Bacterial sialic acid modulates activation of the alternative complement pathway of channel catfish (Ictaluruspunctatus)

doi:10.1016/0145-305X(87)90044-9

Developmental & Comparative Immunology

Volume 11, Issue 3, Summer 1987, Pages 551-564

https://doi.org/10.1016/0145-305X(87)90044-9 Get rights and content

Abstract

The alternative complement pathway (ACP) provides the non-immune channel catfish ( $Ictalurus$ $punctatus$ ) with protection against many Gram-negative bacteria. Very little serum bactericidal activity (0–13%) was found against 8 fish pathogens, but a strong bactericidal response (100%) was found against 7 non-pathogens. MgEGTA chelation of catfish serum did not essentially change the bactericidal results. Catfish serum heated at 56°C and serum adsorbed with zymosan had no bactericidal activity. This demonstrated that the ACP was responsible for the bactericidal response. The molecular nature of the microbial surface determines whether or not the ACP will be activated. A relative lack of surface sialic acid has been found to be important for binding complement Factor B of the ACP by susceptible microbial surfaces. This study therefore examined the 15 Gram-negative bacterial fish pathogens and non-pathogens by determining their sialic acid content and their ability to elicit a bactericidal response by the catfish ACP. It was found that there was very little bactericidal activity against the fish pathogens that contained sialic acid but a very strong bactericidal response (100%) against the non-pathogens that lacked sialic acid (p=.0043). A relative lack of sialic acid or no sialic acid therefore correlated with a strong bactericidal response by the catfish ACP. Neuraminidase treatment of the bacterial fish pathogens to remove sialic acid greatly increased the bactericidal response against them by the catfish ACP when compared with untreated bacteria (p=.0431).

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Very little bactericidal activity is exerted by the alternative complement pathway against the fish pathogens containing sialic acids, in contrast to a strong response against the nonpathogenic bacteria that lack sialic acid. This phenomenon is sialidase sensitive.1059 The assumption of the existence of non-N-acetylated neuraminic acid (Neu) in the gangliosides of some tumors was based on the detection with monoclonal antibodies and pulse-chase experiments.1060
Sialic acids are cytoprotectors, mainly localized on the surface of cell membranes with multiple and outstanding cell biological functions. The history of their structural analysis, occurrence, and functions is fascinating and described in this review. Reports from different researchers on apparently similar substances from a variety of biological materials led to the identification of a 9-carbon monosaccharide, which in 1957 was designated “sialic acid.” The most frequently occurring member of the sialic acid family is N-acetylneuraminic acid, followed by N-glycolylneuraminic acid and O-acetylated derivatives, and up to now over about 80 neuraminic acid derivatives have been described. They appeared first in the animal kingdom, ranging from echinoderms up to higher animals, in many microorganisms, and are also expressed in insects, but are absent in higher plants. Sialic acids are masks and ligands and play as such dual roles in biology. Their involvement in immunology and tumor biology, as well as in hereditary diseases, cannot be underestimated. N-Glycolylneuraminic acid is very special, as this sugar cannot be expressed by humans, but is a xenoantigen with pathogenetic potential. Sialidases (neuraminidases), which liberate sialic acids from cellular compounds, had been known from very early on from studies with influenza viruses. Sialyltransferases, which are responsible for the sialylation of glycans and elongation of polysialic acids, are studied because of their significance in development and, for instance, in cancer. As more information about the functions in health and disease is acquired, the use of sialic acids in the treatment of diseases is also envisaged.
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^☆: Presented at the 6th International Congress of Immunology, Toronto, Canada, July 6–11, 1986

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Full-length paperBacterial sialic acid modulates activation of the alternative complement pathway of channel catfish (Ictaluruspunctatus)☆

Abstract

Dev. Comp. Immunol.

Dev. Comp. Immunol.

Dev. Comp. Immunol.

Dev. Comp. Immunol.

J. Biol. Chem.

Virology

The complement system: its importance in the host response to viral infection

Microbiol. Rev.

Complement

Complement

Complement system of rainbow trout (Salmogairdneri)

J. Immunol.

Bactericidal response of channel catfish by the classical and alternative complement pathways against bacterial pathogens

J. Appl. Ichthyol.

The alternative pathway of complement-a system for host resistance to microbial infection

N. Engl. J. Med.

Full-length paper
Bacterial sialic acid modulates activation of the alternative complement pathway of channel catfish ( $Ictalurus$ $punctatus$ )☆

Complement system of rainbow trout ( $Salmo$ $gairdneri$ )