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The C3 convertases are the major proteases of the complement cascade and are assembled at the site of complement activation via several different pathways. Properdin's functional role in stabilizing the alternative pathway convertase has been long established; however, new evidence demonstrates that properdin can also bind to certain microbial surfaces, and provide a platform for de novo convertase assembly. Therefore, properdin participates in two distinct mechanisms for complement activation: the alternative pathway and a properdin-directed pathway. Previous work had implicated the alternative pathway in the initiation and/or progression of several autoimmune diseases and in the host defense against certain bacterial pathogens. Those conclusions were based on evidence that cannot distinguish effects of the alternative pathway from effects of the properdin-directed pathway. With the identification of the new role for properdin in C3 convertase assembly there became a pressing need to reassess the mechanisms of complement activation, determine the specific role of properdin in each of these pathways, and explore the new therapeutic avenues that could arise.

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are linear polysaccharides that are found in the extracellular matrix and biological fluids of animals where they interact with hundreds of proteins and perform a variety of critical roles. There are five classes of animal GAGs: heparan sulfate (HS), chondroitin sulfate (CS), dermatan sulfate (DS), keratan sulfate (KS), and hyaluronan (HA). Many biological functions can be monitored directly by their impact on GAG quantity. Thus, simple, sensitive, and robust GAG quantification methods are needed for the development of biomarkers. We have systematically compared three available GAG quantification assays including an HPLC-based assay, a simplified Alcian Blue assay, and a miniaturized carbazole assay. The carbazole and Alcian Blue assays were reproducible and simple to perform in general lab settings, but had important limitations: The carbazole assay could not detect KS and it overestimated GAGs that were contaminated with salts or dissolved in PBS. The Alcian Blue assay detected only those GAGs that were sulfated. In contrast, while the HPLC method was time-consuming, it was a robust and sensitive assay that not only detected all GAGs but also quantified glucosamine-GAGs and galactosamine-GAGs simultaneously. The HPLC assay was not affected by salt or level of GAG sulfation and it yielded reproducible values for all types of GAGs tested. These results suggest that an automated HPLC assay would be generally useful for the routine measurement of a panel of GAG-based biomarkers while the carbazole assay and the Alcian Blue assays could prove valuable for more specific purposes.