Screening and identification of serum biomarkers of osteoarticular tuberculosis based on mass spectrometry.

BACKGROUND: In view of the current difficulty of clinically diagnosing osteoarticular tuberculosis, our aim was to use mass spectrometry to establish diagnostic models and to screen and identify serum proteins which could serve as potential diagnostic biomarkers for early detection of osteoarticular tuberculosis. METHODS: Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) was used to select an osteoarticular tuberculosis-specific serum peptide profile and establish diagnostic models. Further, liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was used to identify potential serum biomarkers that could be used for auxiliary diagnosis of osteoarticular tuberculosis, and then clinical serum samples were used to verify these biomarkers by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: We established four diagnostic models that can distinguish osteoarticular tuberculosis from rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, osteoarticular infections, and healthy adults. The models were osteoarticular tuberculosis-rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarticular tuberculosis-ankylosing spondylitis, osteoarticular tuberculosis-osteoarticular infections, and osteoarticular tuberculosis-healthy adult, and their accuracy was 76.78%, 79.02%, 83.77%, and 88.16%, respectively. Next, we selected and identified 18 proteins, including complement factor H-related protein 1 (CFHR1) and complement factor H-related protein 2 (CFHR2), which were upregulated in the tuberculosis group only. CONCLUSIONS: We successfully established four diagnostic models involving osteoarticular tuberculosis, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, osteoarticular infections, and healthy adults. Furthermore, we found that CFHR1 and CFHR2 may be two valuable auxiliary diagnostic indicators for osteoarticular tuberculosis. These results provide reference values for rapid and accurate diagnosis of osteoarticular tuberculosis.

Circulating complement factor H-related proteins 1 and 5 correlate with disease activity in IgA nephropathy.

IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is a common cause of chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal failure, especially in young people. Due to a wide range of clinical outcomes and difficulty in predicting response to immunosuppression, we need to understand why and identify which patients with IgAN will develop progressive renal impairment. A deletion polymorphism affecting the genes encoding the complement factor H-related protein (FHR)-1 and FHR-3 is robustly associated with protection against IgAN. Some FHR proteins, including FHR-1 and FHR-5, antagonize the ability of complement factor H (fH), the major negative regulator of the complement alternative pathway, to inhibit complement activation on surfaces, a process termed fH deregulation. From a large cohort of patients, we demonstrated that plasma FHR-1 and the FHR-1/fH ratio were elevated in IgAN and associated with progressive disease. Plasma FHR-1 negatively correlated with eGFR but remained elevated in patients with IgAN with normal eGFR. Serum FHR5 was slightly elevated in IgAN but did not correlate with eGFR. Neither FHR5 levels nor the FHR-5/fH ratio was associated with progressive disease. However, higher serum FHR-5 levels were associated with a lack of response to immunosuppression, the presence of endocapillary hypercellularity, and histology scores of disease severity (the Oxford Classification MEST score). Thus, FHR-1 and FHR-5 have a role in IgAN disease progression.

Elevated factor H-related protein 1 and factor H pathogenic variants decrease complement regulation in IgA nephropathy.

IgA nephropathy (IgAN), a frequent cause of chronic kidney disease worldwide, is characterized by mesangial deposition of galactose-deficient IgA1-containing immune complexes. Complement involvement in IgAN pathogenesis is suggested by the glomerular deposition of complement components and the strong protection from IgAN development conferred by the deletion of the CFHR3 and CFHR1 genes (ΔCFHR3-CFHR1). Here we searched for correlations between clinical progression and levels of factor H (FH) and FH-related protein 1 (FHR-1) using well-characterized patient cohorts consisting of 112 patients with IgAN, 46 with non-complement-related autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), and 76 control individuals. Patients with either IgAN or ADPKD presented normal FH but abnormally elevated FHR-1 levels and FHR-1/FH ratios compared to control individuals. Highest FHR-1 levels and FHR-1/FH ratios are found in patients with IgAN with disease progression and in patients with ADPKD who have reached chronic kidney disease, suggesting that renal function impairment elevates the FHR-1/FH ratio, which may increase FHR-1/FH competition for activated C3 fragments. Interestingly, ΔCFHR3-CFHR1 homozygotes are protected from IgAN, but not from ADPKD, and we found five IgAN patients with low FH carrying CFH or CFI pathogenic variants. These data support a decreased FH activity in IgAN due to increased FHR-1/FH competition or pathogenic CFH variants. They also suggest that alternative pathway complement activation in patients with IgAN, initially triggered by galactose-deficient IgA1-containing immune complexes, may exacerbate in a vicious circle as renal function deterioration increase FHR-1 levels. Thus, a role of FHR-1 in IgAN pathogenesis is to compete with complement regulation by FH.

