The serum complement system is a major mediator of inflammation reactions. Two of the complement proteins, the third (C3) and fifth (C5) components, are precursors of potent phlogistic molecules, C3a and C5a. C5a has potent chemotactic activity and plays an active role in pulmonary inflammation. We present evidence suggesting that several complement proteins, including C5, are synthesized local...

Abiotic stresses such as salinity and drought impose a severe constraint on global food production, posing serious challenge in agriculture. Stacking beneficial genes transgenic crops will likely improve crop yield under abiotic stress conditions. Previous studies showed that individually overexpressing the Arabidopsis vacuolar H+-pyrophosphatase gene AVP1, protein phosphatase 2 A catalytic sub...

Experimental infection of mice with Plasmodium berghei ANKA (PbA) provides a powerful model to define genetic determinants that regulate the development of cerebral malaria (CM). Based on the hypothesis that excessive activation of the complement system may confer susceptibility to CM, we investigated the role of C5/C5a in the development of CM. We show a spectrum of susceptibility to PbA in a ...

The coagulation and complement pathways simultaneously promote homeostasis in response to injury but cause tissue damage when unregulated. Mechanisms by which they cooperate are poorly understood. To delineate their interactions, we studied the effects of thrombin and C5 convertase on C5 in purified and plasma-based systems, measuring release of the anaphylatoxin C5a, and generation of C5b, the...

BACKGROUND Levels of non-neutralising antibodies (AB) to the C5 domain of HIV Env gp120 are inversely related to progression of HIV infection. In this phase I/II clinical study we investigated safety of Vacc-C5, a peptide-based therapeutic vaccine candidate corresponding to C5/gp41732-744 as well as the effects on pre-existing AB levels to C5/gp41732-744, immune activation and T cell responses ...

BACKGROUND Cervical C5 nerve root palsies may occur in between 0% and 30% of routine anterior or posterior cervical spine operations. They are largely attributed to traction injuries/increased cord migration following anterior/posterior decompressions. Of interest, almost all studies cite spontaneous resolution of these deficits without surgery with 3-24 postoperative months. METHODS Differen...

The sex-dependent differences in serum levels of complement components have been reported concerning C4 (1), C5 (2, 3), C6 (3), C4-binding protein (C4-bp) ~ (4), and sex-limited protein (Slp) (5) in the mouse complement system. The serum levels o f these components in adult mice are always higher in males than in females within each inbred strain and are strongly under hormonal control. With re...

Dedicated to Professor Heinrich Nöth on the occasion of his 85th birthday Recrystallization of silver pentacyanocyclopentadienide Ag[C5(CN)5] from N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) gives the polymeric 1 : 1 complex [Ag{C5(CN)5}(DMF)] (1). The Ag+ cation is coordinated by three N atoms of three different [C5(CN)5] anions and two O atoms of two DMF molecules. Each [C5(CN)5] is coordinated via three nei...

The secondary organic aerosol (SOA) yields from the laboratory chamber ozonolysis of a series of cycloalkenes and related compounds are reported. The aim of this work is to investigate the effect of the structure of the hydrocarbon parent molecule on SOA formation for a homologous set of compounds. Aspects of the compound structures that are varied include the number of carbon atoms present in ...