Oligomeric solution structures of factor H in the presence of heparin fragments

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2264 Abstracts / Molecular Immunology 47 (2010) 2198–2294 explore a full range of solution conditions. The common Y402H variant of FH displayed lower binding affinity for CRP, and this may provide a mechanism for the known association of this polymor- phism with increased risks of age-related macular degeneration. The second CRP binding site on FH suggests that CRP binding may also be involved with atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome. doi:10.1016/j.molimm.2010.05.197 27 Protection from complement-dependent cytotoxicity by NF-(B p65 Dana Gancz, Zvi Fishelson Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel Complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) is regulated by intracellular signaling events that are poorly characterized. The role of NF-(B in cell protection from the complement membrane attack complex C5b-9 was examined. Elevated sensitivity to CDC was demonstrated in cells lacking the p65 (RelA) subunit of NF-(B or the IKK( subunit of the NF-(B activator complex (mouse embryonic fibroblasts isolated from p65(/( or IKK((/( mice) and in cells treated with p65 siRNA. In contrast, reconstitution of p65 into p65(/( cells and over-expression of p65 in wildtype cells reduced their sensitiv- ity to CDC. Pretreatment with the IKK inhibitor PS1145 enhanced CDC of wildtype but not of p65(/( cells. Deletion of the nuclear localization signal in p65 had no effect on its anti-CDC activity although it blocked its nuclear translocation. In agreement, cell treatment with C5b-9 neither activated nuclear translocation of p65 nor degradation of I(B, the Inhibitor of NF-(B. The effect of p65 on the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) death signaling pathway acti- vated by C5b-9 was next examined. The JNK inhibitor SP600125 reduced CDC in p65 +/+ and p65 (/( cells but was much more effec- tive in p65 (/( cells. On the other hand, a JNK phosphatase inhibitor, phenylarsine oxide, enhanced CDC in wildtype cells but not in p65(/( cells. It is suggested that NF-(B activates the JNK phosphatase suppressing CDC. In conclusion, NF-(B mediates cell resistance to CDC probably by inhibiting the pro-lytic JNK pathway. doi:10.1016/j.molimm.2010.05.198 270 Oligomeric solution structures of factor H in the presence of heparin fragments Sanaullah Khan, Ami Miller, Jayesh Gor, Barbara Mulloy, Stephen J. Perkins Department of Structural and Molecular Biology, Darwin Building, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK Factor H (FH) is a major serum regulator of complement, and FH is genetically associated with the development of age-related mac- ular degeneration in the elderly. Binding studies of FH to heparin are used as a model for FH binding to heparan sulphate which is present on host cell surfaces and in the extracellular matrix. Heparin binds to sites found on at least the SCR-6/8 and SCR-19/20 regions of FH. While the solution structure of FH has been determined using X-ray solution scattering and analytical ultracentrifugation, the effects of heparin binding to intact FH are not yet known. To assess this, FH was studied in the presence of a range of purified heparin fragments by X-ray solution scattering and analytical ultracentrifu- gation. X-ray solution scattering data for FH in the presence of the smallest heparin fragments showed little effect on the radius of gyration RG values. Dramatic increases in the RG values were seen with the larger heparin sizes. The maximum lengths of FH- heparin complexes indicated that a series of compact complexes were formed. By analytical ultracentrifugation, the larger heparin fragments were observed to promote strong FH oligomer forma- tion. Molecular modelling of these FH-heparin complexes based on the X-ray and ultracentrifuge data accounted for the formation of these oligomers. Further analyses of the heparin complex with the SCR-6/8 fragment of FH reveal complementary oligomer formation in the presence of heparin. These conformational changes and self- aggregation results provide the first molecular picture of how FH interacts with host cell surfaces and are directly relevance for an understanding of the sub-retinal pigmental endothelial deposits that form in Bruch’s membrane during the development of age- related macular degeneration. doi:10.1016/j.molimm.2010.05.199 271 Coordinate activation of the factor B scissile bond with the Mg(2+)-dependent c3b-binding site during assembly of the alternative pathway convertase Dennis E. Hourcade, Lynne M. Mitchell Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Washington Uni- versity School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110-1093, USA The C3b:factor B complex (C3bB) is an obligatory intermediate in the assembly of the alternative pathway C3 convertase (C3bBb). It is stabilized by a single Mg(2+) cation at the C3b:factor B inter- face. Crystallographic studies of factor B and of the cobra venom factor/factor B complex, a structural homolog of C3bB, have shown that the peptide bond cleaved by factor D (between Arg234 and Lys235) in the conversion of C3bB to C3bBb, is sequestered by two salt bridges which connect the Arg234 side-chain to the factor B linker region and von Willebrand A (vWA) domain. These observa- tions raise the question as to how the scissile bond is cleaved. By one model, association of factor D with C3bB induces conforma- tional changes that expose the scissile bond. By a second model, supported by EM studies of C3bB, a second C3bB conformation, in which the scissile bond is exposed, occurs spontaneously and inde- pendently of factor D. We are examining this issue by site-directed mutagenesis of factor B. Using SPR methodology, we have found that mutations of Arg234 (which preclude both salt bridges) result in up to a 10-fold increase of Mg(2+)-dependent C3b-binding. Most of this effect is replicated by the single E446 substitution that pre- cludes the vWA salt bridge and results in active factor B that is particularly sensitive to cleavage at or near the scissile bond by non-specific proteases. Combining the new substitutions with pre- viously described substitutions (D254G and N260D) results in C3bB complexes with a half-life in excess of 10 h. These observations account for the complex dissociation kinetics previously reported for C3bB and lend strong support to a model in which C3bB cleavage is mediated by a factor D-sensitive form that is stabilized by coor- dinate activation of the Mg(2+)-dependent binding site. While this “activation” form of C3bB appears to occur spontaneously (model 2), association of the “loading” form of C3bB with factor D might also promote its occurrence. doi:10.1016/j.molimm.2010.05.200

