title: In vitro inhibition of the classical and alternate pathways of activation of human complement by N acetyl aspartyl glutamic acid (NAAGA).
abstract: A synthetic dipeptide, magnesium salt of N-acetyl-L-aspartyl-glutamic acid (NAAGA) identical to a natural dipeptide found as traces in cerebral tissues of mammalian brains, was shown to inhibit, in vitro, the hemolytic activity of both classical and alternate pathways complement; the required concentration of NAAGA was 2 to 10 mM. Cross immuno electrophoretic analysis demonstrated an inhibition of C3 cleavage by both classical and alternate pathway C3 convertases with 24 mM NAAGA. As expected, if C3 convertases were really the target of inhibition, the release of highly inflammatory C3a, C5a fragments scored by R.I.A. was impaired when complement was incubated with activators of classical and alternate pathways. Such a low molecular weight dipeptide, quite atoxic and inhibiting the complement dependent cytotoxicity and release of phlogistic by-products could be interesting for pharmacological manipulation of complement activation in inflammatory processes.
authors.affiliation: Unié d'Immuno-Allergie, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Etievant
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Leluc
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: David
mesh_terms: D003167:Complement Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D003176:Complement C3 / Q000378:metabolism; D015926:Complement C3a; D003182:Complement C5 / Q000378:metabolism; D015936:Complement C5a; D003170:Complement Pathway, Alternative / Q000187:drug effects*; D003171:Complement Pathway, Classical / Q000187:drug effects*; D004151:Dipeptides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006461:Hemolysis / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques
chemical_list: D003176:Complement C3; D003182:Complement C5; D004151:Dipeptides; C027172:isospaglumic acid; D015926:Complement C3a; D015936:Complement C5a