Origin of the classical complement pathway: Lamprey orthologue of mammalian C1q acts as a lectin.

ABSTRACT: The lectin complement pathway in innate immunity is closely related to the classical complement pathway in adaptive immunity, with respect to the structures and functions of their components. Both pathways are initiated by complexes consisting of collagenous proteins and serine proteases of the mannose-binding lectin (MBL)-associated serine protease (MASP)/C1r/C1s family. It has been speculated that the classical pathway emerged after the lectin pathway, and that the activation mechanism of the latter was partially conserved. The classical and lectin pathways can be traced back to at least cartilaginous fish and ascidian (urochordata), respectively. To elucidate the evolution of the complement system, we isolated and characterized a GlcNAc-binding lectin from sera of lamprey (agnathans), t

SUBMITTER: Matsushita M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC454176 | biostudies-literature | 2004 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature