Unusual complement-mediated hemolytic kinetics at low ionic strength

Abstract

The dilution of human serum in relatively low ionic strength buffer ( μ = 0.070) caused the spontaneous activation of C1 and a limited activation of C4 and C3 in the fluid phase. The unusual degree of activation of the complement system in the fluid phase suggested that the optimal functions of complement-regulatory systems such as C1̄ inhibitor might be reduced. As a function of the time of preincubation (PI) of diluted serum at 37°C, under low ionic strength conditions, an unusual complement-mediated hemolytic kinetic pattern was observed upon adding sensitized erythrocytes (EA). For a 1:36 dilution of human serum, there was an initial progressive decrease in complement hemolytic activity (from 3 to 20 min PI, phase I), followed by an apparent functional reversal (increase) in hemolytic activity (20–50 min PI, phase II) and finally a gradual irreversible depletion of the hemolytic activity (after 50 min PI, phase III). This hemolytic pattern could only be adequately demonstrated using a kinetic assay which followed the course of lysis of EA in the presence of low dilutions of human serum as a complement source. Others might have missed this observation due to the use of end-point titration methods which required the use of relatively elevated serum dilutions at the time of EA addition. Mechanisms which governed the variations in hemolytic activity at low ionic strength were not clear. Speculatively, partial consumption of early complement components, generation of free C1q and generation of complement fragments might have accounted for the initial decrease in the hemolytic activity observed in phase I. The apparent functional reversal of hemolytic activity observed in phase II might have involved a critical depletion of C 1 inhibitor which occurred secondary to C 1 inhibitor binding to C 1 (activated by low ionic strength effects) and to the C 1 activated at the time of EA addition. Without sufficient regulation, a rapid unrestricted C 1 -mediated complement activation could have occurred, which resulted in a rapid deposition of complement on the EA. Finally, prolonged exposure of serum to low ionic strength effects appeared to induce a significant complement consumption, which caused a time-dependent irreversible depletion of complement hemolytic activity (phase III). Excess exogenous C 1 inhibitor, when co-incubated with diluted serum at low ionic strength, reversed the time-dependent effects of low ionic strength and enhanced the subsequent specific complement-mediated hemolytic activity as compared to controls. Thus it is suggested that excess C 1 inhibitor mediated the prevention of non-productive spontaneous C1 activation and activated C 1 -mediated complement consumption in the fluid phase during the PI at low ionic strength.