Peptide Inhibitor of Complement C1 (PIC1) Rapidly Inhibits Complement Activation after Intravascular Injection in Rats.

The complement system has been increasingly recognized to play a pivotal role in a variety of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Consequently, therapeutic modulators of the classical, lectin and alternative pathways of the complement system are currently in pre-clinical and clinical development. Our laboratory has identified a peptide that specifically inhibits the classical and lectin pathways of complement and is referred to as Peptide Inhibitor of Complement C1 (PIC1). In this study, we determined that the lead PIC1 variant demonstrates a salt-dependent binding to C1q, the initiator molecule of the classical pathway. Additionally, this peptide bound to the lectin pathway initiator molecule MBL as well as the ficolins H, M and L, suggesting a common mechanism of PIC1 inhibitory activity occurs via binding to the collagen-like tails of these collectin molecules. We further analyzed the effect of arginine and glutamic acid residue substitution on the complement inhibitory activity of our lead derivative in a hemolytic assay and found that the original sequence demonstrated superior inhibitory activity. To improve upon the solubility of the lead derivative, a pegylated, water soluble variant was developed, structurally characterized and demonstrated to inhibit complement activation in mouse plasma, as well as rat, non-human primate and human serum in vitro. After intravenous injection in rats, the pegylated derivative inhibited complement activation in the blood by 90% after 30 seconds, demonstrating extremely rapid function. Additionally, no adverse toxicological effects were observed in limited testing. Together these results show that PIC1 rapidly inhibits classical complement activation in vitro and in vivo and is functional for a variety of animal species, suggesting its utility in animal models of classical complement-mediated diseases

Preserve a Voucher Specimen! The Critical Need for Integrating Natural History Collections in Infectious Disease Studies

Despite being nearly 10 months into the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic, the definitive animal host for SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2), the causal agent of COVID-19, remains unknown. Unfortunately, similar problems exist for other betacoronaviruses, and no vouchered specimens exist to corroborate host species identification for most of these pathogens. This most basic information is critical to the full understanding and mitigation of emerging zoonotic diseases. To overcome this hurdle, we recommend that host-pathogen researchers adopt vouchering practices and collaborate with natural history collections to permanently archive microbiological samples and host specimens. Vouchered specimens and associated samples provide both repeatability and extension to host-pathogen studies, and using them mobilizes a large workforce (i.e., biodiversity scientists) to assist in pandemic preparedness. We review several well-known examples that successfully integrate host-pathogen research with natural history collections (e.g., yellow fever, hantaviruses, helminths). However, vouchering remains an underutilized practice in such studies. Using an online survey, we assessed vouchering practices used by microbiologists (e.g., bacteriologists, parasitologists, virologists) in host-pathogen research. A much greater number of respondents permanently archive microbiological samples than archive host specimens, and less than half of respondents voucher host specimens from which microbiological samples were lethally collected. To foster collaborations between microbiologists and natural history collections, we provide recommendations for integrating vouchering techniques and archiving of microbiological samples into host-pathogen studies. This integrative approach exemplifies the premise underlying One Health initiatives, providing critical infrastructure for addressing related issues ranging from public health to global climate change and the biodiversity crisis

PA-dPEG24 inhibits complement activation <i>in vivo</i>.

<p>(A) Rats were IV administered PA-dPEG24 at 10 (n = 2) or 20mg/mL (n = 2) in 0.9% NaCl or received a vehicle control (n = 2) or were sham treated (n = 2). B, Rats were IV administered PA-dPEG24 at 10mg/mL (n = 4), 20mg/mL (n = 4) or 30mg/mL (n = 4) in 10mM Na₂HPO₄, 0.9% NaCl or received a vehicle control (n = 3). At the indicated time points post-administration, blood was collected and plasma isolated. Plasma was tested in hemolytic assays with human AB erythrocytes. Error bars represent the SEM.</p

CD and 1D ¹H NMR of PA-dPEG24.

<p>(A) The PA-dPEG24 peptide at 0.2mg/mL in PBS was analyzed on a Jasco J-815 CD spectrometer. (B) The PA-dPEG24 peptide at 1.8mg/mL in PBS with 10% D₂O was analyzed on a Bruker Avance 400 MHz spectrometer at a temperature of 294 K.</p

Pegylated versions of PA inhibit complement activity in a hemolytic assay.

<p>(A) Hemolytic assays using factor B-depleted serum were performed with PA dissolved in DMSO and its pegylated derivatives dissolved in water. Factor B-depleted serum was incubated with 0.77mM of each peptide and then added to sensitized sheep erythrocytes. (B) Titration of increasing amounts of PA and PA-dPEG24 in the hemolytic assay. Water and DMSO were used as vehicle controls in the presence of factor B-depleted serum. GVBS⁺⁺ is a buffer- only control. Values are the means of three independent experiments. Error bars represent the SEM.</p

Linear mode MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry analysis of PA-dPEG24 oligomeric state.

<p>PA-dPEG24 in acidified water was analyzed by linear mode mass spectrometry. The spectrum shows two peaks for PA-dPEG24 with a monomer peak at 2778 and a dimer form at 5553.</p

PA-dPEG24 inhibits complement activation in rat serum, mouse plasma and non-human primate serum.

<p>Hemolytic assays using (A) Wistar rat serum, (B) mouse plasma and (C) cynomolgus monkey serum were performed with increasing amounts PA-dPEG24 dissolved in 100mM Na₂HPO₄ with 0.9% NaCl buffer for rat serum, 10mM Na₂HPO₄ with 0.9% NaCl for cynomolgus monkey serum and 0.9% NaCl for mouse plasma. Serum or plasma were incubated with peptide and then added to human AB erythrocytes. Values are the means of three independent experiments. Error bars represent the SEM.</p

Model of PA inhibition of C1/MBL function.

<p>Our data favors a model in which PIC1 derivatives functionally disrupt the C1s-C1r-C1r-C1s/MASP interaction with the CLR of C1q/MBL, respectively. By PIC1 binding to the serine protease interaction site on CLR, the serine proteases are hypothesized to be in a suboptimal conformation for autoactivation and initiation of the classical and/or lectin pathways of complement.</p