Influence of genetic variation on plasma protein levels in older adults using a multi-analyte panel.

Proteins, widely studied as potential biomarkers, play important roles in numerous physiological functions and diseases. Genetic variation may modulate corresponding protein levels and point to the role of these variants in disease pathophysiology. Effects of individual single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within a gene were analyzed for corresponding plasma protein levels using genome-wide association study (GWAS) genotype data and proteomic panel data with 132 quality-controlled analytes from 521 Caucasian participants in the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) cohort. Linear regression analysis detected 112 significant (Bonferroni threshold p=2.44×10(-5)) associations between 27 analytes and 112 SNPs. 107 out of these 112 associations were tested in the Indiana Memory and Aging Study (IMAS) cohort for replication and 50 associations were replicated at uncorrected p<0.05 in the same direction of effect as those in the ADNI. We identified multiple novel associations including the association of rs7517126 with plasma complement factor H-related protein 1 (CFHR1) level at p<1.46×10(-60), accounting for 40 percent of total variation of the protein level. We serendipitously found the association of rs6677604 with the same protein at p<9.29×10(-112). Although these two SNPs were not in the strong linkage disequilibrium, 61 percent of total variation of CFHR1 was accounted for by rs6677604 without additional variation by rs7517126 when both SNPs were tested together. 78 other SNP-protein associations in the ADNI sample exceeded genome-wide significance (5×10(-8)). Our results confirmed previously identified gene-protein associations for interleukin-6 receptor, chemokine CC-4, angiotensin-converting enzyme, and angiotensinogen, although the direction of effect was reversed in some cases. This study is among the first analyses of gene-protein product relationships integrating multiplex-panel proteomics and targeted genes extracted from a GWAS array. With intensive searches taking place for proteomic biomarkers for many diseases, the role of genetic variation takes on new importance and should be considered in interpretation of proteomic results.

Synthesis of complement factor H by retinal pigment epithelial cells is down-regulated by oxidized photoreceptor outer segments.

Complement activation is thought to be involved in the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), in part because certain gene polymorphisms in complement factor H (CFH), an important regulator of the alternative complement activation pathway, are high risk factors for AMD. How CFH is regulated locally at the retina/choroid interface and how this contributes to AMD development remain unknown. In the present study, we have confirmed that CFH was detectable by immunohistochemistry in the choroid, and at low levels in the RPE cell and interphotoreceptor matrix, but appeared to be concentrated in dense patches in Bruch's membrane. In vitro, cultured human and mouse RPE cells expressed high levels of CFH as evidenced by immunohistochemistry and western blot. Using a stabilized mouse RPE cell line, we confirmed that RPE cells constitutively synthesise CFH. Synthesis of CFH was not affected by a short-term (2 h) photoreceptor outer segment (POS) treatment. However, long-term (24-48 h) treatment of RPE cells with oxidised POS (ox-POS) but not normal POS (n-POS) markedly down-regulated CFH mRNA expression. Phagocytosis of both ox-POS and n-POS appeared to reduce intracellular CFH protein expression in RPE cultures. Synthesis of CFH by cultured RPE cells was also reduced at the mRNA level by the proinflammatory cytokines TNF-alpha and IL-6. Other cytokines tested including IFN-gamma, IL-1alpha and IL-4 showed no effect on either CFH protein or mRNA levels. Our results support the view that RPE cells synthesise and express CFH and are probably a major local source of this protein at the retina/choroid interface, secreting CFH into the interphotoreceptor matrix as well as Bruch's membrane. Prolonged phagocytosis of POS, particularly if modified by oxidative processes as occurs in inflammation, appears to markedly impair synthesis and secretion of CFH, with potential loss of important regulatory functions in counteracting the pro-inflammatory effects of activated complement.

