Expression of a functional C5a receptor in regenerating hepatocytes and its involvement in a proliferative signaling pathway in rat

Activation of the complement system generates the anaphylatoxin C5a whose activities are mediated through its binding to the widely expressed C5aR. C5aR mRNA and protein expressions are known to be induced in rat hepatocytes under inflammatory conditions. However, little is known about the role of the C5a/C5aR complex in liver and its involvement during a proliferative process. We have evaluated the expression of C5aR in regenerating rat hepatocytes following a partial hepatectomy and in hepatocyte cultures. C5aR induction was observed in hepatocytes from regenerating liver, as well as in normal hepatocytes under a culture-induced stress. The effect of a stimulation by a C5a agonist upon the synthesis of a growth factor/receptor pair (hepatocyte growth factor/c-Met) was also evaluated. Our data demonstrated an up-regulated expression of hepatocyte growth factor and c-Met mRNAs, but we failed to observe a direct mitogenic effect of C5a in culture. However, a significantly increased expression of cyclin E and D1mRNA levels, as well as an increased BrdU incorporation, were observed in rats given an i.v. C5a agonist injection following an 80% partial hepatectomy. These studies demonstrate for the first time that: 1) C5aR is up-regulated during liver regeneration, 2) the binding of C5a to C5aR promotes a growth response, and 3) C5aR is involved in a cell cycle signaling pathway. Taken together, these findings point to a novel role for the hepatic C5aR implicating this complement system in the context of normal or abnormal proliferative pathways.

Expression of a functional anaphylatoxin C3a receptor by astrocytes

Human astrocyte cell lines reportedly contain a specific receptor for the complement anaphylatoxin C3a based on ligand-binding studies, functional responses, and RNA analysis by RT-PCR. Uptake of 125I-C3a by astrocytes was specific and reversible. Scatchard analysis indicated the presence of two classes of binding sites. High-affinity binding sites were abundantly expressed (20,000-80,000 sites per cell) with an estimated K(D) of 1-2 nM. Low-affinity binding sites with a K(D) of 209 nM were largely expressed (n > or = 4 x 10(6) sites per cell) and probably did not reflect a receptor-mediated binding, but rather an ionic interaction between C3a and the membrane. Analysis of astrocyte mRNA by RT-PCR with three different sets of primers covering 60% of the C3a receptor (C3aR) mRNA sequence indicated that glial C3aR was identical to the leukocytic one. Western blot analysis using a specific anti-C3aR evidenced a C3aR with a molecular mass of 60,000 Da. C3a and a superagonist peptide, E7, induced a transient increase of intracellular [Ca2+] in primary culture of astrocytes. Treatment of the ligands by carboxypeptidase B to eliminate the C-terminus Arg considerably decreased the [Ca2+] response. Moreover, flow cytometry experiments demonstrated the expression of C3aR on normal rat astrocyte membrane. This report brings new insight for the role of the complement system in the brain inflammation response.

Identification and characterization of complement C3 receptors on human astrocytes

Astrocytes express C components and have been implicated as a major source of intrathecal C. To ascertain the effects of C activation on these cells, we have evaluated the expression of CR1, CR2, and CR3 (CD35, CD21, and CD11b/CD18) in primary fetal astrocytes and astrocyte cell lines. None of the astrocyte cells tested expressed CR3, whereas primary astrocytes and one of four astrocyte cell lines expressed CR1 (220 kDa), as assessed at the protein and mRNA level. Primary fetal astrocytes and all four astrocyte cell lines expressed CR2 (155 kDa). Expression of CR2 by astrocytes was confirmed at mRNA level by reverse-transcriptase PCR, using different combinations of seven specific CR2 oligonucleotides, and by partial sequencing of the astrocyte CR2 cDNA. Astrocyte CR2 cDNA presented 100% homology with the lymphocyte CR2 cDNA between the position 181 bp to 600 bp and position 1017 bp to 1347 bp. An alternative splicing pattern of exon 11, reported previously in B cells, was observed in astrocyte CR2 cDNA. Astrocyte CR2 was functional, in that it specifically bound C3d and the EBV surface protein gp340, and the binding was blocked specifically with polyclonal anti-CR2. Scatchard analysis of membrane expression of CR2 on astrocytes revealed 2000 functional sites per cell with a Kd (3 x 10(-7) M) identical with that of CR2 on B cell (Raji).

