Novel monoclonal antibodies against mouse C3 interfering with complement activation: description of fine specificity and applications to various immunoassays.

The role of complement proteins in various pathophysiological settings has been studied primarily using mouse models of disease. However, the specific contribution of C3-derived fragments to these biologic processes has not been addressed in a rigorous manner because of a lack of antibodies that can selectively recognize mouse C3 or any of its degradation fragments. Here we report the generation and characterization of a panel of rat monoclonal antibodies reacting with mouse C3 and its degradation products. We describe their performance in various immunological assays such as ELISA, Western blotting, flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry. Of all the antibodies generated, one selectively recognized the C3a anaphylatoxin, and all other reacted with C3c. Furthermore, two monoclonal antibodies preferentially reacted with the cleaved C3 fragments C3b/iC3b/C3c but not native C3. Except for the one recognizing C3a, all antibodies were suitable for detecting C3 deposited on cells and tissues, two effectively inhibited the hemolytic activity of mouse complement and one enhanced C3-deposition to the cell membrane. These novel monoclonal antibodies may serve as useful reagents for elucidating functions mediated by C3-derived fragments in various pathophysiological conditions.

Restoration of complement-enhanced neutralization of vaccinia virus virions by novel monoclonal antibodies raised against the vaccinia virus complement control protein.

The vaccinia virus complement control protein (VCP) is secreted by infected cells and has been shown to inhibit complement activation through interactions with C3b/C4b. It contains four short consensus repeat (SCR) domains. It has been suggested that all four SCRs are required for VCP's activity. To elucidate which SCR domains are involved in abolishing complement-enhanced neutralization of vaccinia virus virions, we generated and characterized a panel of mouse monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) raised against VCP. Ten MAbs were isolated and all recognized VCP on Western blots under reducing conditions as well as native-bound VCP in a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Three of the 10 MAbs (2E5, 3D1, and 3F11) inhibited VCP's abolition of complement-enhanced neutralization of vaccinia virus virions. These MAbs blocked the interaction of VCP with C3b/C4b. The seven remaining MAbs did not alter VCP function in the complement neutralization assay and recognized VCP bound to C3b/C4b. To understand MAb specificity and mode of interaction with VCP, we mapped the MAb binding regions on VCP. The seven nonblocking MAbs all bound to the first SCR of VCP. One of the blocking MAbs recognized SCR 2 while the other two recognized either SCR 4 or the junction between SCRs 3 and 4, indicating that structural elements involved in the interaction of VCP with C3b/C4b are located within SCR domains 2 and 3 and 4. These anti-VCP MAbs may have clinical significance as therapeutic inhibitors of VCP's complement control activity and may also offer a novel approach to managing vaccinia virus vaccine complications that occur from smallpox vaccination.