assembly and acting to increase transmission. Ticks also harbor some endogenous viruses as internal microbial faunas, which also play a significant role in tick-virus interaction. Studies focusing on tick saliva and its role in pathogen transmission, tick feeding, and control of ticks using functional genomics all point toward solutions to this emerging threat. Information regarding tick-virus interaction is somewhat lacking; however, this information is necessary for a complete understanding of transmission TBVs and their persistence in nature. This review encompasses insight into the ecology and vectorial capacity of tick vectors, as well as our current understanding of the predisposing, enabling, precipitating, and reinforcing factors that influence TBV epidemics. The review explores the cellular, biochemical, and immunological tools which ensure and augment successful evading of the ticks' defense systems and transmission of the viruses to the final hosts at the virus-vector interface. The role of functional genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics in profiling tick-virus interaction is also discussed. This review is an initial attempt to comprehensively elaborate on the epidemiological determinants of TBVs with a focus on intra-vector physiological processes involved in the successful execution of the docking, uptake, settlement, replication, and transmission processes of arboviruses. This adds valuable data to the existing bank of knowledge for global stakeholders, policymakers, and the scientific community working to devise appropriate strategies to control ticks and TBVs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahvish Maqbool
- Department of Parasitology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Sohail Sajid
- Department of Parasitology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Saqib
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Faisal Rasheed Anjum
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
- Institute of Microbiology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Haleem Tayyab
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Hafiz Muhammad Rizwan
- Section of Parasitology, Department of Pathobiology, KBCMA College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences Narowal, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Imran Rashid
- Department of Parasitology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Imaad Rashid
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Asif Iqbal
- Section of Parasitology, Department of Pathobiology, Riphah College of Veterinary Sciences, Riphah International University, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Rao Muhammad Siddique
- Section of Parasitology, Department of Pathobiology, Riphah College of Veterinary Sciences, Riphah International University, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Asim Shamim
- Department of Pathobiology, University of the Poonch Rawalakot, Rawalakot, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Adeel Hassan
- Department of Parasitology, Cholistan University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Bahawalpur, Pakistan
| | - Farhan Ahmad Atif
- Medicine Section, Department of Clinical Sciences, Collège of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Jhang, Pakistan
- University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Abdul Razzaq
- Agricultural Linkages Program, Pakistan Agriculture Research Council, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Zeeshan
- Department of Parasitology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Kashif Hussain
- Department of Parasitology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | | | - Akasha Tanveer
- Department of Parasitology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Sahar Younas
- Department of Parasitology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Kashif Kamran
- Department of Zoology, University of Balochistan, Quetta, Pakistan
| | - Sajjad ur Rahman
- Institute of Microbiology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
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17
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Sadik CD, Rashid H, Hammers CM, Diercks GFH, Weidinger A, Beissert S, Schauer F, Fettiplace J, Thaçi D, Ngai Y, Nunn MA, Zillikens D, Horváth B. Evaluation of Nomacopan for Treatment of Bullous Pemphigoid: A Phase 2a Nonrandomized Controlled Trial. JAMA Dermatol 2022; 158:641-649. [PMID: 35507334 PMCID: PMC9069343 DOI: 10.1001/jamadermatol.2022.1156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Importance Bullous pemphigoid is a difficult-to-treat autoimmune blistering skin disease that predominantly affects older adults and is associated with an increased mortality rate. Objective To examine the safety and therapeutic potential of nomacopan, an inhibitor of leukotriene B4 and complement C5, in patients with bullous pemphigoid. Design, Setting, and Participants This multicenter, single-group, phase 2a nonrandomized controlled trial was conducted in the dermatology departments of universities in the Netherlands and Germany. Participants were enrolled between September 2018 and April 2020. Older adult patients (aged ≥55 years) with mild to moderate, new-onset or relapsing bullous pemphigoid were recruited into the study. Interventions Patients received nomacopan, 90 mg, subcutaneously on day 1 and 30 mg subcutaneously daily until day 42. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary end point was the proportion of patients with grade 3 to 5 (severe) adverse events associated or possibly associated with nomacopan. Secondary end points included mean absolute and percentage changes in the Bullous Pemphigoid Disease Area Index (BPDAI) activity score, the BPDAI pruritus score, and the patient-reported outcome measures Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and Treatment of Autoimmune Bullous Disease Quality of Life (TABQOL). Results A total of 9 patients (median [range] age, 75 [55-85] years) with bullous pemphigoid were included in the trial, of whom 5 were women (55.6%). No serious adverse events associated with nomacopan were found. The mean (90% CI) BPDAI activity score decreased from 32.0 (8.7) points on day 1 to 19.6 (9.0) points on day 42. Seven of 9 patients (77.8%) responded to nomacopan with a reduction in the BPDAI activity score of at least 8 points between days 1 and 42; in 3 responders, the reduction was 80% or greater. On day 42, the mean (90% CI) BPDAI pruritus score had decreased by 6.8 (4.6) points from 17.6 (4.0) points on day 1. The mean (90% CI) DLQI score decreased from 11.3 (4.2) points at baseline to 6.4 (3.8) points by day 42, and the mean (90% CI) TABQOL score decreased from 14.6 (5.4) points at baseline to 10.3 (5.0) points on day 42. Conclusions and Relevance Results of this nonrandomized controlled trial suggest that nomacopan can be well tolerated in older patients with bullous pemphigoid and may have therapeutic benefits for suppressing acute flares of this disease. A larger, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial is warranted to confirm this safety profile and to establish nomacopan as a new therapeutic option for bullous pemphigoid. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04035733.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian D Sadik
- Department of Dermatology, Allergy, and Venereology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany.,Center for Research on Inflammation of the Skin, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Hanan Rashid
- Department of Dermatology, Center of Blistering Diseases, European Reference Network-Skin, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Christoph M Hammers
- Department of Dermatology, Allergy, and Venereology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany.,Center for Research on Inflammation of the Skin, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Gilles F H Diercks
- Department of Dermatology, Center of Blistering Diseases, European Reference Network-Skin, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.,Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Anke Weidinger
- Department of Dermatology and Allergy, University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Stefan Beissert
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Franziska Schauer
- Department of Dermatology, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, Freiburg, Germany
| | | | - Diamant Thaçi
- Center for Research on Inflammation of the Skin, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany.,Institute and Comprehensive Center for Inflammation Medicine, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | | | | | - Detlef Zillikens
- Department of Dermatology, Allergy, and Venereology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany.,Center for Research on Inflammation of the Skin, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Barbara Horváth
- Department of Dermatology, Center of Blistering Diseases, European Reference Network-Skin, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
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18
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Ali A, Zeb I, Alouffi A, Zahid H, Almutairi MM, Ayed Alshammari F, Alrouji M, Termignoni C, Vaz IDS, Tanaka T. Host Immune Responses to Salivary Components - A Critical Facet of Tick-Host Interactions. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:809052. [PMID: 35372098 PMCID: PMC8966233 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.809052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Tick sialome is comprised of a rich cocktail of bioactive molecules that function as a tool to disarm host immunity, assist blood-feeding, and play a vibrant role in pathogen transmission. The adaptation of the tick's blood-feeding behavior has lead to the evolution of bioactive molecules in its saliva to assist them to overwhelm hosts' defense mechanisms. During a blood meal, a tick secretes different salivary molecules including vasodilators, platelet aggregation inhibitors, anticoagulants, anti-inflammatory proteins, and inhibitors of complement activation; the salivary repertoire changes to meet various needs such as tick attachment, feeding, and modulation or impairment of the local dynamic and vigorous host responses. For instance, the tick's salivary immunomodulatory and cement proteins facilitate the tick's attachment to the host to enhance prolonged blood-feeding and to modulate the host's innate and adaptive immune responses. Recent advances implemented in the field of "omics" have substantially assisted our understanding of host immune modulation and immune inhibition against the molecular dynamics of tick salivary molecules in a crosstalk between the tick-host interface. A deep understanding of the tick salivary molecules, their substantial roles in multifactorial immunological cascades, variations in secretion, and host immune responses against these molecules is necessary to control these parasites. In this article, we reviewed updated knowledge about the molecular mechanisms underlying host responses to diverse elements in tick saliva throughout tick invasion, as well as host defense strategies. In conclusion, understanding the mechanisms involved in the complex interactions between the tick salivary components and host responses is essential to decipher the host defense mechanisms against the tick evasion strategies at tick-host interface which is promising in the development of effective anti-tick vaccines and drug therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abid Ali
- Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan, Pakistan
| | - Ismail Zeb
- Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan, Pakistan
| | - Abdulaziz Alouffi
- King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hafsa Zahid
- Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan, Pakistan
| | - Mashal M. Almutairi
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Fahdah Ayed Alshammari
- College of Sciences and Literature Microbiology, Nothern Border University, Rafha, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed Alrouji
- College of Applied Medical Sciences, Shaqra University, Shaqra, Saudi Arabia
| | - Carlos Termignoni
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Itabajara da Silva Vaz
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Tetsuya Tanaka
- Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
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19
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Braunger K, Ahn J, Jore MM, Johnson S, Tang TTL, Pedersen DV, Andersen GR, Lea SM. Structure and function of a family of tick-derived complement inhibitors targeting properdin. Nat Commun 2022; 13:317. [PMID: 35031611 PMCID: PMC8760278 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-27920-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Activation of the serum-resident complement system begins a cascade that leads to activation of membrane-resident complement receptors on immune cells, thus coordinating serum and cellular immune responses. Whilst many molecules act to control inappropriate activation, Properdin is the only known positive regulator of the human complement system. By stabilising the alternative pathway C3 convertase it promotes complement self-amplification and persistent activation boosting the magnitude of the serum complement response by all triggers. In this work, we identify a family of tick-derived alternative pathway complement inhibitors, hereafter termed CirpA. Functional and structural characterisation reveals that members of the CirpA family directly bind to properdin, inhibiting its ability to promote complement activation, and leading to potent inhibition of the complement response in a species specific manner. We provide a full functional and structural characterisation of a properdin inhibitor, opening avenues for future therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Braunger
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, OX1 3RE, Oxford, UK
| | - Jiyoon Ahn
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, OX1 3RE, Oxford, UK
| | - Matthijs M Jore
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, OX1 3RE, Oxford, UK
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Steven Johnson
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, OX1 3RE, Oxford, UK.