Identification and characterization of complement C3 receptors on human astrocytes

Astrocytes express C components and have been implicated as a major source of intrathecal C. To ascertain the effects of C activation on these cells, we have evaluated the expression of CR1, CR2, and CR3 (CD35, CD21, and CD11b/CD18) in primary fetal astrocytes and astrocyte cell lines. None of the astrocyte cells tested expressed CR3, whereas primary astrocytes and one of four astrocyte cell lines expressed CR1 (220 kDa), as assessed at the protein and mRNA level. Primary fetal astrocytes and all four astrocyte cell lines expressed CR2 (155 kDa). Expression of CR2 by astrocytes was confirmed at mRNA level by reverse-transcriptase PCR, using different combinations of seven specific CR2 oligonucleotides, and by partial sequencing of the astrocyte CR2 cDNA. Astrocyte CR2 cDNA presented 100% homology with the lymphocyte CR2 cDNA between the position 181 bp to 600 bp and position 1017 bp to 1347 bp. An alternative splicing pattern of exon 11, reported previously in B cells, was observed in astrocyte CR2 cDNA. Astrocyte CR2 was functional, in that it specifically bound C3d and the EBV surface protein gp340, and the binding was blocked specifically with polyclonal anti-CR2. Scatchard analysis of membrane expression of CR2 on astrocytes revealed 2000 functional sites per cell with a Kd (3 x 10(-7) M) identical with that of CR2 on B cell (Raji).

Expression of the complement classical pathway by human glioma in culture. A model for complement expression by nerve cells

In this paper we demonstrate the synthesis of the components of the classical complement pathway, namely C1q, C1r, C1s, C1-Inh, C2, C4, and C5, by human glioma cell lines (U118MG, T193, and T98G). All these components were structurally, antigenically, and functionally similar to their serum counterparts as determined by biosynthetic labeling experiments, Western blot analysis, and hemolytic assays. Northern blot analysis of mRNA demonstrated that, for each of these components, their specific mRNA had the same size as the equivalent mRNA from hepatic tissue. We could not detect the synthesis of C4bp by these cell lines, and the secretion of C1q was only detected after stimulation by interferon-gamma. All these syntheses were up-regulated by interferon-gamma and tumor necrosis factor. Interleukin-1 beta only increased C2 expression and reproducibly down-regulated C5 secretion when used at high doses. Glioma cell lines appear to be an efficient and convenient model for the analysis of complement expression in human astrocytic cells.

Evidence for an active hydrophobic form of factor H that is able to induce secretion of interleukin 1-beta or by human monocytes

We studied the capacity of human factor H to promote the secretion of a lymphocyte-activating factor (LAF) by human monocytes cultured under serum-free conditions. Presence of LAF in the culture supernatants was assessed with the mouse thymocyte assay. Highly purified factor H alone had no effect on thymocyte proliferation. When monocytes were cultured with factor H for 24 h, a significant secretion of LAF was observed. The effect was dose dependent over a range of factor H concentrations from 1 to 15 micrograms/ml. Polymyxin B did not abrogate the capacity of factor H to induce LAF secretion. Adsorption of factor H preparations onto anti-factor H-Sepharose completely suppressed the phenomenon. Conversely, the activity was recovered in the acidic eluate. Furthermore, factor H subpopulation phi 2, that was able to bind to phenyl-Sepharose, was a stronger inducer of LAF secretion by monocytes than the subpopulation phi 1 (which did not bind to phenyl-Sepharose). Using a specific radioimmunoassay for interleukin 1-beta (IL 1 beta), we observed a good correlation between the LAF activity and the amount of IL 1 beta secreted by human monocytes stimulated with factor H. We have shown previously that factor H (phi 2) bound specifically on Raji cells whereas factor H (phi 1) did not. These results argue for the participation of the interaction of factor H with its receptor to stimulate the secretion of IL 1 by monocytes and that the phi 2 form of factor H is a ligand for the human factor H receptor.