A New Ligand-Based Method for Purifying Active Human Plasma-Derived Ficolin-3 Complexes Supports the Phenomenon of Crosstalk between Pattern-Recognition Molecules and Immunoglobulins

PLoS One. 2016 May 27;11(5):e0156691. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0156691. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

Despite recombinant protein technology development, proteins isolated from natural sources remain important for structure and activity determination. Ficolins represent a class of proteins that are difficult to isolate. To date, three methods for purifying ficolin-3 from plasma/serum have been proposed, defined by most critical step: (i) hydroxyapatite absorption chromatography (ii) N-acetylated human serum albumin affinity chromatography and (iii) anti-ficolin-3 monoclonal antibody-based affinity chromatography. We present a new protocol for purifying ficolin-3 complexes from human plasma that is based on an exclusive ligand: the O-specific polysaccharide of Hafnia alvei PCM 1200 LPS (O-PS 1200). The protocol includes (i) poly(ethylene glycol) precipitation; (ii) yeast and l-fucose incubation, for depletion of mannose-binding lectin; (iii) affinity chromatography using O-PS 1200-Sepharose; (iv) size-exclusion chromatography. Application of this protocol yielded average 2.2 mg of ficolin-3 preparation free of mannose-binding lectin (MBL), ficolin-1 and -2 from 500 ml of plasma. The protein was complexed with MBL-associated serine proteases (MASPs) and was able to activate the complement in vitro. In-process monitoring of MBL, ficolins, and total protein content revealed the presence of difficult-to-remove immunoglobulin G, M and A, in some extent in agreement with recent findings suggesting crosstalk between IgG and ficolin-3. We demonstrated that recombinant ficolin-3 interacts with IgG and IgM in a concentration-dependent manner. Although this association does not appear to influence ficolin-3-ligand interactions in vitro, it may have numerous consequences in vivo. Thus our purification procedure provides Ig-ficolin-3/MASP complexes that might be useful for gaining further insight into the crosstalk and biological activity of ficolin-3.

MeSH terms

  • Chemical Fractionation / methods*
  • Collectins / metabolism
  • Ficolins
  • Humans
  • Immunity, Innate
  • Immunoglobulins / metabolism*
  • Lectins / blood
  • Lectins / isolation & purification*
  • Lectins / metabolism*
  • Ligands
  • Mannose-Binding Protein-Associated Serine Proteases / metabolism
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / metabolism
  • Receptors, Complement / metabolism
  • Thrombin / metabolism

Substances

  • Colec11 protein, human
  • Collectins
  • Immunoglobulins
  • Lectins
  • Ligands
  • Membrane Glycoproteins
  • Receptors, Complement
  • complement 1q receptor
  • Mannose-Binding Protein-Associated Serine Proteases
  • Thrombin

Grants and funding

This research was supported by The Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education grant N40108432/1944 to JL, http://www.nauka.gov.pl/en/, and by the National Science Centre grant 2012/07/N/NZ6/04115 to AMK, https://www.ncn.gov.pl/?language=en. MM is the recipient of fellowship for PhD students from the National Science Center, 2015/16/T/NZ6/00412, https://www.ncn.gov.pl/?language=en. Publication supported by Wroclaw Centre of Biotechnology, programme The Leading National Research Centre (KNOW) for years 2014-2018, http://know.wroc.pl/?lang=en.