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Complement component 3 (C3) presents both slow (C3S) and fast (C3F) variants, which can be locally produced and activated by immune system cells. We studied C3 recipient variants in 483 liver transplant patients by RT- PCR- HRM to determine their effect on graft outcome during the first year post-transplantation. Allograft survival was significantly decreased in C3 FF recipients (C3 SS 95% vs C3 FS 91% vs C3 FF 83%; P=.01) or C3F allele carriers (C3F absence 95% vs C3F presence 90%, P=.02). C3 FF genotype or presence of C3F allele independently increased risk for allograft loss ( OR: 2.38, P=.005 and OR: 2.66, P=.02, respectively). C3 FF genotype was more frequent among patients whose first infection was of viral etiology (C3 SS 13% vs C3 FS 18% vs C3 FF 32%; P=.04) and independently increased risk for post-transplant viral infections ( OR: 3.60, P=.008). On the other hand, C3 FF and C3F protected from rejection events ( OR: 0.54, P=.03 and OR: 0.63, P=.047, respectively). Differences were not observed in hepatitis C virus recurrence or patient survival. In conclusion, we show that, independently from C3 variants produced by donor liver, C3F variant from recipient diminishes allograft survival, increases susceptibility to viral infections, and protects from rejection after transplantation. C3 genotyping of liver recipients may be useful to stratify risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a result of the centrifugation of the circulating cells of the starfish Asterias rubens in a discontinuous density gradient of sodium diatrizoate, three cell fractions were separated. Small coelomocytes with a high nuclear-cytoplasmic ratio and the lack of granules prevailed in the upper fraction, coelomocytes with small granules evenly distributed in their cytoplasm dominated in the middle fraction, and large coelomocytes with a high content of large granules and vesicles in the perinuclear space were predominant in the bottom fraction. The coelomocytes of the separated fractions were tested for the production of reactive oxygen species, neutral red uptake, capture and internalization of the labeled bacteria Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, as well as for lytic activity and expression of the ArC3-like gene, which is a homologue of the C3 component of the mammalian complement cascade. Cells of the upper fraction manifested the most pronounced ability for the expression of the C3 gene homologue in response to stimulation with bacterial lipopolysaccharide. Coelomocytes of the middle fraction were distinguished by a pronounced ability to produce reactive oxygen species and phagocytosis, whereas the cells of the lower fraction had a high level of hemolytic activity and neutral red uptake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to determine the allele and genotype frequencies for the polymorphism of the gene coding the C3 component of the complement system, 432 sheep from nine breeds of different productive types were studied. Tests were carried out with Mouton Charollais, Ile de France, Trakia Merino breeds, milk crosses [Stara Zagora x East Friesian and (Stara Zagora x East Friesian) x Pleven Blackhead], White Maritsa, Patch-faced Maritsa, Karnobat, Pleven Blackhead and Stara Zagora breeds, with 48 animals studied from each breed. The animals were reared at the Agricultural Institute -- Stara Zagora, the Agricultural Institute -- Karnobat and private farms. Seven alleles were discovered (S, S1, S5, S7, S10, F, and F1), forming nine genotypes (SS, SS1, FS, FS5, FS7, FS10, FF, FF1, F1F1). The S allele frequency was the highest in sheep from the Stara Zagora and Trakia Merino breeds. In all other breeds, most common was the F allele, with this tendency being most evident in the Mouton Charollais and Pleven Blackhead breeds. The very rare S1 allele was found in three breeds with a frequency of 0.01 to 0.05. Another rare allele discovered over the course of his study was F1, with frequency varying between 0.2 and 0.13. The frequencies of the nine established genotypes (SS, SS1, FS, FS5, FS7, FS10, FF, FF1, F1F1) varied in each breed. The SS genotype was most commonly encountered in the Stara Zagora breed (0.42), the heterozygous FS genotype was most common in the Mouton Charollais breed and milk crosses (0.23), whereas the animals homozygous for the F allele were prevalent among the Pleven Blackhead breed (0.54). The heterozygous FS5 genotype was also notable, having a frequency of 0.33 in the Karnobat breed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]