- Center for Structural Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, 21702, Frederick, MD, USA.
| | - Terence T L Tang
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, OX1 3RE, Oxford, UK
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
| | - Dennis V Pedersen
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, DK-8000, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Gregers R Andersen
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, DK-8000, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Susan M Lea
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, OX1 3RE, Oxford, UK.
- Center for Structural Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, 21702, Frederick, MD, USA.
- Central Oxford Structural Molecular Imaging Centre, University of Oxford, OX1 3RE, Oxford, UK.
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20
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Tamura S, Hori Y, Hiroi T, Morimoto M, Yamashita Y, Mushino T, Sonoki T. Pegcetacoplan for refractory paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria associated with the C5 genetic variant. Br J Haematol 2021; 196:e57-e60. [PMID: 34796912 DOI: 10.1111/bjh.17963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Shinobu Tamura
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, Japan.,Department of Hematology, Kinan Hospital, Tanabe, Japan
| | - Yoshikazu Hori
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, Japan.,Department of Hematology, Kinan Hospital, Tanabe, Japan
| | - Takayuki Hiroi
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, Japan
| | - Masaya Morimoto
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, Japan.,Department of Hematology, Kinan Hospital, Tanabe, Japan
| | - Yusuke Yamashita
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, Japan
| | - Toshiki Mushino
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, Japan.,Department of Hematology, Kinan Hospital, Tanabe, Japan
| | - Takashi Sonoki
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, Japan
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21
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Feng P, Yang G, Zhang W, Zhang L, Wu J, Yang L. Early pregnancy regulates expression of complement components in ovine liver. Anim Sci J 2021; 92:e13660. [PMID: 34786795 DOI: 10.1111/asj.13660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2021] [Revised: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Complement pathways participate in the regulation of innate immune system, and complement activation is inhibited in normal pregnancy. The liver plays key roles in the modulation of immunity and tolerance, but it is unclear that early pregnancy induces the changes in expression of complement components in the ovine maternal liver. The aim of the present study was to explore the expression of complement components in the liver using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), Western blot, and immunohistochemistry. Maternal livers were collected on Day 16 of the estrous cycle and Days 13, 16, and 25 of gestation. The results indicated that early pregnancy suppressed the expression of C1q, C1r, C1s, C2, C4a, C5b, and C9 in the maternal liver, but C3 expression was increased. In addition, C3 protein was located in the endothelial cells of the proper hepatic arteries and portal veins and hepatocytes. In summary, the downregulaltion of C1q, C1r, C1s, C2, C4a, C5b, and C9 may be involved in the suppression of complement activation, and upregulation of C3 is related to the modulation of maternal immune tolerance in ovine liver.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengfei Feng
- School of Life Sciences and Food Engineering, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan, China
| | - Gengxin Yang
- School of Life Sciences and Food Engineering, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan, China
| | - Weifeng Zhang
- School of Life Sciences and Food Engineering, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan, China
| | - Leying Zhang
- School of Life Sciences and Food Engineering, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan, China
| | - Jiaxuan Wu
- School of Life Sciences and Food Engineering, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan, China
| | - Ling Yang
- School of Life Sciences and Food Engineering, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan, China
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22
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Yang L, Wang L, Wu J, Wang H, Yang G, Zhang L. Changes in Expression of Complement Components in the Ovine Spleen during Early Pregnancy. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11113183. [PMID: 34827915 PMCID: PMC8614503 DOI: 10.3390/ani11113183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Revised: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
During early gestation in humans, complement regulation is essential for normal fetal growth. It is supposed that a complement pathway participates in maternal splenic immune regulation at the early stage of gestation in ewes. The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of early pregnancy on the expression of complement components in the maternal spleen of ewes. In this study, ovine spleens were sampled on day 16 of nonpregnancy, and days 13, 16 and 25 of gestation. RT-qPCR, Western blot and immunohistochemical analysis were used to detect the changes in expression of complement components in the ovine maternal spleens. Our results reveal that C1q was upregulated during early gestation, C1r, C1s, C2, C3 and C5b increased at day 25 of gestation and C4a and C9 peaked at days 13 and 16 of gestation. In addition, C3 protein was located in the capsule, trabeculae and splenic cords. In conclusion, our results show for the first time that there was modification in the expression of complement components in the ovine spleen at the early stage of gestation, and complement pathways may participate in modulating splenic immune responses at the early stage of gestation.
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23
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Denisov SS, Dijkgraaf I. Immunomodulatory Proteins in Tick Saliva From a Structural Perspective. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:769574. [PMID: 34722347 PMCID: PMC8548845 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.769574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
To feed successfully, ticks must bypass or suppress the host’s defense mechanisms, particularly the immune system. To accomplish this, ticks secrete specialized immunomodulatory proteins into their saliva, just like many other blood-sucking parasites. However, the strategy of ticks is rather unique compared to their counterparts. Ticks’ tendency for gene duplication has led to a diverse arsenal of dozens of closely related proteins from several classes to modulate the immune system’s response. Among these are chemokine-binding proteins, complement pathways inhibitors, ion channels modulators, and numerous poorly characterized proteins whose functions are yet to be uncovered. Studying tick immunomodulatory proteins would not only help to elucidate tick-host relationships but would also provide a rich pool of potential candidates for the development of immunomodulatory intervention drugs and potentially new vaccines. In the present review, we will attempt to summarize novel findings on the salivary immunomodulatory proteins of ticks, focusing on biomolecular targets, structure-activity relationships, and the perspective of their development into therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stepan S Denisov
- Department of Biochemistry, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), University of Maastricht, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Ingrid Dijkgraaf
- Department of Biochemistry, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), University of Maastricht, Maastricht, Netherlands
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24
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Novel Selection Approaches to Identify Antibodies Targeting Neoepitopes on the C5b6 Intermediate Complex to Inhibit Membrane Attack Complex Formation. Antibodies (Basel) 2021; 10:antib10040039. [PMID: 34698051 PMCID: PMC8544208 DOI: 10.3390/antib10040039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Revised: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 09/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The terminal pathway of complement is implicated in the pathology of multiple diseases and its inhibition is, therefore, an attractive therapeutic proposition. The practicalities of inhibiting this pathway, however, are challenging, as highlighted by the very few molecules in the clinic. The proteins are highly abundant, and assembly is mediated by high-affinity protein-protein interactions. One strategy is to target neoepitopes that are present transiently and only exist on active or intermediate complexes but not on the abundant native proteins. Here, we describe an antibody discovery campaign that generated neoepitope-specific mAbs against the C5b6 complex, a stable intermediate complex in terminal complement complex assembly. We used a highly diverse yeast-based antibody library of fully human IgGs to screen against soluble C5b6 antigen and successfully identified C5b6 neoepitope-specific antibodies. These antibodies were diverse, showed good binding to C5b6, and inhibited membrane attack complex (MAC) formation in a solution-based assay. However, when tested in a more physiologically relevant membrane-based assay these antibodies failed to inhibit MAC formation. Our data highlight the feasibility of identifying neoepitope binding mAbs, but also the technical challenges associated with the identification of functionally relevant, neoepitope-specific inhibitors of the terminal pathway.
