Complement Activation by Female Protein, the Hamster Homologue of Human C-Reactive Protein

摘要

The capacity of Syrian hamster female protein (FP), a phosphorylcholine (PC)-binding pentraxin, to activate complement was tested in an in vitro system consisting of PC-coupled sheep red blood cells and guinea pig serum as the complement (C) source. FP was demonstrated to fix complement as reflected by hemolysis. Such hemolysis was eliminated by heat treatment (56°C, 30 min) of guinea pig serum and inhibited by PC chloride but not dinitrophenyl lysine. The inability of C4-deficient guinea pig serum to provide lytic activity indicated that lysis proceeded through the classical hemolytic pathway