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The Complement System Plays A Major Part in The Inflam

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13 views2 pages

The Complement System Plays A Major Part in The Inflam

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ramosralf86
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
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The complement system plays a major part in the inflam-

matory response directed against foreign antigens. Although


the end product of complement activation is lysis of the
invading cell, many other important events take place along
the way.

Complement fragments acting as opsonins, for


which specific receptors are present on phagocytic cells,
enhance metabolism and clear immune complexes. In fact,
uptake of immune complexes in the spleen appears to be
complement-dependent.1

Complement components are also


able to increase vascular permeability, recruit monocytes
and neutrophils to the area of antigen concentration, and
trigger secretion of immunoregulatory molecules that
amplify the immune response.4 Any deficiencies in the com-
plement system can result in an increased susceptibility to
infection or in the accumulation of immune complexes with
possible autoimmune manifestations.

Thus, these proteins


play a significant role as a host defense mechanism.

2)

Alternative pathway
This pathway is important as an early defense against pathogens. Phylogenetically, this represents
the oldest of the C3 activating pathways. Triggering substances for the alternative pathway include
bacterial cell walls, especially those containing lipopolysaccharide; fungal cell walls; yeast; viruses; virally
infected cells; tumor cell lines; and some parasites, especially trypanosomes.1 All of these can serve as
sites for binding the complex C3bBb, one of the end products of this pathway. The conversion of C3 is the
first step in this pathway. The alternative pathway. C3 is hydrolyzed by water to produce a C3b sometimes
called iC3. This molecule can bind factor B. When factor B is bound to C3b, B is cleaved to form C3Bb, an
enzyme with C3 convertase activity. More C3 is cleaved to form more C3bBb. This enzyme is stabilized
by properdin, and it continues to cleave additional C3. If a mol ecule of C3 remains attached to the
C3bBbP enzyme, the convertase now has the capability to cleave C5. The C5 convertase thus consists of
C3bBb3bP. After C5 is cleaved, the pathway is exactly the same as the classical pathway.

Lectin pathway
The lectin pathway represents another means of activating complement without antibody being present.
Lectins are proteins that bind to carbohydrates. This pathway provides an additional link between the
innate and acquired immune response, because it involves nonspecific recognition of car-
bohydrates that are common constituents of microbial cell walls and that are distinct from those found on
human cell surfaces One key lectin, called mannose-binding, or mannan binding, lectin (MBL), binds to
mannose or related sugars in a calcium-dependent manner to initiate this pathway. MBL is a crucial
defense mechanism in infancy, playing a crucial role in the transition from maternal antibody loss to full-
fledged antibody response. Deficits in MBL have been linked to serious infections like neonatal pneumonia
and sepsis. The structure of MBL is similar to that of C1q, and it is associated with three MBL-serine
proteases (MASPs): MASP-1, MASP-2, and MASP-3. Once MBL binds to a cellular surface, MASP-2,
which is homologous to C1s, autoactivates.19 MASP-2 thus takes the active role in cleav- ing C4 and C2,
while the functions of MASP-1 and MASP-3 are unclear at this time.16,19 Once C4 and C2 are cleaved,
the rest of the pathway is identical to the classical pathway.

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