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25
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Zhang L, Zhang Q, Wang H, Feng P, Yang G, Yang L. Effects of early pregnancy on the complement system in the ovine thymus. Vet Res Commun 2021; 46:137-145. [PMID: 34559379 DOI: 10.1007/s11259-021-09837-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The complement system is crucial for the innate immune system, and complement activation is related to abnormal pregnancy in mice and humans. It is hypothesized that the complement system participates in maternal thymic immune regulation during early pregnancy in sheep. In this study, maternal thymuses were sampled on day 16 of the estrous cycle, and days 13, 16 and 25 of gestation in sheep. Quantitative real-time PCR, Western blot and immunohistochemistry analyses were used to analyze the expression of the complement components C1q, C1r, C1s, C2, C3, C4a, C5b and C9 in the maternal thymus. The results revealed that the mRNA and protein expression of C1r, C1s, C2, C3 and C4a was inhibited by early pregnancy, and the pregnancy recognition signal induced upregulation of C1q, C5b and C9 expression at day 16 of gestation. Furthermore, C3 protein was mostly located in epithelial reticular cells and thymic corpuscles, which may be involved in immune regulation. In summary, early pregnancy inhibits the complement system in the maternal thymus, which may be essential for the maternal immune regulation and successful pregnancy in sheep.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leying Zhang
- Department of Animal Science, School of Life Sciences and Food Engineering, Hebei University of Engineering, No. 19 Taiji Road, Handan, 056038, China
| | - Qiongao Zhang
- Department of Animal Science, School of Life Sciences and Food Engineering, Hebei University of Engineering, No. 19 Taiji Road, Handan, 056038, China
| | - Haichao Wang
- Department of Animal Science, School of Life Sciences and Food Engineering, Hebei University of Engineering, No. 19 Taiji Road, Handan, 056038, China
| | - Pengfei Feng
- Department of Animal Science, School of Life Sciences and Food Engineering, Hebei University of Engineering, No. 19 Taiji Road, Handan, 056038, China
| | - Gengxin Yang
- Department of Animal Science, School of Life Sciences and Food Engineering, Hebei University of Engineering, No. 19 Taiji Road, Handan, 056038, China
| | - Ling Yang
- Department of Animal Science, School of Life Sciences and Food Engineering, Hebei University of Engineering, No. 19 Taiji Road, Handan, 056038, China.
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26
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Nilsson PH, Johnson C, Quach QH, Macpherson A, Durrant O, Pischke SE, Fure H, Landsem A, Bergseth G, Schjalm C, Haugaard-Kedström LM, Huber-Lang M, van den Elsen J, Brekke OL, Mollnes TE. A Conformational Change of Complement C5 Is Required for Thrombin-Mediated Cleavage, Revealed by a Novel Ex Vivo Human Whole Blood Model Preserving Full Thrombin Activity. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY (BALTIMORE, MD. : 1950) 2021; 207:1641-1651. [PMID: 34380648 PMCID: PMC8428748 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2001471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Thrombin activation of C5 connects thrombosis to inflammation. Complement research in whole blood ex vivo necessitates anticoagulation, which potentially interferes with the inflammatory modulation by thrombin. We challenged the concept of thrombin as an activator of native C5 by analyzing complement activation and C5 cleavage in human whole blood anticoagulated with Gly-Pro-Arg-Pro (GPRP), a peptide targeting fibrin polymerization downstream of thrombin, allowing complete endogenous thrombin generation. GPRP dose-dependently inhibited coagulation but allowed for platelet activation in accordance with thrombin generation. Spontaneous and bacterial-induced complement activation by Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, analyzed at the level of C3 and C5, were similar in blood anticoagulated with GPRP and the thrombin inhibitor lepirudin. In the GPRP model, endogenous thrombin, even at supra-physiologic concentrations, did not cleave native C5, despite efficiently cleaving commercially sourced purified C5 protein, both in buffer and when added to C5-deficient serum. In normal serum, only exogenously added, commercially sourced C5 was cleaved, whereas the native plasma C5 remained intact. Crucially, affinity-purified C5, eluted under mild conditions using an MgCl2 solution, was not cleaved by thrombin. Acidification of plasma to pH ≤ 6.8 by hydrochloric or lactic acid induced a C5 antigenic change, nonreversible by pH neutralization, that permitted cleavage by thrombin. Circular dichroism on purified C5 confirmed the structural change during acidification. Thus, we propose that pH-induced conformational change allows thrombin-mediated cleavage of C5 and that, contrary to previous reports, thrombin does not cleave plasma C5 in its native form, suggesting that thrombin cleavage of C5 may be restricted to certain pathophysiological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Per H Nilsson
- Department of Immunology, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway
- Linnaeus Centre for Biomaterials Chemistry, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden
- Department of Chemistry and Biomedical Sciences, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden
| | - Christina Johnson
- Department of Immunology, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway
| | - Quang Huy Quach
- Department of Immunology, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway
| | - Alex Macpherson
- UCB, Slough, UK
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom
| | - Oliver Durrant
- UCB, Slough, UK
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom
| | - Soeren E Pischke
- Department of Immunology, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway
- Clinic for Emergencies and Critical Care, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Hilde Fure
- Research Laboratory, Nordland Hospital, Bodø, Norway
| | - Anne Landsem
- Research Laboratory, Nordland Hospital, Bodø, Norway
- Faculty of Health Sciences, K. G. Jebsen Thrombosis Research Center, University of Tromsø - The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | | | - Camilla Schjalm
- Department of Immunology, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Markus Huber-Lang
- Department of Orthopedic Trauma, Hand, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University Hospital of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Jean van den Elsen
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom
- Centre for Therapeutic Innovation, University of Bath, Bath, UK; and
| | - Ole-Lars Brekke
- Research Laboratory, Nordland Hospital, Bodø, Norway
- Faculty of Health Sciences, K. G. Jebsen Thrombosis Research Center, University of Tromsø - The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Tom Eirik Mollnes
- Department of Immunology, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway;
- Research Laboratory, Nordland Hospital, Bodø, Norway
- Faculty of Health Sciences, K. G. Jebsen Thrombosis Research Center, University of Tromsø - The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
- Centre of Molecular Inflammation Research, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
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27
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Gregersen E, Betzer C, Kim WS, Kovacs G, Reimer L, Halliday GM, Thiel S, Jensen PH. Alpha-synuclein activates the classical complement pathway and mediates complement-dependent cell toxicity. J Neuroinflammation 2021; 18:177. [PMID: 34399786 PMCID: PMC8369722 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-021-02225-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Synucleinopathies are characterized by neurodegeneration and deposition of the presynaptic protein α-synuclein in pathological protein inclusions. Growing evidence suggests the complement system not only has physiological functions in the central nervous system, but also is involved in mediating the pathological loss of synapses in Alzheimer’s disease. However, it is not established whether the complement system has a similar role in the diseases Parkinson's disease, Dementia with Lewy bodies, and multiple system atrophy (MSA) that are associated with α-synuclein aggregate pathology. Methods To investigate if the complement system has a pathological role in synucleinopathies, we assessed the effect of the complement system on the viability of an α-synuclein expressing cell model and examined direct activation of the complement system by α-synuclein in a plate-based activation assay. Finally, we investigated the levels of the initiator of the classical pathway, C1q, in postmortem brain samples from MSA patients. Results We demonstrate that α-synuclein activates the classical complement pathway and mediates complement-dependent toxicity in α-synuclein expressing SH-SY5Y cells. The α-synuclein-dependent cellular toxicity was rescued by the complement inhibitors RaCI (inhibiting C5) and Cp20 (inhibiting C3). Furthermore, we observed a trend for higher levels of C1q in the putamen of MSA subjects than that of controls. Conclusion α-Synuclein can activate the classical complement pathway, and the complement system is involved in α-synuclein-dependent cellular cytotoxicity suggesting the system could play a prodegenerative role in synucleinopathies. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12974-021-02225-9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emil Gregersen
- DANDRITE, The Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark.,Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Cristine Betzer
- DANDRITE, The Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark.,Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Woojin S Kim
- Brain and Mind Centre & Faculty of Medicine and Health, School of Medical Sciences, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Gergo Kovacs
- DANDRITE, The Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark.,Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Lasse Reimer
- DANDRITE, The Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark.,Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Glenda M Halliday
- Brain and Mind Centre & Faculty of Medicine and Health, School of Medical Sciences, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Steffen Thiel
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Poul Henning Jensen
- DANDRITE, The Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark. .,Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark.