Transcript of Oligomeric solution structures of factor H in the presence of heparin fragments

Page 1: Oligomeric solution structures of factor H in the presence of heparin fragments

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“activation” form of C3bB appears to occur spontaneously (model2), association of the “loading” form of C3bB with factor D mightalso promote its occurrence.

doi:10.1016/j.molimm.2010.05.200

264 Abstracts / Molecular Imm

xplore a full range of solution conditions. The common Y402Hariant of FH displayed lower binding affinity for CRP, and this mayrovide a mechanism for the known association of this polymor-hism with increased risks of age-related macular degeneration.he second CRP binding site on FH suggests that CRP binding maylso be involved with atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome.

oi:10.1016/j.molimm.2010.05.197

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rotection from complement-dependent cytotoxicity by NF-(B65

ana Gancz, Zvi Fishelson

Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Sackler School ofedicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

Complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) is regulated byntracellular signaling events that are poorly characterized. Theole of NF-(B in cell protection from the complement membranettack complex C5b-9 was examined. Elevated sensitivity to CDCas demonstrated in cells lacking the p65 (RelA) subunit of NF-(B or

he IKK( subunit of the NF-(B activator complex (mouse embryonicbroblasts isolated from p65(/( or IKK((/( mice) and in cells treatedith p65 siRNA. In contrast, reconstitution of p65 into p65(/( cells

nd over-expression of p65 in wildtype cells reduced their sensitiv-ty to CDC. Pretreatment with the IKK inhibitor PS1145 enhancedDC of wildtype but not of p65(/( cells. Deletion of the nuclear

ocalization signal in p65 had no effect on its anti-CDC activitylthough it blocked its nuclear translocation. In agreement, cellreatment with C5b-9 neither activated nuclear translocation of65 nor degradation of I(B, the Inhibitor of NF-(B. The effect of p65n the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) death signaling pathway acti-ated by C5b-9 was next examined. The JNK inhibitor SP600125educed CDC in p65 +/+ and p65 (/( cells but was much more effec-ive in p65 (/( cells. On the other hand, a JNK phosphatase inhibitor,henylarsine oxide, enhanced CDC in wildtype cells but not in65(/( cells. It is suggested that NF-(B activates the JNK phosphataseuppressing CDC. In conclusion, NF-(B mediates cell resistance toDC probably by inhibiting the pro-lytic JNK pathway.

