Mechanisms underlying mechanical sensitization induced by complement C5a: the roles of macrophages, TRPV1, and calcitonin gene-related peptide receptors.

The complement system significantly contributes to the development of inflammatory and neuropathic pain, but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Recently, we identified the signaling pathway responsible for thermal hypersensitivity induced by the complement system component C5a. Here, we examine the mechanisms of another important action of C5a, induction of mechanical hypersensitivity. We found that intraplantar injection of C5a produced a dose-dependent mechanical sensitization and that this effect was blocked by chemogenetic ablation of macrophages in both male and female mice. Knockout of TRPV1 or pretreatment with the TRPV1 antagonists, AMG9810 or 5'-iodoresiniferatoxin (5'-IRTX), significantly reduced C5a-induced mechanical sensitization. Notably, local administration of 5'-IRTX 90 minutes after C5a injection resulted in a slow, but complete, reversal of mechanical sensitization, indicating that TRPV1 activity was required for maintaining C5a-induced mechanical hypersensitivity. This slow reversal suggests that neurogenic inflammation and neuropeptide release may be involved. Indeed, pretreatment with a calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptor antagonist (but not an antagonist of the neurokinin 1 receptor) prevented C5a-induced mechanical sensitization. Furthermore, intraplantar injection of CGRP produced significant mechanical sensitization in both wild-type and TRPV1 knockout mice. Taken together, these findings suggest that C5a produces mechanical sensitization by initiating macrophage-to-sensory-neuron signaling cascade that involves activation of TRPV1 and CGRP receptor as critical steps in this process.

Intracerebroventricular injection of the terminal complement complex causes inflammatory reaction in the rat brain.

To investigate the effect of the terminal complement complex (TCC) on the central nervous system, we injected both the cytolytically active and the inactive complexes into the lateral ventricle of rats. Both complexes promoted accumulation of leukocytes into the cerebrospinal fluid at 4-6 h post-injection. The cells recovered at this time were mostly polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) that were partially replaced by mononuclear cells at 12 h. A direct contribution of the complexes to the in-vivo migration of leukocytes was ruled out by their inability to be chemotactic for rat PMN. Contaminating C5a is unlikely to be responsible for the effect of TCC because it failed to mobilize leukocytes when injected into the lateral ventricle. Histological analysis of rat brains 6 hours after injection of TCC revealed marked leukocyte infiltration of the choroid plexus, increased expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and egression of leukocytes out of the meningeal vessels. The cerebrospinal fluid of rats treated with TCC exhibited chemotactic activity for rat PMN and increased levels of growth related oncogene/cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant-1 and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 preceding the accumulation of leukocytes. Elevated concentration of IL-1 beta was also found in the cerebrospinal fluid and in periventricular areas of rats treated with TCC.

Inhibitory effects of the new anti-platelet agent KBT-3022 and its metabolite on rabbit neutrophil function in vitro.

The effects of the new anti-platelet agent KBT-3022, ethyl 2-[4,5-bis(4-methoxyphenyl)-thiazol-2-yl]pyrrol-1-ylacetate, and its metabolite desethyl KBT-3022 on rabbit neutrophil function were investigated in comparison with the effects of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), ticlopidine hydrochloride (TP), cilostazol (CIL) and indomethacin (IM). The adhesion and migration of neutrophils induced by formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLP) were inhibited by all the compounds tested, their rank order of potency being KBT-3022 = desethyl KBT-3022 > TP = CIL = IM > ASA. KBT-3022, desethyl KBT-3022, CIL and IM all suppressed fMLP-induced increases in the intracellular free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) in neutrophils, their potencies correlating with their inhibitory effects on fMLP-induced adhesion and migration. KBT-3022 (1 microM), desethyl KBT-3022 (1-10 microM) and CIL (10 microM) but not IM significantly inhibited both neutrophil migration and the increase in [Ca2+]i induced by leukotriene B4 (LTB4). KBT-3022 (1 microM) and desethyl KBT-3022 (1 microM) suppressed the increase in [Ca2+]i induced by complement C5a. Although KBT-3022 and desethyl KBT-3022 did not influence [3H]LTB4 and [125I]C5a specific binding, [3H]fMLP specific binding was inhibited by desethyl KBT-3022 (IC50: 1.9 microM). Neutrophil adhesion and superoxide anion production stimulated by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate were partially inhibited by KBT-3022 (1 microM) and desethyl KBT-3022 (1-10 microM). These results suggest that KBT-3022 and desethyl KBT-3022 have a wider spectrum of action and are more potent inhibitors of neutrophil activation than ASA, TP, CIL and IM.