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28
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Kim BJ, Mastellos DC, Li Y, Dunaief JL, Lambris JD. Targeting complement components C3 and C5 for the retina: Key concepts and lingering questions. Prog Retin Eye Res 2021; 83:100936. [PMID: 33321207 PMCID: PMC8197769 DOI: 10.1016/j.preteyeres.2020.100936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2020] [Revised: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) remains a major cause of legal blindness, and treatment for the geographic atrophy form of AMD is a significant unmet need. Dysregulation of the complement cascade is thought to be instrumental for AMD pathophysiology. In particular, C3 and C5 are pivotal components of the complement cascade and have become leading therapeutic targets for AMD. In this article, we discuss C3 and C5 in detail, including their roles in AMD, biochemical and structural aspects, locations of expression, and the functions of C3 and C5 fragments. Further, the article critically reviews developing therapeutics aimed at C3 and C5, underscoring the potential effects of broad inhibition of complement at the level of C3 versus more specific inhibition at C5. The relationships of complement biology to the inflammasome and microglia/macrophage activity are highlighted. Concepts of C3 and C5 biology will be emphasized, while we point out questions that need to be settled and directions for future investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin J Kim
- Scheie Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | | | - Yafeng Li
- Scheie Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Joshua L Dunaief
- Scheie Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - John D Lambris
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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29
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Mannes M, Schmidt CQ, Nilsson B, Ekdahl KN, Huber-Lang M. Complement as driver of systemic inflammation and organ failure in trauma, burn, and sepsis. Semin Immunopathol 2021; 43:773-788. [PMID: 34191093 PMCID: PMC8243057 DOI: 10.1007/s00281-021-00872-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Complement is one of the most ancient defense systems. It gets strongly activated immediately after acute injuries like trauma, burn, or sepsis and helps to initiate regeneration. However, uncontrolled complement activation contributes to disease progression instead of supporting healing. Such effects are perceptible not only at the site of injury but also systemically, leading to systemic activation of other intravascular cascade systems eventually causing dysfunction of several vital organs. Understanding the complement pathomechanism and its interplay with other systems is a strict requirement for exploring novel therapeutic intervention routes. Ex vivo models exploring the cross-talk with other systems are rather limited, which complicates the determination of the exact pathophysiological roles that complement has in trauma, burn, and sepsis. Literature reporting on these three conditions is often controversial regarding the importance, distribution, and temporal occurrence of complement activation products further hampering the deduction of defined pathophysiological pathways driven by complement. Nevertheless, many in vitro experiments and animal models have shown beneficial effects of complement inhibition at different levels of the cascade. In the future, not only inhibition but also a complement reconstitution therapy should be considered in prospective studies to expedite how meaningful complement-targeted interventions need to be tailored to prevent complement augmented multi-organ failure after trauma, burn, and sepsis. This review summarizes clinically relevant studies investigating the role of complement in the acute diseases trauma, burn, and sepsis with important implications for clinical translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Mannes
- Institute of Clinical and Experimental Trauma-Immunology, University Hospital of Ulm, Helmholtzstr. 8/2, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Christoph Q Schmidt
- Institute of Pharmacology of Natural Products and Clinical Pharmacology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Bo Nilsson
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology (IGP), Rudbeck Laboratory C5:3, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Kristina N Ekdahl
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology (IGP), Rudbeck Laboratory C5:3, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.,Linnaeus Center of Biomaterials Chemistry, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden
| | - Markus Huber-Lang
- Institute of Clinical and Experimental Trauma-Immunology, University Hospital of Ulm, Helmholtzstr. 8/2, 89081, Ulm, Germany.
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30
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Sánchez-Tabernero S, Fajardo-Sanchez J, Weston-Davies W, Parekh M, Kriman J, Kaye S, Ahmad S. Dual inhibition of complement component 5 and leukotriene B4 by topical rVA576 in atopic keratoconjunctivis: TRACKER phase 1 clinical trial results. Orphanet J Rare Dis 2021; 16:270. [PMID: 34116700 PMCID: PMC8196439 DOI: 10.1186/s13023-021-01890-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose To evaluate the safety and preliminary efficacy of topical rVA576, a dual inhibitor of complement component 5 (C5) and leukotriene B4 (LTB4), in patients with recalcitrant atopic keratoconjunctivitis (AKC) in the open label phase 1 TRACKER clinical trial. Methods Three patients diagnosed with moderate or severe AKC who had been on maximal topical treatment (antihistamines and ciclosporin) for at least three months prior to entry, and showed persistent symptoms and signs of inflammation, were recruited into the trial. Patients received rVA576 eye drops twice a day for 8 weeks. Patients were seen at baseline and weeks 1, 2, 4, 6 and 8. Safety data was recorded and a composite sum score of symptoms and signs was obtained. This score comprised symptoms such as itching, mucous discharge and photophobia, and conjunctival and corneal signs such as hyperemia, tarsal papillae, punctate keratitis and corneal neovascularization, all rated individually from 0 to 3 for a maximum score of 33. Results Two of the three patients completed the initial open label phase of the trial. The third patient was unable to attend appointments and terminated the study early at day 14. Topical rVA576 was well tolerated with no serious adverse events reported. There was an average improvement in overall clinical score of 53%, composed of an improvement in symptoms of 65% [63.64–66.67%] and signs of 40% [40–40.12%] by day 56. Conclusions In this open label phase 1 TRACKER trial, rVA576 eye drops were well tolerated and showed a response across signs and symptoms of active inflammation. This study is exploratory but supports topical rVA576 safety and shows promising efficacy for recalcitrant AKC. A phase 2 randomised control trial is currently underway. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13023-021-01890-6.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Jaime Kriman
- Moorfields Eye Hospital, 51 North Block, 5 Chicheley Street, London, SE1 7PJ, UK
| | - Stephen Kaye
- St Paul's Eye Unit, Royal Liverpool Hospitals, Liverpool, UK
| | - Sajjad Ahmad
- Moorfields Eye Hospital, 51 North Block, 5 Chicheley Street, London, SE1 7PJ, UK.,UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, UK
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Complement inhibition at the level of C3 or C5: mechanistic reasons for ongoing terminal pathway activity. Blood 2021; 137:443-455. [PMID: 33507296 DOI: 10.1182/blood.2020005959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Blocking the terminal complement pathway with the C5 inhibitor eculizumab has revolutionized the clinical management of several complement-mediated diseases and has boosted the clinical development of new inhibitors. Data on the C3 inhibitor Compstatin and the C5 inhibitors eculizumab and Coversin reported here demonstrate that C3/C5 convertases function differently from prevailing concepts. Stoichiometric C3 inhibition failed to inhibit C5 activation and lytic activity during strong classical pathway activation, demonstrating a "C3 bypass" activation of C5. We show that, instead of C3b, surface-deposited C4b alone can also recruit and prime C5 for consecutive proteolytic activation. Surface-bound C3b and C4b possess similar affinities for C5. By demonstrating that the fluid phase convertase C3bBb is sufficient to cleave C5 as long as C5 is bound on C3b/C4b-decorated surfaces, we show that surface fixation is necessary only for the C3b/C4b opsonins that prime C5 but not for the catalytic convertase unit C3bBb. Of note, at very high C3b densities, we observed membrane attack complex formation in absence of C5-activating enzymes. This is explained by a conformational activation in which C5 adopts a C5b-like conformation when bound to densely C3b-opsonized surfaces. Stoichiometric C5 inhibitors failed to prevent conformational C5 activation, which explains the clinical phenomenon of residual C5 activity documented for different inhibitors of C5. The new insights into the mechanism of C3/C5 convertases provided here have important implications for the development and therapeutic use of complement inhibitors as well as the interpretation of former clinical and preclinical data.
