Antibody-mediated alternative complement pathway activation resists inhibition by sialoglycolipids

Although sialoglycolipids on liposome membranes were able to inhibit the activation of the alternative complement pathway (ACP) of guinea pigs mediated by trinitrophenylaminocaproyldipalmitoylphosphatidylethanolamine, they scarcely inhibited the ACP activation mediated by natural antibody to paragloboside (PG) inserted into the liposome membranes. Therefore, ACP activation was able to proceed regardless of the presence of sialoglycolipids on heterologous cell membranes when antibodies to constituents of the membranes were available. On the other hand, sialoglycolipids effectively inhibit undesirable ACP activation on self cell membranes, because little if any antibody is reacting on the self cell surface. Thus, the natural antibody reaction may effectively discriminate between self and non-self cell surface by cooperation with complement inhibitors on cell membranes such as sialoglycolipids.