Possible mechanisms of the first step of the classical complement activation pathway: binding and activation of C1.

Different immunoglobulin preparations of human monoclonal IgM, normal human and rat IgG, as well as purified rabbit antibodies were treated by various methods, fragmentation, aggregation and complexing with antigen. The ability of the treated and untreated preparations to fix isolated human C1, to activate the classical complement pathway (to consume C4 in normal human serum) were compared. It was found that the different methods affected the conformation of the immunoglobulin molecules in different ways and induced changes to a greater or lesser extent in the two capacities of the preparations tested. In the case of the monoclonal IgM preparation a strong C1-fixation was observed without measurable complement activation. Other preparations, interfacially aggregated human IgG, BSA-anti-BSA and OA-anti-OA immune complexes had a very weak C1-fixing but a marked complement activating capacity. Some preparations, e.g. heat-aggregated IgG, both fixed and activated C1 effectively, aggregates with a complement-activating capacity without C1-fixing effect were separated by gel-filtration. It was demonstrated further, that at a given time only a part of the activated C1 molecules could be found fixed to the immunoglobulins, the other part was released into the fluid phase after activation. On the basis of the results of this and previous studies a hypothesis is proposed suggesting three possible results of the interaction between C1 and the different preparations: (1) firm fixation and activation; (2) binding not followed by activation and (3) a transient binding leading to activation. The possible application of this hypothesis for the interpretation of the results of the different methods for detecting immune complexes is discussed.