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Number of hits necessary for complement-mediated hemolysis.
Microbiology and Immunology
|January 1, 1986
Summary
Immune hemolysis mechanisms were studied using complement components C8 and C9. Human C9 exhibits a multi-hit response, suggesting a single C8 and multiple C9 form lesions during hemolysis.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Complement System
Background:
- Immune hemolysis is a critical process mediated by the complement system.
- Understanding the specific roles of complement components C8 and C9 is crucial for elucidating lysis mechanisms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To reexamine the number of hits required for complement component 8 (C8) and complement component 9 (C9) in immune hemolysis.
- To investigate the mechanism of immune hemolysis using human and guinea pig complement components.
Main Methods:
- An experimental design involving varying numbers of EAC1-7 with excess or constant amounts of complement components.
- Analysis of lysis curves for sensitized erythrocytes (EA) using normal and C9-deficient human serum.
Main Results:
- Guinea pig C8 and C9, and human C8 followed a one-hit mechanism.
- Human C9 demonstrated a multi-hit response.
- Lysis by normal human serum yielded one-hit curves, while C9-deficient serum produced multiple-hit curves.
Conclusions:
- Immune hemolysis in humans involves a single C8 and multiple C9 forming a single lesion.
- Normal human serum has an excess of C9, contributing to the one-hit lysis mechanism.
- The lysis mechanism by C5b-8 may differ from that by C5b-9.