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33
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Dopler A, Stibitzky S, Hevey R, Mannes M, Guariento M, Höchsmann B, Schrezenmeier H, Ricklin D, Schmidt CQ. Deregulation of Factor H by Factor H-Related Protein 1 Depends on Sialylation of Host Surfaces. Front Immunol 2021; 12:615748. [PMID: 33732239 PMCID: PMC7959842 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.615748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
To discriminate between self and non-self surfaces and facilitate immune surveillance, the complement system relies on the interplay between surface-directed activators and regulators. The dimeric modulator FHR-1 is hypothesized to competitively remove the complement regulator FH from surfaces that strongly fix opsonic C3b molecules—a process known as “deregulation.” The C-terminal regions of FH and FHR-1 provide the basis of this competition. They contain binding sites for C3b and host surface markers and are identical except for two substitutions: S1191L and V1197A (i.e., FH “SV”; FHR-1 “LA”). Intriguingly, an FHR-1 variant featuring the “SV” combination of FH predisposes to atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS). The functional impact of these mutations on complement (de)regulation, and their pathophysiological consequences, have largely remained elusive. We have addressed these questions using recombinantly expressed wildtype, mutated, and truncated versions of FHR-1 and FH. The “SV” to “LA” substitutions did not affect glycosaminoglycan recognition and had only a small effect on C3b binding. In contrast, the two amino acids substantially affected the binding of FH and FHR-1 to α2,3-linked sialic acids as host surfaces markers, with the S-to-L substitution causing an almost complete loss of recognition. Even with sialic acid-binding constructs, notable deregulation was only detected on host and not foreign cells. The aHUS-associated “SV” mutation converts FHR-1 into a sialic acid binder which, supported by its dimeric nature, enables excessive FH deregulation and, thus, complement activation on host surfaces. While we also observed inhibitory activities of FHR-1 on C3 and C5 convertases, the high concentrations required render the physiological impact uncertain. In conclusion, the SV-to-LA substitution in the C-terminal regions of FH and FHR-1 diminishes its sialic acid-binding ability and results in an FHR-1 molecule that only moderately deregulates FH. Such FH deregulation by FHR-1 only occurs on host/host-like surfaces that recruit FH. Conversion of FHR-1 into a sialic acid binder potentiates the deregulatory capacity of FHR-1 and thus explains the pathophysiology of the aHUS-associated FHR-1 “SV” variant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arthur Dopler
- Institute of Pharmacology of Natural Products and Clinical Pharmacology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Selina Stibitzky
- Institute of Pharmacology of Natural Products and Clinical Pharmacology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Rachel Hevey
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Marco Mannes
- Institute of Pharmacology of Natural Products and Clinical Pharmacology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Mara Guariento
- Institute of Pharmacology of Natural Products and Clinical Pharmacology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Britta Höchsmann
- Institute of Transfusion Medicine, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany.,Institute of Clinical Transfusion Medicine and Immunogenetics Ulm, German Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service and University Hospital of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Hubert Schrezenmeier
- Institute of Transfusion Medicine, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany.,Institute of Clinical Transfusion Medicine and Immunogenetics Ulm, German Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service and University Hospital of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Daniel Ricklin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Christoph Q Schmidt
- Institute of Pharmacology of Natural Products and Clinical Pharmacology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
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Asavapanumas N, Tradtrantip L, Verkman AS. Targeting the complement system in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder. Expert Opin Biol Ther 2021; 21:1073-1086. [PMID: 33513036 DOI: 10.1080/14712598.2021.1884223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is characterized by central nervous system inflammation and demyelination. In AQP4-IgG seropositive NMOSD, circulating immunoglobulin G (IgG) autoantibodies against astrocyte water channel aquaporin-4 (AQP4) cause tissue injury. Compelling evidence supports a pathogenic role for complement activation following AQP4-IgG binding to AQP4. Clinical studies supported the approval of eculizumab, an inhibitor of C5 cleavage, in AQP4-IgG seropositive NMOSD. AREAS COVERED This review covers in vitro, animal models, and human evidence for complement-dependent and complement-independent tissue injury in AQP4-IgG seropositive NMOSD. Complement targets are discussed, including complement proteins, regulators and anaphylatoxin receptors, and corresponding drug candidates. EXPERT OPINION Though preclinical data support a central pathogenic role of complement activation in AQP4-IgG seropositive NMOSD, they do not resolve the relative contributions of complement-dependent vs. complement-independent disease mechanisms such as antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity, T cell effector mechanisms, and direct AQP4-IgG-induced cellular injury. The best evidence that complement-dependent mechanisms predominate in AQP4-IgG seropositive NMOSD comes from eculizumab clinical data. Various drug candidates targeting distinct complement effector mechanisms may offer improved safety and efficacy. However, notwithstanding the demonstrated efficacy of complement inhibition in AQP4-IgG seropositive NMOSD, the ultimate niche for complement inhibition is not clear given multiple drug options with alternative mechanisms of action.Abbreviations: AAV2, Adeno-associated virus 2; ADCC, antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity; ANCA, antineutrophilic cytoplasmic autoantibody; AQP4, aquaporin-4; AQP4-IgG, AQP4-immunoglobulin G; C1-INH, C1-esterase inhibitor; C3aR, C3a receptor; C4BP, C4 binding protein; C5aR, C5a receptor; CDC, complement-dependent cytotoxicity; CFHR1, complement factor H related 1; CNS, central nervous system; EAE, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis; EndoS, endoglycosidase S; FHL-1, factor-H-like protein 1; GFAP, glial fibrillary acidic protein; Iba-1, ionized calcium-binding adaptor protein-1; IgG, immunoglobulin G; IVIG, intravenous human immunoglobulin G; MAC, membrane attack complex; MBL, maltose-binding lectin; MBP, myelin basic protein; MOG, myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein; NK cell, natural killer cell; NMOSD, neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder; OAP, orthogonal arrays of particles; PNH, paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nithi Asavapanumas
- Chakri Naruebodindra Medical Institute, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Lukmanee Tradtrantip
- Departments of Medicine and Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Alan S Verkman
- Departments of Medicine and Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
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Macpherson A, Laabei M, Ahdash Z, Graewert MA, Birtley JR, Schulze MSE, Crennell S, Robinson SA, Holmes B, Oleinikovas V, Nilsson PH, Snowden J, Ellis V, Mollnes TE, Deane CM, Svergun D, Lawson AD, van den Elsen JM. The allosteric modulation of complement C5 by knob domain peptides. eLife 2021; 10:63586. [PMID: 33570492 PMCID: PMC7972453 DOI: 10.7554/elife.63586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Bovines have evolved a subset of antibodies with ultra-long heavy chain complementarity determining regions that harbour cysteine-rich knob domains. To produce high-affinity peptides, we previously isolated autonomous 3–6 kDa knob domains from bovine antibodies. Here, we show that binding of four knob domain peptides elicits a range of effects on the clinically validated drug target complement C5. Allosteric mechanisms predominated, with one peptide selectively inhibiting C5 cleavage by the alternative pathway C5 convertase, revealing a targetable mechanistic difference between the classical and alternative pathway C5 convertases. Taking a hybrid biophysical approach, we present C5-knob domain co-crystal structures and, by solution methods, observed allosteric effects propagating >50 Å from the binding sites. This study expands the therapeutic scope of C5, presents new inhibitors, and introduces knob domains as new, low molecular weight antibody fragments, with therapeutic potential. Antibodies are proteins produced by the immune system that can selectively bind to other molecules and modify their behaviour. Cows are highly equipped at fighting-off disease-causing microbes due to the unique shape of some of their antibodies. Unlike other jawed vertebrates, cows’ antibodies contain an ultra-long loop region that contains a ‘knob domain’ which sticks out from the rest of the antibody. Recent research has shown that when detached, the knob domain behaves like an antibody fragment, and can independently bind to a range of different proteins. Antibody fragments are commonly developed in the laboratory to target proteins associated with certain diseases, such as arthritis and cancer. But it was unclear whether the knob domains from cows’ antibodies could also have therapeutic potential. To investigate this, Macpherson et al. studied how knob domains attach to complement C5, a protein in the inflammatory pathway which is a drug target for various diseases, including severe COVID-19. The experiments identified various knob domains that bind to complement C5 and inhibits its activity by altering its structure or movement. Further tests studying the structure of these interactions, led to the discovery of a common mechanism by which inhibitors can modify the behaviour of this inflammatory protein. Complement C5 is involved in numerous molecular pathways in the immune system, which means many of the drugs developed to inhibit its activity can also leave patients vulnerable to infection. However, one of the knob domains identified by Macpherson et al. was found to reduce the activity of complement C5 in some pathways, whilst leaving other pathways intact. This could potentially reduce the risk of bacterial infections which sometimes arise following treatment with these types of inhibitors. These findings highlight a new approach for developing drug inhibitors for complement C5. Furthermore, the ability of knob domains to bind to multiple sites of complement C5 suggests that this fragment could be used to target proteins associated with other diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Macpherson
- UCB, Slough, United Kingdom.,Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom
| | - Maisem Laabei
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom
| | | | | | | | | | - Susan Crennell
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah A Robinson
- Department of Statistics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Per H Nilsson
- UCB, Slough, United Kingdom.,Department of Chemistry and Biomedicine, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden.,Department of Immunology, Oslo University Hospital, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | | | | | - Tom Eirik Mollnes
- Department of Immunology, Oslo University Hospital, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.,Research Laboratory, Bodø Hospital, K.G. Jebsen TREC, University of Tromsø, Tromsø, Norway.,Centre of Molecular Inflammation Research, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Charlotte M Deane
- Department of Statistics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Dmitri Svergun
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Hamburg Unit, Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Jean Mh van den Elsen
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom.,Centre for Therapeutic Innovation, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom
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De novo assembled salivary gland transcriptome and expression pattern analyses for Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi Neuman, 1897 male and female ticks. Sci Rep 2021; 11:1642. [PMID: 33452281 PMCID: PMC7810686 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-80454-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Ticks secrete proteins in their saliva that change over the course of feeding to modulate the host inflammation, immune responses, haemostasis or may cause paralysis. RNA next generation sequencing technologies can reveal the complex dynamics of tick salivary glands as generated from various tick life stages and/or males and females. The current study represents 15,115 Illumina sequenced contigs of the salivary gland transcriptome from male and female Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi ticks of early, mid and late feeding stages from 1320 separate assemblies using three short read assemblers. The housekeeping functional class contributed to the majority of the composition of the transcriptome (80%) but with lower expression (51%), while the secretory protein functional class represented only 14% of the transcriptome but 46% of the total coverage. Six percent had an unknown status contributing 3% of the overall expression in the salivary glands. Platelet aggregation inhibitors, blood clotting inhibitors and immune-modulators orthologous to the ancestral tick lineages were confirmed in the transcriptome and their differential expression during feeding in both genders observed. This transcriptome contributes data of importance to salivary gland biology and blood feeding physiology of non-model organisms.