Determinación de la actividad anti-C3d en reactivos antiglobulina humana / Determination of the anticomplement activity in human antiglobulin reagent

La evaluación de la actividad de anti-C3d en reactivos de Coombs poliespecíficos, con los procedimientos clásicos presenta, según la experiencia de los autores, dificultades técnicas y falta de reproductibilidad. El objetivo de este trabajo fue describir una técnica para controlar la actividad de los reactivos antiglobulina humana (AGH) poliespecíficos y monoespecíficos anti-C3d, utilizando glóbulos rojos de carnero (GRc) sensibilizados con fragmentos de complemento (C'). La obtención de GRc sensibilizados con C3d, se evaluó con reactivos de calidad certificada por la firma comercial. Se obtuvieron reacciones de aglutinación francamente positivas con reactivos de Coombs poliespecíficos y con reactivos anti-C3d, -C3d monoespecíficos. La sensibilidad, especificidad y sencillez de esta técnica induce a proponerla dentro del protocolo de Control de Calidad de los antisueros AGH poliespecíficos y anti-C3d, -C3d, utilizados de rutina en los Servicios de Medicina Transfusional

Determinación de la actividad anti-C3d en reactivos antiglobulina humana / Determination of the anticomplement activity in human antiglobulin reagent

La evaluación de la actividad de anti-C3d en reactivos de Coombs poliespecíficos, con los procedimientos clásicos presenta, según la experiencia de los autores, dificultades técnicas y falta de reproductibilidad. El objetivo de este trabajo fue describir una técnica para controlar la actividad de los reactivos antiglobulina humana (AGH) poliespecíficos y monoespecíficos anti-C3d, utilizando glóbulos rojos de carnero (GRc) sensibilizados con fragmentos de complemento (C). La obtención de GRc sensibilizados con C3d, se evaluó con reactivos de calidad certificada por la firma comercial. Se obtuvieron reacciones de aglutinación francamente positivas con reactivos de Coombs poliespecíficos y con reactivos anti-C3d, -C3d monoespecíficos. La sensibilidad, especificidad y sencillez de esta técnica induce a proponerla dentro del protocolo de Control de Calidad de los antisueros AGH poliespecíficos y anti-C3d, -C3d, utilizados de rutina en los Servicios de Medicina Transfusional (AU)

The interstitial space of the thyroid gland of marmosets (Callithrix jacchus).

The interstitial space of the thyroid gland of adult marmosets contains, like the stroma of other organs, cells and intercellular substance (matrix), blood vessels (predominantly capillaries), lymph vessels and unmyelinated nerves. It is demarcated from the follicular epithelium, the capillaries and Schwann cells by a basal lamina (BL). The perifollicular BL shows thickenings of up to 3 microns over long distances or a multilayered arrangement. These thickened segments exhibit numerous epithelial processes and ridges; in other words, the contour of the basal cell membrane is very irregular in these areas. Indentations of capillaries into the epithelium are rarely observed. The endothelium is only slightly porous. Lymph capillaries occur in large numbers. They originate freely in the interstitial space, show gaps or unspecific contacts between the thin endothelial cells; a basal lamina is missing. Bundles of 10-nm thick filaments (anchor filaments) extend to the endothelial cells of the lymph capillaries. Thin and very long (up to 8 microns) plate-like processes surround the capillaries or run parallel to the outer contour of the follicles. They originate at the poles of oval, fibroblast-like cells. Since these cells are FXIII- and C3bi-positive, they can be considered as dendritic cells. They obviously play a role in the frequently-observed autoimmune diseases of this species. In addition, monocytes and all transitional forms including macrophages, fibrocytes and lymphocytes as well as numerous mast cells occur. In the region of the BL, integrins of the beta 1-group (alpha 6) can be demonstrated immunohistologically in addition to the usual components (collagen type IV, laminin and heparan sulfate-proteoglycan). Of the fibrillar collagens type I does not occur, type III occurs only in small amounts, whereas types V and VI are observed in large amounts. The presented findings may serve as basis for more extensive experiments on these primates.

Plasma levels of proteins of the alternative complement pathway in inbred mice that differ in resistance to Trypanosoma congolense infections.

