H. Molina et al., ANALYSIS OF C3B C3D BINDING-SITES AND FACTOR-I COFACTOR REGIONS WITHIN MOUSE COMPLEMENT RECEPTOR-1 AND RECEPTOR-2/, The Journal of immunology, 153(2), 1994, pp. 789-795
Human and murine CR1 and CR2 are defined as evolutionary homologues on
the basis of their in vitro activities and a shared structural motif
known as a short consensus repeat (SCR). To identify additional simila
rities between the two species, we analyzed the functional domains wit
hin the mouse receptors by constructing mouse-human chimeric cDNAs in
which the C3 binding site of human CR2 has been replaced by different
regions within the first eight SCRs of mouse CR1. Rosette analysis of
cells expressing chimeric proteins, with erythrocytes bearing differen
t mouse C3 fragments, coupled with rosette inhibition studies using sp
ecific anti-mouse CR1/CR2 mAbs reveal a weak C3b binding site within S
CRs 1 and 2 of mouse CR1. There is no independent C3b interacting doma
in within SCRs 3 to 6, but their presence enhances C3 binding. A molec
ule that contains only the first six SCRs of mouse CR1 also binds C3b,
but with less efficiency. There is no C3d binding area within the fir
st six SCRs, but our data confirms previous studies indicating an addi
tional C3b/C3d binding region within SCRs 7 and 8 of mouse CR1 (SCRs 1
-2 of mouse CR2). The presence of SCRs 1 to 4 is required for C3 cofac
tor activity. 8C12, a mAb which blocks C3b erythrocyte rosette binding
and the C3 cofactor activity of mouse CR1, binds only to chimeras con
taining SCRs 3 to 4. In summary, human and mouse CR1 contain two indep
endent C3b binding sites and share a common framework consisting of SC
Rs involved in ligand binding and nonbinding SCRs that optimize activi
ty, further supporting the hypothesis that these two molecules act as
functional homologues.