0000000000217486
AUTHOR
Reinhard Burger
Activation of the alternative pathway of complement: efficient fluid-phase amplification by blockade of the regulatory complement protein β1H through sulfated polyanions
Current concepts of activation of the alternative pathway of complement (APC) focus on the central role of an amplification mechanism triggered by C3b which is covalently bound to the surfact of activating substances. Using sulfated polyanions as model substances, an efficient fluid-phase activation of complement is demonstrated in contrast to solid-phase activation. It is shown that particulate high-molecular weight sulfated polyanions are capable of reversible binding the guinea pig and human regulatory protein beta1H. This fixation leads to an extensive activation of C3 and factor B because the regulatory function of beta1H is blocked in the fluid-phase C3b-dependent amplification system…
Use of monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies as structural and topographical probes for hepatic epoxide hydrolase
AbstractMonoclonal antibodies have been prepared against rat liver epoxide hydrolase (EH), some of which gave precipitation lines on immunodiffusion against pure EH suggesting the presence of repetitive structural domains on the enzyme. Using ELISA, with polyclonal antibodies to rat and rabbit liver EH, reactivity and therefore structural similarities between EH of all species tested, including human, were observed. This was in contrast to immunodiffusion results demonstrating the limitations of the latter technique. Using monoclonal antibodies in ELISA, greatest structural similarity was between rat, mouse, and Syrian hamster EH and relatively little between rat and human. Two of the antib…
Impact of vCJD on blood supply.
Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) is an at present inevitably lethal neurodegenerative disease which can only be diagnosed definitely post mortem. The majority of the approximately 200 victims to date have resided in the UK where most contaminated beef materials entered the food chain. Three cases in the UK demonstrated that vCJD can be transmitted by blood transfusion. Since BSE and vCJD have spread to several countries outside the UK, it appears advisable that specific risk assessments be carried out in different countries and geographic areas. This review explains the approach adopted by Germany in assessing the risk and considering precautionary measures. A fundamental premise is…
d-Alanyl-d-Alanine Carboxypeptidase in the Bacterial Form and L-Form of Proteus mirabilis
Membranes of the bacterial form and the stable and unstable L-forms of Proteus mirabilis contain LD and DD-carboxypeptidase. The DD-carboxypeptidase is inhibited non-competitively by penicillin G. The enzyme of the bacterial form is highly penicillin-sensitive (Ki - 4 X 10(-9) M penicillin G). Inhibition is only partly reversible by treatment with penicillinase or by dialysis against buffer. In contrast, the DD-carboxypeptidase of the unstable L-form, grown in the presence of penicillin, is 175-fold less penicillin-sensitive (Ki = 7 X 10(7) M penicillin G). Inhibition is completely reversed by penicillinase or dialysis. After inhibition by penicillin and subsequent reactivation the penicill…