oi:10.1016/j.molimm.2010.05.198

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ligomeric solution structures of factor H in the presence ofeparin fragments

anaullah Khan, Ami Miller, Jayesh Gor, Barbara Mulloy, Stephen. Perkins

Department of Structural and Molecular Biology, Darwin Building,niversity College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK

Factor H (FH) is a major serum regulator of complement, and FHs genetically associated with the development of age-related mac-lar degeneration in the elderly. Binding studies of FH to heparin aresed as a model for FH binding to heparan sulphate which is presentn host cell surfaces and in the extracellular matrix. Heparin bindso sites found on at least the SCR-6/8 and SCR-19/20 regions ofH. While the solution structure of FH has been determined using-ray solution scattering and analytical ultracentrifugation, theffects of heparin binding to intact FH are not yet known. To assess

his, FH was studied in the presence of a range of purified heparinragments by X-ray solution scattering and analytical ultracentrifu-ation. X-ray solution scattering data for FH in the presence ofhe smallest heparin fragments showed little effect on the radius

gy 47 (2010) 2198–2294

of gyration RG values. Dramatic increases in the RG values wereseen with the larger heparin sizes. The maximum lengths of FH-heparin complexes indicated that a series of compact complexeswere formed. By analytical ultracentrifugation, the larger heparinfragments were observed to promote strong FH oligomer forma-tion. Molecular modelling of these FH-heparin complexes based onthe X-ray and ultracentrifuge data accounted for the formation ofthese oligomers. Further analyses of the heparin complex with theSCR-6/8 fragment of FH reveal complementary oligomer formationin the presence of heparin. These conformational changes and self-aggregation results provide the first molecular picture of how FHinteracts with host cell surfaces and are directly relevance for anunderstanding of the sub-retinal pigmental endothelial depositsthat form in Bruch’s membrane during the development of age-related macular degeneration.

doi:10.1016/j.molimm.2010.05.199

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Coordinate activation of the factor B scissile bond with theMg(2+)-dependent c3b-binding site during assembly of thealternative pathway convertase

Dennis E. Hourcade, Lynne M. Mitchell

Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Washington Uni-versity School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110-1093, USA

The C3b:factor B complex (C3bB) is an obligatory intermediatein the assembly of the alternative pathway C3 convertase (C3bBb).It is stabilized by a single Mg(2+) cation at the C3b:factor B inter-face. Crystallographic studies of factor B and of the cobra venomfactor/factor B complex, a structural homolog of C3bB, have shownthat the peptide bond cleaved by factor D (between Arg234 andLys235) in the conversion of C3bB to C3bBb, is sequestered by twosalt bridges which connect the Arg234 side-chain to the factor Blinker region and von Willebrand A (vWA) domain. These observa-tions raise the question as to how the scissile bond is cleaved. Byone model, association of factor D with C3bB induces conforma-tional changes that expose the scissile bond. By a second model,supported by EM studies of C3bB, a second C3bB conformation, inwhich the scissile bond is exposed, occurs spontaneously and inde-pendently of factor D. We are examining this issue by site-directedmutagenesis of factor B. Using SPR methodology, we have foundthat mutations of Arg234 (which preclude both salt bridges) resultin up to a 10-fold increase of Mg(2+)-dependent C3b-binding. Mostof this effect is replicated by the single E446 substitution that pre-cludes the vWA salt bridge and results in active factor B that isparticularly sensitive to cleavage at or near the scissile bond bynon-specific proteases. Combining the new substitutions with pre-viously described substitutions (D254G and N260D) results in C3bBcomplexes with a half-life in excess of 10 h. These observationsaccount for the complex dissociation kinetics previously reportedfor C3bB and lend strong support to a model in which C3bB cleavageis mediated by a factor D-sensitive form that is stabilized by coor-dinate activation of the Mg(2+)-dependent binding site. While this