Inbred BALB/c, A/J, and C57B1/6J mice were infected with Trypanosoma congolense (Trans Mara strain), clone TC13, and monitored for parasitemia, survival times, and plasma levels of complement components C3, C5, factor B, and factor H. Parasitemia was highest in BALB/c, intermediate in A/J, and lowest in C57Bl/6J mice. The mean survival times were 11.5 +/- 0.9, 23.8 +/- 2.3, and 119 +/- 26 days for BALB/c, A/J, and C57Bl/6J mice, respectively. Preinfection levels of factor H were significantly correlated with survival times (r = 0.7722, P less than 0.001). Marked differences were observed between the plasma levels of C3, factor B, and factor H in the 3 mouse strains following infection. Complement C5 levels showed the fewest changes. In the initial postinfection period, BALB/c mice had highest increases in the levels of the 4 complement proteins but also had the greatest declines toward the end of the infection. Factor H levels showed a biphasic increase in BALB/c and C57Bl/6J, but not in A/J mice, with peaks at days 3 and 9. Complement C3 levels declined in all mice toward the terminal stage of the disease. In the late stages of infection, factor B levels markedly decreased in BALB/c but significantly increased in C57Bl/6J mice. Factor B levels measured at the terminal stages in BALB/c, A/J, and C57Bl/6J were correlated positively with their respective survival times (r = 0.714, P less than 0.01). The results suggest that genetic differences in the alternative complement pathway might affect the resistance to T. congolense infections.

[Use of flow cytometry in the study of a non-specific immunodeficiency in children. A case]. / Utilisation de la cytométrie en flux dans l'étude des déficits de l'immunité non spécifique de l'enfant. Une observation.

Using flow cytometry, we explored a case of nonspecific immunodeficiency in a seven month old girl with repeated infections. This method showed evidence of granulocyte phagocytosis and oxidative metabolism abnormalities suggesting the diagnosis of a variant form of chronic granulomatous disease (CGD). Findings also showed that flow cytometry can be useful to study phagocytic cells during the neonatal period as it allows rapid multiparametric analysis with a very small amount of blood.

Immunological studies on pre-eclampsia in Nigerian women.

Circulating immune complexes, C3b inactivator, C3 activator, C3c, C4 and C-reactive protein were assayed in 49 patients with pre-eclampsia and 35 apparently healthy pregnant Nigerian women. Pre-eclamptic women had significantly higher mean levels of circulating immune complexes, C3c and C-reactive protein. C3 activator mean level was also higher in pre-eclampsia than in normal pregnancy, C3b inactivator concentrations were greatly depressed and the mean level was also significantly lower in the pre-eclamptic group (P less than 0.001). However, C4 mean levels were the same in both groups. From the results, it is postulated that in pre-eclamptic conditions the significantly depressed levels of C3b inactivator could predispose to the persistence of deposited immune complexes in the kidneys, resulting in tissue damage. The findings also generally indicate an immunologic pathogenesis for the renal lesions in pre-eclampsia in Nigerian women.

Quantitation of components of the alternative pathway of complement (APC) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays.

Sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) using monoclonal antibodies have been developed to specifically detect components of the alternative pathway of complement in human blood plasma. Normal values of the factor B split products Ba (1.01 +/- 0.30 micrograms/ml, mean +/- SD), Bb (0.65 +/- 0.23 micrograms/ml), of the C3-fragments C3b/iC3b/C3dg (17.9 +/- 5.7 micrograms/ml), native factor B (238 +/- 48 micrograms/ml), factor D (1.05 +/- 0.27 micrograms/ml), and factor H (702 +/- 292 micrograms/ml) were determined in the EDTA-plasma of healthy probands (n = 55). The simultaneous quantitation of the main cleavage products and of control proteins in the plasma samples permits precise analysis of the activation of the alternative pathway of complement in various disease states. In addition, we describe a method for the specific depletion of factor B prior to fragment-specific assays utilizing monoclonal antibodies conjugated to paramagnetic beads. The latter should permit the quantitation of other complement split products.

Isolation of the fifth component of the bovine complement system.

Bovine C5 has been isolated from fresh bovine serum by a five-step procedure: polyethylene glycol precipitation, sequential ion-exchange chromatography on DEAE-Sephacel and CM-Sephadex, hydroxylapatite chromatography, and affinity chromatography. The purified C5 was a protein of apparent molecular weight 202,000 +/- 9,000 composed of two chains: an alpha-chain of molecular weight 127,000 +/- 5,000 and a beta-chain of molecular weight 74,000 +/- 2,000. The alpha-chain was cleaved by Sepharose-CVF.Bb (a cobra venom factor (CVF)-induced C3/C5 alternative pathway convertase) in the absence of any C3 or C3b. The monocarboxylic acid form of K-76, a sesquiterpene compound isolated from the culture filtrates of Stachybotris complementi, inhibited the alternative pathway of bovine serum, and the inhibited hemolytic activity was restored, in a dose dependent manner, by bovine C5. This provided the basis for a C5 functional assay throughout the purification procedure. The purified C5 showed species specificity and was functionally distinct from bovine C3.

Genetic polymorphism of human factor H (beta 1H globulin).