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Strayer EC, Lu S, Ribeiro J, Andersen JF. Salivary complement inhibitors from mosquitoes: Structure and mechanism of action. J Biol Chem 2020; 296:100083. [PMID: 33199367 PMCID: PMC7948415 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra120.015230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Revised: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Inhibition of the alternative pathway (AP) of complement by saliva from Anopheles mosquitoes facilitates feeding by blocking production of the anaphylatoxins C3a and C5a, which activate mast cells leading to plasma extravasation, pain, and itching. We have previously shown that albicin, a member of the SG7 protein family from An. Albimanus, blocks the AP by binding to and inhibiting the function of the C3 convertase, C3bBb. Here we show that SG7.AF, the albicin homolog from An. freeborni, has a similar potency to albicin but is more active in the presence of properdin, a plasma protein that acts to stabilize C3bBb. Conversely, albicin is highly active in the absence or presence of properdin. Albicin and SG7.AF stabilize the C3bBb complex in a form that accumulates on surface plasmon resonance (SPR) surfaces coated with properdin, but SG7.AF binds with lower affinity than albicin. Albicin induces oligomerization of the complex in solution, suggesting that it is oligomerization that leads to stabilization on SPR surfaces. Anophensin, the albicin ortholog from An. stephensi, is only weakly active as an inhibitor of the AP, suggesting that the SG7 family may play a different functional role in this species and other species of the subgenus Cellia, containing the major malaria vectors in Africa and Asia. Crystal structures of albicin and SG7.AF reveal a novel four-helix bundle arrangement that is stabilized by an N-terminal hydrogen bonding network. These structures provide insight into the SG7 family and related mosquito salivary proteins including the platelet-inhibitory 30 kDa family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ethan C Strayer
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, NIH-NIAID, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Stephen Lu
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, NIH-NIAID, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Jose Ribeiro
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, NIH-NIAID, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - John F Andersen
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, NIH-NIAID, Rockville, Maryland, USA.
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Abstract
The concept of engineering robust protein scaffolds for novel binding functions emerged 20 years ago, one decade after the advent of recombinant antibody technology. Early examples were the Affibody, Monobody (Adnectin), and Anticalin proteins, which were derived from fragments of streptococcal protein A, from the tenth type III domain of human fibronectin, and from natural lipocalin proteins, respectively. Since then, this concept has expanded considerably, including many other protein templates. In fact, engineered protein scaffolds with useful binding specificities, mostly directed against targets of biomedical relevance, constitute an area of active research today, which has yielded versatile reagents as laboratory tools. However, despite strong interest from basic science, only a handful of those protein scaffolds have undergone biopharmaceutical development up to the clinical stage. This includes the abovementioned pioneering examples as well as designed ankyrin repeat proteins (DARPins). Here we review the current state and clinical validation of these next-generation therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Arne Skerra
- Lehrstuhl für Biologische Chemie, Technische Universität München, 85354 Freising, Germany;
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Abstract
INTRODUCTION Anticalin proteins are engineered versions of lipocalins that constitute a novel class of clinical-stage biopharmaceuticals. The lipocalins exhibit a central β-barrel with eight antiparallel β-strands and an α-helix attached to its side. Four structurally variable loops at the open end of the β-barrel form a pronounced binding pocket, which can be reshaped to generate specificities toward diverse disease-relevant molecular targets. AREAS COVERED This article reviews the current status of Anticalin engineering, from the basic principles to the development of Anticalins with high target affinity and specificity via combinatorial protein design and directed evolution, including examples of Anticalin-based drug candidates under preclinical and clinical development. EXPERT OPINION Combinatorial gene libraries together with powerful molecular selection techniques have enabled the expansion of the natural ligand specificities of lipocalins from small molecules to peptides and proteins. This biomolecular concept has been validated by structural analyses of a series of Anticalin•target complexes. Promising Anticalin lead candidates have reached different preclinical and clinical development stages in the areas of (immuno)oncology, metabolic, and respiratory diseases, as antidotes to treat intoxications and as novel antibiotics. Thus, Anticalins offer an alternative to antibodies with promising and potentially superior features as next-generation biologics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Elena Ilyukhina
- Chair of Biological Chemistry, School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Arne Skerra
- Chair of Biological Chemistry, School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
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Zelek WM, Menzies GE, Brancale A, Stockinger B, Morgan BP. Characterizing the original anti-C5 function-blocking antibody, BB5.1, for species specificity, mode of action and interactions with C5. Immunology 2020; 161:103-113. [PMID: 32557571 PMCID: PMC7496778 DOI: 10.1111/imm.13228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2020] [Revised: 05/05/2020] [Accepted: 06/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The implication of complement in multiple diseases over the last 20 years has fuelled interest in developing anti-complement drugs. To date, the focus has been on C5; blocking cleavage of C5 prevents formation of two pro-inflammatory activities, C5a anaphylatoxin and membrane attack complex. The concept of C5 blockade to inhibit inflammation dates back 30 years to the description of BB5.1, an anti-C5 blocking monoclonal antibody raised in C5-deficient mice. This antibody proved an invaluable tool to demonstrate complement involvement in mouse disease models and catalysed enthusiasm for anti-complement drug development, culminating in the anti-human C5 monoclonal antibody eculizumab, the most successful anti-complement drug to date, already in clinical use for several rare diseases. Despite its key role in providing proof-of-concept for C5 blockade, the mechanism of BB5.1 inhibition remains poorly understood. Here, we characterized BB5.1 cross-species inhibition, C5 binding affinity and chain specificity. BB5.1 efficiently inhibited C5 in mouse serum but not in human or other rodent sera; it prevented C5 cleavage and C5a generation. BB5.1 bound the C5 α-chain with high affinity and slow off-rate. BB5.1 complementarity-determining regions were obtained and docking algorithms were used to predict the likely binding interface on mouse C5.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wioleta M. Zelek
- Systems Immunity University Research InstituteSchool of MedicineCardiff UniversityCardiffUK
| | | | - Andrea Brancale
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical SciencesCardiff UniversityCardiffUK
| | | | - Bryan Paul Morgan
- Systems Immunity University Research InstituteSchool of MedicineCardiff UniversityCardiffUK
- Dementia Research InstituteCardiff UniversityCardiffUK
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41
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Aounallah H, Bensaoud C, M'ghirbi Y, Faria F, Chmelar JI, Kotsyfakis M. Tick Salivary Compounds for Targeted Immunomodulatory Therapy. Front Immunol 2020; 11:583845. [PMID: 33072132 PMCID: PMC7538779 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.583845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunodeficiency disorders and autoimmune diseases are common, but a lack of effective targeted drugs and the side-effects of existing drugs have stimulated interest in finding therapeutic alternatives. Naturally derived substances are a recognized source of novel drugs, and tick saliva is increasingly recognized as a rich source of bioactive molecules with specific functions. Ticks use their saliva to overcome the innate and adaptive host immune systems. Their saliva is a rich cocktail of molecules including proteins, peptides, lipid derivatives, and recently discovered non-coding RNAs that inhibit or modulate vertebrate immune reactions. A number of tick saliva and/or salivary gland molecules have been characterized and shown to be promising candidates for drug development for vertebrate immune diseases. However, further validation of these molecules at the molecular, cellular, and organism levels is now required to progress lead candidates to clinical testing. In this paper, we review the data on the immuno-pharmacological aspects of tick salivary compounds characterized in vitro and/or in vivo and present recent findings on non-coding RNAs that might be exploitable as immunomodulatory therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hajer Aounallah
- Institut Pasteur de Tunis, LR19IPTX, Service d'Entomologie Médicale, Université de Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia.,Innovation and Development Laboratory, Innovation and Development Center, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Chaima Bensaoud
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Youmna M'ghirbi
- Institut Pasteur de Tunis, LR19IPTX, Service d'Entomologie Médicale, Université de Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Fernanda Faria