Effect of platelet depletion and inhibition of platelet cyclooxygenase on C5a-mediated myocardial ischemia.

Activation of the complement cascade is involved in the myocardial injury resulting from transient ischemia and reperfusion. We previously showed that the complement anaphylatoxin C5a causes myocardial ischemia in vivo, mediated in part via thromboxane (Tx) A2. In the present study, we assess the role of platelets in the C5a-induced myocardial ischemia and Tx release. The left anterior descending coronary artery of anesthetized pigs was perfused with arterial blood at constant pressure and measured flow (coronary blood flow). Segment function (percent segment shortening) was measured with sonomicrometry, and regional coronary venous blood was sampled and assayed for TxB2 (by radioimmunoassay). We found that the C5a-induced decrease in coronary blood flow and percent segment shortening and the release of Tx were indistinguishable whether the left anterior descending coronary artery bed was perfused with normal arterial blood, with arterial blood obtained from animals depleted of platelets (cyclophosphamide, n = 6), or with arterial blood from aspirin-treated animals (n = 9) in which the platelets were unable to produce Tx. These data demonstrate that platelet-derived Tx does not contribute to the C5a-induced myocardial ischemia and Tx release in this model and that these cells do not play an integral role in this phenomenon.

Superoxide dismutase mimetics inhibit neutrophil-mediated human aortic endothelial cell injury in vitro.

In this study, we evaluated the ability of low molecular weight manganese-based superoxide dismutase mimetics to attenuate neutrophil-mediated oxygen radical damage to human aortic endothelial cells in vitro. Human neutrophils, when exposed to tumor necrosis factor-alpha and the complement compound C5a, induced endothelial damage assessed by the release of 51Cr into the medium. This damage correlated with the amount of superoxide generated by neutrophils. Three superoxide dismutase mimetics, with catalytic rate constants for superoxide dismutation ranging from 4 to 9 x 10(7) M-1 S-1, inhibited neutrophil- or xanthine oxidase-mediated endothelial cell injury in a concentration-dependent manner. A similar manganese-based compound with no detectable superoxide dismutase activity was ineffective in inhibiting injury. Fluorescent studies of the neutrophil respiratory burst showed that the superoxide dismutase mimetics were protective without interfering with the generation of superoxide by activated neutrophils. Catalase, elastase inhibitors, and desferrioxamine mesylate (an iron chelator and hydroxyl radical scavenger) were not protective against cell injury. This investigation demonstrates that neutrophil-mediated human aortic endothelial cell injury in vitro is mediated by the superoxide anion and that low molecular weight manganese-based superoxide dismutase mimetics are effective in abrogating this damage.

Cardiac dysfunction caused by recombinant human C5A anaphylatoxin: mediation by histamine, adenosine and cyclooxygenase arachidonate metabolites.

We had found previously that complement-derived anaphylatoxins C3a and C5a function as mediators/modulators of cardiac immune hypersensitivity reactions. The purpose of this study was to determine the secondary mediators responsible for the cardiac effects of C5a. Recombinant human C5a (rhC5a) caused dose-dependent tachycardia, slowing of atrioventricular nodal conduction, a short lasting increase followed by a prolonged decrease in left ventricular contractility, and coronary vasoconstriction. These changes were associated with the release of histamine, thromboxane A2 and adenosine into the coronary effluent. Our data indicate that the positive inotropic and chronotropic effects of rhC5a are mediated by histamine release and consequent activation of H2-receptors, the coronary-vasoconstricting effect is due to thromboxane release and the negative dromotropic effect is associated with adenosine release. Furthermore, the decrease in contractility caused by rhC5a is likely to result from the H1-mediated negative inotropic effect of histamine compounded by the ischemic conditions created by the coronary vasoconstricting effects of thromboxane A2 and, perhaps, leukotrienes. Our findings demonstrate that C5a has marked cardiac effects at concentrations approximating those attained in vivo in a multitude of pathophysiological conditions in which complement is activated, including myocardial infarction. Thus, anaphylatoxins may play a role in the development of ischemic cardiac dysfunction.