Mouse Complement: The Effect of Sex Hormones and Castration on Two of the Late-Acting Components

Abstract

The titer of late-acting complement components in sera from male mice is 8–10 times higher than the titer of sera from female mice. Using assays developed to measure the serum content of two of the late-acting components, we have shown that this difference is due to the effect of androgen and estrogen on these two late-acting complement components. These two components have been tentatively identified as C'5 and C'6. Androgen and estrogen have greater effect on C'6 than on C'5. The possibility has not been excluded that still other of the late-acting complement components are affected by androgens and estrogens. The course of homograft rejection was unchanged in mice deficient in C'5 and C'6.

Deficiency in Complement C1q Improves Histological and Functional Locomotor Outcome after Spinal Cord Injury

“…Moreover, our studies suggest that the low total complement activity in male BL/6 mice as assessed by CH50 assays may be partially attributed to a reduction in C5 activity. These findings are in accordance with studies suggesting that total classical complement activity between these strains may result from variations in terminal complement components (Churchil et al, 1967; Churchil.Wh et al, 1967; Nilsson, 1967; Nilsson and Mullereb, 1967; Osmers et al, 2006). …”

Murine candidiasis: Sex differences in the severity of tissue lesions are not associated with levels of serum C3 and C5

“…Male mice are known to have higher serum concentrations of C5 than females (15,16), and this observation was confirmed for both BALB/c and CBA/H strains ( Table 1). The difference in C5 concentration between males and females from BALB/c mice was similar to that reported previously (16), providing further evidence for the specificity of the goat anti-mouse C5.…”

“…molytic activity and serum concentrations of C5 are different in male and female mice (15,16). We therefore sought to determine whether there was any correlation between the severity of tissue lesions and the serum concentrations of C3 orC5 in male and female mice of susceptible and resistant strains.…”

Transfected cDNA Directs Expression of Hemolytically Active Murine C4 in Cultured Mouse and Monkey Cells

“…scribed [33,34], As defined in this model, the concen tration of the sample (presented as the dilution) giv ing a Z value of 1.0 represents the point at which there is one effective 'hit' per cell; the reciprocal of the dilu tion factor is referred to as the titer or the number of hemolytic units per ml in the above described test system.…”