[Anticomplement activity of a polyanion: pentosan sulfuric polyester. III. Mechanism of functional inactivation of...

In vitro, the drug pentosan-poly-sulfoester (PPS) changes the electrophoretic migration of different proteins from the complement and properdin systems, such as native C3 (beta 1C globulin), C3c (beta-1A globulin), C3d (alpha-2D globulin), C1s inactivator (ClsINA), Clq and properdin factor B (B). Their more anodal migration is the consequence of a molecular alteration and persists after prolonged dialysis. These structural changes, yet undefined, explain the loss of functional activity of these proteins, and the anticomplementary activity of this drug. Moreover, PPS is able to block the alternate pathway activation by its action on properdin factor B (C3 proactivator). In fact, in presence of PPS, the activators of the properdin systems such as C3 nephritic factor are inactive. These altered mobilities are also responsible for the overestimation in the antigenic concentration of B (+ 45%), C4 (+27%) and C3/C3c (+ 14%), found in human serum containing 50 mg/ml of PPS. PPS has an original action upon the complement and properdin systems, which allows its clinical use as a potent inhibitor of the humoral mediators of inflammation.