- Innovation and Development Laboratory, Innovation and Development Center, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Jindr Ich Chmelar
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Michail Kotsyfakis
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia.,Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, České Budějovice, Czechia
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Jodele S, Köhl J. Tackling COVID-19 infection through complement-targeted immunotherapy. Br J Pharmacol 2020; 178:2832-2848. [PMID: 32643798 PMCID: PMC7361469 DOI: 10.1111/bph.15187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2020] [Revised: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The complement system is an ancient part of innate immunity sensing highly pathogenic coronaviruses by mannan‐binding lectin (MBL) resulting in lectin pathway activation and subsequent generation of the anaphylatoxins (ATs) C3a and C5a as important effector molecules. Complement deposition on endothelial cells and high blood C5a serum levels have been reported in COVID‐19 patients with severe illness, suggesting vigorous complement activation leading to systemic thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA). Complement regulator gene variants prevalent in African‐Americans have been associated with a higher risk for severe TMA and multi‐organ injury. Strikingly, severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2)‐infected African‐Americans suffer from high mortality. These findings allow us to apply our knowledge from other complement‐mediated diseases to COVID‐19 infection to better understand severe disease pathogenesis. Here, we discuss the multiple aspects of complement activation, regulation, crosstalk with other parts of the immune system, and the options to target complement in COVID‐19 patients to halt disease progression and death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonata Jodele
- Division of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Immune Deficiency, Cancer and Blood Disease Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Jörg Köhl
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.,Division of Immunobiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.,Institute for Systemic Inflammation Research, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
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Monoclonal Antibody-Based Treatments for Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorders: From Bench to Bedside. Neurosci Bull 2020; 36:1213-1224. [PMID: 32533450 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-020-00525-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2019] [Accepted: 04/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuromyelitis optica (NMO)/NMO spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is a chronic, recurrent, antibody-mediated, inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system, characterized by optic neuritis and transverse myelitis. The binding of NMO-IgG with astrocytic aquaporin-4 (AQP4) functions directly in the pathogenesis of >60% of NMOSD patients, and causes astrocyte loss, secondary inflammatory infiltration, demyelination, and neuron death, potentially leading to paralysis and blindness. Current treatment options, including immunosuppressive agents, plasma exchange, and B-cell depletion, are based on small retrospective case series and open-label studies. It is noteworthy that monoclonal antibody (mAb) therapy is a better option for autoimmune diseases due to its high efficacy and tolerability. Although the pathophysiological mechanisms of NMOSD remain unknown, increasingly, therapeutic studies have focused on mAbs, which target B cell depletion, complement and inflammation cascade inactivation, blood-brain-barrier protection, and blockade of NMO-IgG-AQP4 binding. Here, we review the targets, characteristics, mechanisms of action, development, and potential efficacy of mAb trials in NMOSD, including preclinical and experimental investigations.
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Latuszek A, Liu Y, Olsen O, Foster R, Cao M, Lovric I, Yuan M, Liu N, Chen H, Zhang Q, Xiao H, Springer C, Ehrlich G, Kamat V, Rafique A, Hu Y, Krueger P, Huang T, Poueymirou W, Babb R, Rosconi MP, Retter MW, Chen G, Morton L, Zambrowicz B, Cao J, Romano C, Olson WC. Inhibition of complement pathway activation with Pozelimab, a fully human antibody to complement component C5. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0231892. [PMID: 32384086 PMCID: PMC7209288 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0231892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2019] [Accepted: 04/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Complement is a key component of the innate immune system. Inappropriate complement activation underlies the pathophysiology of a variety of diseases. Complement component 5 (C5) is a validated therapeutic target for complement-mediated diseases, but the development of new therapeutics has been limited by a paucity of preclinical models to evaluate the pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) properties of candidate therapies. The present report describes a novel humanized C5 mouse and its utility in evaluating a panel of fully human anti-C5 antibodies. Surprisingly, humanized C5 mice revealed marked differences in clearance rates amongst a panel of anti-C5 antibodies. One antibody, pozelimab (REGN3918), bound C5 and C5 variants with high affinity and potently blocked complement-mediated hemolysis in vitro. In studies conducted in both humanized C5 mice and cynomolgus monkeys, pozelimab demonstrated prolonged PK and durable suppression of hemolytic activity ex vivo. In humanized C5 mice, a switch in dosing from in-house eculizumab to pozelimab was associated with normalization of serum C5 concentrations, sustained suppression of hemolytic activity ex vivo, and no overt toxicity. Our findings demonstrate the value of humanized C5 mice in identifying new therapeutic candidates and treatment options for complement-mediated diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrianna Latuszek
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Yashu Liu
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Olav Olsen
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Randi Foster
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Marc Cao
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Irena Lovric
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Ming Yuan
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Nina Liu
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Henry Chen
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Qian Zhang
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Hui Xiao
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Carola Springer
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., New York, NY, United States of America
| | - George Ehrlich
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Vishal Kamat
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Ashique Rafique
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Ying Hu
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Pamela Krueger
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Tammy Huang
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., New York, NY, United States of America
| | | | - Robert Babb
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., New York, NY, United States of America
| | | | - Marc W. Retter
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Gang Chen
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Lori Morton
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Brian Zambrowicz
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Jingtai Cao
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Carmelo Romano
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., New York, NY, United States of America
| | - William C. Olson
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., New York, NY, United States of America
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Gembillo G, Siligato R, Cernaro V, Santoro D. Complement Inhibition Therapy and Dialytic Strategies in Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria: The Nephrologist's Opinion. J Clin Med 2020; 9:E1261. [PMID: 32357555 PMCID: PMC7287718 DOI: 10.3390/jcm9051261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Revised: 04/18/2020] [Accepted: 04/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) is a rare clonal disease that presents an estimated incidence of 1.3 cases per million per year, with a prevalence of 15.9 cases per million. It is characterized by hemolysis, bone marrow dysfunction with peripheral blood cytopenia, hypercoagulability, thrombosis, renal impairment and arterial and pulmonary hypertension. Hemolysis and subsequent hemosiderin accumulation in tubular epithelium cells induce tubular atrophy and interstitial fibrosis. The origin of PNH is the somatic mutation in the X-linked phosphatidylinositol glycan class A (PIG-A) gene located on Xp22: this condition leads to the production of clonal blood cells with a deficiency in those surface proteins that protect against the lytic action of the activated complement system. Despite the increased knowledge of this syndrome, therapies for PNH were still only experimental and symptomatic, until the introduction of the C5 complement blockade agent Eculizumab. A second generation of anti-complement agents is currently under investigation, representing future promising therapeutic strategies for patients affected by PNH. In the case of chronic hemolysis and renal iron deposition, a multidisciplinary approach should be considered to avoid or treat acute tubular injury or acute kidney injury (AKI). New promising perspectives derive from complement inhibitors and iron chelators, as well as more invasive treatments such as immunoadsorption or the use of dedicated hemodialysis filters in the presence of AKI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guido Gembillo
- Unit of Nephrology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy; (R.S.); (V.C.); (D.S.)
