title: Mode of complement activation by acidic heteroglycans from the leaves of Artemisia princeps PAMP.
abstract: The mode of action of the anti-complementary acidic heteroglycans, AAF-IIb-2 and IIb-3 which consisted of rhamnogalacturonan core and arabinogalactan moieties, purified from the leaves of Artemisia princeps PAMP (Japanese name = Gaiyo) were investigated. The anti-complementary activities of AAF-IIb-2 and IIb-3 were reduced partially in the absence of Ca2+ ions. A marked consumption of C4 was observed to have occurred when serum was incubated with both polysaccharides in the presence of Ca2+ ions. AAF-IIb-2 showed more potent C4 consumption than IIb-3. After the incubation of the serum with AAF-IIb-2 in the absence of Ca2+ ions, a cleavage of C3 in the serum was detected by immunoelectrophoresis. AAF-IIb-2 showed more significant consumption of the complement than IIb-3 when rabbit erythrocytes were used in the assay system in the absence of Ca2+ ions. These results indicate that AAF-IIb-2 activates the complement via both the alternative and classical pathways, whereas IIb-3 mainly activates the complement via the classical pathway. The absorption of serum with Protein A-Sepharose results in a decrease of the activity of AAF-IIb-2 and IIb-3. However, the decrease of the activity was restored by the replacement of the immunoglobulin G (IgG) fraction after its recovery from the Protein A-Sepharose. These results suggest that IgG dependent mechanisms are both involved in the anti-complementary activity of AAF-IIb-2 and IIb-3.
authors.affiliation: Oriental Medicine Research Center, Kitasato Institute, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nagai
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Cyong
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Otsuka
mesh_terms: D003169:Complement Inactivator Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D003169:Complement Inactivator Proteins; D011134:Polysaccharides