Polyacrylamide gel isoelectric focusing (PAGIEF) of EDTA plasma and neuraminidase-treated plasma samples at pH 3.5-9.5 containing 8.0 M urea followed by an electroblotting with enzyme immunoassay was applied for the detection of factor H (HF) phenotypes in 536 unrelated Japanese blood donors living in Tokyo. In the major cathodal components, phenotypes of HF were classified into three common and five rare patterns, and these were considered to be controlled by two common and two rare alleles. The data suggest that the HF*Q0 allele also exists in the Japanese population. Family studies confirm the hypothesis that the HF polymorphism is controlled by autosomal codominant Mendelian inheritance.

Genetic polymorphism of complement factor H in cattle.

Bovine factor H was found to be polymorphic by the combined techniques of SDS-polyacrylamide electrophoresis of bovine plasma and immunoblotting. Three phenotypes (S, SF, F) were identified in a sample population of 149 cattle. Variant S and F differed by an apparent molecular weight of 5000 daltons. Family studies demonstrated Mendelian segregation of variants S and F. The data indicate that these genetic variants of bovine factor H are encoded by two codominant alleles at a single autosomal locus.

Truncated forms of human complement factor H.

By the use of Western-blot analyses with polyclonal anti-(Factor H) antibodies, two low-Mr protein species of Mr 41,000 and 37,000 under non-reducing conditions and 43,000 and 40,000 under reducing conditions are consistently detected together with the well-known 155,000-Mr Factor H in human plasma and serum. These two additional species are also found in plasma, urine and synovial fluids. The 41,000-Mr species but not the 37,00-Mr species is detected by a monoclonal anti-(Factor H) antibody directed at the N-terminal part of Factor H. The 37,000-Mr species but not the 41,000-Mr species is detected by a monoclonal anti-(Factor H) antibody directed at the C-terminal part of Factor H. The 41,000-Mr and 37,000-Mr species are different from the well-characterized 36,000-Mr N-terminal tryptic fragment of Factor H. They are likely to represent translational products of the short Factor H mRNA species of 1.8 kb and 1.2-1.5 kb occurring in human liver that we have recently described.

Reduced erythrocyte CR1 (CD 35) receptor function and complement opsonization in factor I-deficient patients is restored by plasma infusion.

Erythrocytes (E) from three factor I-deficient patients were investigated for surface-bound complement factors and CR1 (CD 35) expression and function. The E were coated with C4b, C3b, and factor H. Following plasma infusion or in vitro incubation of the patients' E with normal human serum (NHS) or purified factor I, cell-bound C4b and C3b could no longer be detected. The E now expressed C3d, and factor H was unaffected, indicating that factor H was bound to the C3d part of the C3b molecules, providing the co-factor for effective cleavage of E-bound C3b when purified factor I was added. The binding of monoclonal anti-CR1 antibodies (M710) to the patients' E was markedly reduced compared with control E, and was not normalized by treatment with NHS, probably because covalently bound C3d/factor H interfered with the binding of M710. By contrast, the reduced ability of the patients' E-CR1 to bind complement-opsonized immune complexes (IC) was normalized after plasma infusion. This shows that the impaired CR1 function was acquired and emphasizes the importance of performing functional CR1 assays. Complement opsonization of IC for binding to normal E was severely compromised in the patients' sera due to consumption of factor B and C3. After plasma infusion the opsonization capacity of the patients' sera was restored. Thus, two mechanisms of importance for normal clearance of IC were compromised in factor I-deficient patients: (1) the opsonization of IC for binding to E-CR1, and (2) the capacity of E-CR1 to bind opsonized complexes. Both dysfunctions were temporarily corrected by plasma infusion.

C3b inactivator in normal mice and mice infected with Plasmodium berghei berghei.

C3b inactivator levels were assayed in clean albino mice and mice infected with Plasmodium berghei berghei. Infected animals (63.1%) had low C3b inactivator levels when compared with 45% of controls with low levels. In the low titre range, infected mice had a significantly lower mean level (P less than 0.001) of the factor than controls. Conversely, in the high titre range, the mean C3b inactivator level is significantly (P less than 0.001) higher in infected than in control mice. Lower levels of the protein were associated with low grade parasitaemia, while raised levels were found in animals with higher parasitaemia. Low grade malaria parasitaemia predisposes to lowered C3b inactivator levels that would enhance persistence of deposited immune complexes, and subsequent tissue damage where C3b receptors are present.