1. In response to complement anaphylatoxin peptides C3a and C5a, human vascular endothelial cells migrate and mediate the activation of B-cells and polarization of T-cells
Pooja Shivshankar, Yi-Dong Li, Stacey L Mueller-Ortiz, Rick A Wetsel FASEB J. 2020 Jun;34(6):7540-7560. doi: 10.1096/fj.201902397R. Epub 2020 Apr 17.
The vascular endothelium has been discovered in the past several years to be important in shaping the cellular immune response. During the immune response the vascular endothelium is constantly perturbed by biologically potent molecules, including the complement activation peptides, C3a and C5a. Despite the importance of C3a and C5a in inflammation and immunity, their role in modulating lymphocyte function via activation of vascular endothelial cells is unknown. Accordingly, we investigated the regulated expression of the C3a and C5a receptors (complement anaphylatoxin C3a receptor [C3aR] and complement anaphylatoxin C5a receptor 1 [C5aR1]) on human umbilical vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs) and examined how C3a or C5a activation of HUVECs affects the activation and polarization of lymphatic cells. Our findings demonstrated that C3a and C5a increase C3aR and C5aR1 expression by HUVECs as well as directing their cellular transmigration and spreading through transwell filters. Moreover, C3a- or C5a-stimulated endothelial cells: (1) caused activation of B-lymphoblasts with significant increase in Fas Ligand (CD95L) (FasL), CD69, and IL-R1 expression, and (2) skewed T-lymphoblast cells toward a Th1 subtype, (CD4+ /CCR5+ ) that correlated with significant increase of IFN-γ. Collectively, these data indicate that C3a and C5a signaling is important in the activation and polarization of lymphocytes as they traffic through the vascular endothelium during the immune response.
2. Development of response-selective agonists of human C5a anaphylatoxin: conformational, biological, and therapeutic considerations
S M Taylor, S A Sherman, L Kirnarsky, S D Sanderson Curr Med Chem. 2001 May;8(6):675-84. doi: 10.2174/0929867013373156.
Numerous studies on the relationship between the structure and function of peptide agonists derived from the biologically active, C-terminal region of human C5a anaphylatoxin have been reported over the past decade. These studies have been performed with the objective of parlaying this structure-function information into the design of peptide/peptidomimetic modulators of C5a receptor (C5aR)-mediated function. In this review, we describe a rational approach for the development of conformationally biased, decapeptide agonists of C5a and described how these stabilized and specific conformational features relate to the expression of specific C5a-like activities in vitro and in vivo. The therapeutic potential of such response-selective C5a agonists is discussed and underscored by the results of one such response-selective C5a agonist that was used in vivo as an effective molecular adjuvant capable of generating antigen-specific humoral and cellular immune responses. Finally, we describe the synthesis of a new generation of highly response-selective, conformationally biased C5a agonist and discuss the in vitro and in vivo biologic results that so indicate this biologic selectivity.
3. The properties of human C5a anaphylatoxin. The significance of C5a formation during hemodialysis
D E Chenoweth Contrib Nephrol. 1987;59:51-71. doi: 10.1159/000414615.
Human C5a anaphylatoxin is a potent bioactive molecule that possesses both spasmogenic and leukocyte-related properties. As such, it normally serves as a local mediator of the acute inflammatory response. Additionally, C5a, through its actions of mononuclear phagocytes, may act to bridge the gap in the acute-chronic inflammatory continuum. While these properties are critical to normal host defense mechanisms, it is now apparent that this anaphylatoxin and/or its des-Arg74 derivative, may exert significant systemic effects that are manifest as cardiopulmonary abnormalities and intravascular activation of granulocytes. Knowledge of these properties is critically important for understanding the clinical sequelae exhibited by patients undergoing extracorporeal circulation since we now know that both hemodialysis and cardiopulmonary bypass [28-30] procedures promote intravascular complement activation and C5a formation. Viewed in this context, it seems reasonable to postulate that many of the immediate and delayed responses to extracorporeal circulation might be mediated by C5a formed in the extracorporeal circuit (table IV). For example, it is now recognized that a few particularly susceptible patients display adverse reactions during the initial phases of hemodialysis. The symptoms of this so-called 'first-use syndrome' may range from severe urticaria and angioedema to life-threatening bronchospasm, hypotension, and cardiopulmonary collapse. Some investigators have presented data which suggest that complement-derived products may be causative of these symptoms in some patients [31]. While this hypothesis remains to be confirmed, present evidence clearly demonstrates that C5a alone may produce many of the observed phenomena. In addition to the acute effects produced by C5a, both our own basic studies and the clinical investigations presented by others at this conference suggest that the long-term effects of repeated C5a exposure in the dialyzed patient may be considerable. Thus, there has been a great deal of interest in the role of complement-derived mediators as initiators of leukocyte degranulation and toxic oxygen radical production and an exploration of the significance of these events in the eventual development of chronic pulmonary fibrosis in the dialyzed patient. Similarly, the effects of repeated exposure to IL-1 that has been postulated to occur as a result of C5a triggering of monocytes during dialysis is currently an active area of investigation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
