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Cleavage of C3 by Neutral Proteases from Granulocytes in Pleural Empyema

Suter, S. ; Nydegger, U. E. ; Roux, L. ; Waldvogel, F. A.

In: Journal of Infectious Diseases, 1981, vol. 144, no. 6, p. 499-508

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    Title
    • Cleavage of C3 by Neutral Proteases from Granulocytes in Pleural Empyema
    Author
    • Suter, S.. Department of Medicine, University Hospital, Geneva, Switzerland
    • Nydegger, U. E.. Department of Medicine, University Hospital, Geneva, Switzerland
    • Roux, L.. Department of Medicine, University Hospital, Geneva, Switzerland
    • Waldvogel, F. A.. Department of Medicine, University Hospital, Geneva, Switzerland
    Document Type
    • Postprint
    Language
    • English
    Published in
    • Journal of Infectious Diseases, 1981, vol. 144, no. 6, p. 499-508. The University of Chicago Press
    Other Version
    Classification
    • Health
    OAI-PMH Identifier
    • oai:doc.rero.ch:290074
    Summary
    The possibility of direct inactivation of C3 by granular enzymes from polymorphonuclear leukocytes(PMNLs) in pleural empyema was examined. As a group, pleural empyema from 10 patients with purulent effusions and a positive bacteriologic culture cleaved significantly more 125I-labeled C3 bound to Sepharose (18.4% ± 7.3%) than did 19sterile pleural effusions (2.4% ± 0.9%; P << 0.001)and sonicates from bacterial strains commonly found in empyema (1.4% ± 0.2%). Granular enzymesfrom 7 × 106 PMNLs cleaved 78.5% of 125I-labeled C3 bound to Sepharose. When proteolysis of 125I-labeled C3 after incubation with pleural empyema or PMNL granular enzymes was examined with polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, breakdown products were similar. Granulocyte elastase-like activity was detected in four samples of pleural empyema. Granulocyte elastase inhibitors, as well as 10% human serum, effectively suppressed cleavage of C3 and elastase-like activity. In pleural empyemas, granular enzymes from PMNLs, especially elastase, apparently contribute to low complement-mediated opsonic activity by direct inactivation of C3