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Abstract
The complement system is a crucial antimicrobial system in the human body. However, controlling its regulation is essential, and failure to do so is implicated in a number of clinical inflammatory pathologies leading to great interest in therapeutic complement inhibition. We have identified and characterized a class of complement inhibitors from biting ticks. Utilizing both cryoelectron microscopy and X-ray crystallography we provide a comprehensive understanding of their mechanism of inhibition at the level of the terminal pathway of complement. We present a high-resolution cryoelectron microscopy structure of complement C5, the molecule targeted by the major therapeutic Eculizumab. In addition, we reveal the fold of the CirpT family of tick inhibitors and their unique mode of inhibition. The complement system is a crucial part of innate immune defenses against invading pathogens. The blood-meal of the tick Rhipicephalus pulchellus lasts for days, and the tick must therefore rely on inhibitors to counter complement activation. We have identified a class of inhibitors from tick saliva, the CirpT family, and generated detailed structural data revealing their mechanism of action. We show direct binding of a CirpT to complement C5 and have determined the structure of the C5–CirpT complex by cryoelectron microscopy. This reveals an interaction with the peripheral macro globulin domain 4 (C5_MG4) of C5. To achieve higher resolution detail, the structure of the C5_MG4–CirpT complex was solved by X-ray crystallography (at 2.7 Å). We thus present the fold of the CirpT protein family, and provide detailed mechanistic insights into its inhibitory function. Analysis of the binding interface reveals a mechanism of C5 inhibition, and provides information to expand our biological understanding of the activation of C5, and thus the terminal complement pathway.
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Schols S, Nunn MA, Mackie I, Weston-Davies W, Nishimura JI, Kanakura Y, Blijlevens N, Muus P, Langemeijer S. Successful treatment of a PNH patient non-responsive to eculizumab with the novel complement C5 inhibitor coversin (nomacopan). Br J Haematol 2019; 188:334-337. [PMID: 31840801 DOI: 10.1111/bjh.16305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Saskia Schols
- Department of Hematology, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | | | - Ian Mackie
- Haemostasis Research unit, Department of Haematology, University College London, London, UK
| | | | - Jun-Ichi Nishimura
- Department of Haematology and Oncology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yuzuru Kanakura
- Department of Haematology and Oncology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | | | - Petra Muus
- Department of Hematology, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Department of Haematology, King's College Hospital, London, UK
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A soft tick Ornithodoros moubata salivary protein OmCI is a potent inhibitor to prevent avian complement activation. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2019; 11:101354. [PMID: 31866440 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2019.101354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2019] [Revised: 11/15/2019] [Accepted: 12/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Complement is a key first line innate host defense system in the blood of vertebrates. Upon activation, this powerful defense mechanism can elicit inflammatory responses, lyse non-self-cells, or mark them for opsonophagocytic removal. Blood-feeding arthropods thus require the ability to block host complement activation in the bloodmeal to prevent undesired cell or tissue damage during feeding. The soft tick Ornithodoros moubata produces a complement inhibitory protein, OmCI. This protein binds to a mammalian complement protein C5 and blocks further activation of complement cascades, which results in the prevention of complement-mediated bacterial killing through membrane attack complex. Interestingly, the amino acids involved in OmCI binding are highly conserved among mammalian and avian C5, but the ability of this protein to inhibit the complement from birds remains unclear. Here we demonstrated that OmCI is capable of preventing quail complement-mediated erythrocyte lysis, inhibiting the capability of this animal's complement to eliminate a serum-sensitive Lyme disease bacterial strain. We also found that the ability of OmCI to inhibit quail complement-mediated killing of Lyme disease bacteria can be extended to different domestic and wild birds. Our results illustrate the utility of OmCI to block bird complement. These results provide the foundation for further use of this protein as a tool to study the molecular basis of avian complement and pathogen evasion to such a defense mechanism.
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Garg N, Zhang Y, Nicholson-Weller A, Khankin EV, Borsa NG, Meyer NC, McDermott S, Stillman IE, Rennke HG, Smith RJ, Pavlakis M. C3 glomerulonephritis secondary to mutations in factors H and I: rapid recurrence in deceased donor kidney transplant effectively treated with eculizumab. Nephrol Dial Transplant 2019; 33:2260-2265. [PMID: 29370420 DOI: 10.1093/ndt/gfx369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2017] [Accepted: 12/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Background C3 glomerulonephritis (C3GN) is caused by alternate complement pathway over-activation. It frequently progresses to end-stage renal disease, recurs in two-thirds of transplants and in half of these cases progresses to allograft loss. There is currently no proven treatment for C3GN. Case Presentation We describe a family segregating pathogenic alleles of complement factor H and I (CFH and CFI). The only member carrying both mutations developed C3GN. Prolonged delayed graft function after deceased donor transplantation, heavy proteinuria and isolated C3 hypocomplementemia prompted an allograft biopsy confirming diagnosis of recurrent C3GN. Discussion This is the first report of early recurrence of C3GN in an allograft in a patient with known mutations in complement regulatory genes and no preexisting para-proteinemia. Complement activation resulting from ischemia-reperfusion injury from prolonged cold ischemia time unabated in the setting of deficiency of two major complement regulators likely led to the early and severe recurrence. In atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome, the terminal complement cascade activation in the sentinel event initiating endothelial injury; blockade at the level of C5 convertase with eculizumab is uniformly highly effective in management. C3 glomerulopathies (C3GN and dense deposit disease) are a more complex and heterogeneous group. The relative degree of dysregulation at the levels of C3 and C5 convertases and therefore response to eculizumab varies among patients. In our patient, the clinical response to eculizumab was dramatic with recovery of allograft function and complete resolution of proteinuria. We review all cases of recurrent C3 glomerulopathy treated with eculizumab and discuss how complement biomarkers may aid in predicting response to therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neetika Garg
- Department of Medicine, Nephrology Division, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yuzhou Zhang
- Molecular Otolaryngology and Renal Research Laboratories, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Anne Nicholson-Weller
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Eliyahu V Khankin
- Department of Medicine, Nephrology Division, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nicolò Ghiringhelli Borsa
- Molecular Otolaryngology and Renal Research Laboratories, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Nicole C Meyer
- Molecular Otolaryngology and Renal Research Laboratories, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Susan McDermott
- Department of Medicine, Nephrology Division, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Isaac E Stillman
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Helmut G Rennke
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Richard J Smith
- Molecular Otolaryngology and Renal Research Laboratories, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.,Iowa Institute of Human Genetics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Martha Pavlakis
- Department of Medicine, Nephrology Division, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
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50
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Sezin T, Murthy S, Attah C, Seutter M, Holtsche MM, Hammers CM, Schmidt E, Meshrkey F, Mousavi S, Zillikens D, Nunn MA, Sadik CD. Dual inhibition of complement factor 5 and leukotriene B4 synergistically suppresses murine pemphigoid disease. JCI Insight 2019; 4:128239. [PMID: 31391346 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.128239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2019] [Accepted: 07/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The treatment of most autoimmune diseases still relies on systemic immunosuppression and is associated with severe side effects. The development of drugs that more specifically abrogate pathogenic pathways is therefore most desirable. In nature, such specificity is exemplified, e.g., by the soft tick-derived biotherapeutic Coversin, which locally suppresses immune responses by inhibiting complement factor 5 (C5) and leukotriene B4 (LTB4). C5a, a proteolytic fragment of C5, and LTB4 are critical drivers of skin inflammation in pemphigoid diseases (PDs), a group of autoimmune blistering skin diseases. Here, we demonstrate that both Coversin and its mutated form L-Coversin, which inhibits LTB4 only, dose dependently attenuate disease in a model of bullous pemphigoid-like epidermolysis bullosa acquisita (BP-like EBA). Coversin, however, reduces disease more effectively than L-Coversin, indicating that inhibition of C5 and LTB4 synergize in their suppressing effects in this model. Further supporting the therapeutic potential of Coversin in humans, we found that C5a and LTB4 are both present in the blister fluid of patients with BP in quantities inducing the recruitment of granulocytes and that the number of cells expressing their receptors, C5aR1 and BLT1, respectively, is increased in perilesional skin. Collectively, our results highlight Coversin and possibly L-Coversin as potential therapeutics for PDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanya Sezin
- Department of Dermatology, Allergy, and Venereology
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Enno Schmidt
- Lübeck Institute for Experimental Dermatology, and.,Center for Research on Inflammation of the Skin, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | | | | | - Detlef Zillikens
- Department of Dermatology, Allergy, and Venereology.,Center for Research on Inflammation of the Skin, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | | | - Christian D Sadik
- Department of Dermatology, Allergy, and Venereology.,Center for Research on Inflammation of the Skin, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
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