Studies on the mechanism of PMN activation II. by triggering the alternative pathway of complement activation

By means of cobra venom factor (CVF) it is demonstrated that the stimulation of hexosemonophosphate shunt (HMPS) of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) by zymosan (Z) and dextran sulfate (DS) is caused by at least two modes of activation: (a) via activation caused by phagocytosis, (b) via activated alternative pathway of complement activation (APC). Active factors of APC presented with phagocytizable objects strongly enhance activation of PMN. The effect of APC can be observed in serum-containing as well as in serum-free cultures. It can be demonstrated that in serum-free cultures the factors of APC participating in the activation of PMN are supplied by monocytes. By the use of synthetic hexapeptide (HP) representing the COOH-terminal sequence of human C3a further evidence is provided that factors of APC are able to activate the PMN.