Host defense against Neisseria meningitidis requires a complement-dependent bactericidal activity.
Some individuals, with severe or recurrent infection with Neisseria species, have been identified as lacking a component in the terminal attack sequence of complement (complement components 5 to 9). The relevance of the terminal attack sequence to various phases of host defense was tested with the use of the C-11 strain of meningococci and human serum genetically deficient in complement component 8 (C8-D). The C8-D serum was comparable to normal serum in supporting ingestion and intracellular killing by leukocytes but was not bactericidal in the fluid phase unless reconstituted with C8. Thus, serum complement-dependent bactericidal activity may be especially critical for the host's defense against invasive Neisseria species.
D001770:Blood Bactericidal Activity; D003185:Complement C8 / Q000172:deficiency*; D006801:Humans; D007153:Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes / Q000276:immunology; D008585:Meningitis, Meningococcal / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000276:immunology*
D003185:Complement C8