Complement subcomponent C1q in various strains of mice. Its serum content correlates with that of immunoglobulin G

The protein amount and the hemolytic activity of the initiating complement component (C1q) in the classical pathway, and the level of immunoglobulin G (IgG) in sera of various inbred mouse strains were measured in parallel with those in sera of closed colony mice. C1q levels were significantly high in male A/He and C57BL/10Sn mice, and conspicuously high in female C57BL/10Sn mice. In these strains and C57BL/6J mice of both sexes, IgG levels were also significantly high. IgG levels were strikingly high in female NZB mice and NZW mice of both sexes. On the other hand, both C1q and IgG levels were conspicuously low in BALB/c mice of both sexes and in male CBA mice, and surprisingly low in BALB/c-nu (nude) mice of both sexes. A significant correlation was observed between serum levels of C1q and IgG. The C1q specific activity, however, was equivalent in all serum samples with approximately 2 x 10(13) effective molecules/mg. The subunit composition of C1q analyzed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was well comparable within all strains of mice tested. These results may suggest that mouse serum C1q does not have any phenotypic polymorphism.