9qj4

Structural highlights

Disease

CO4A_HUMAN Defects in C4A are the cause of complement component 4A deficiency (C4AD) [MIM:614380. A rare defect of the complement classical pathway associated with the development of autoimmune disorders, mainly systemic lupus with or without associated glomerulonephritis.^[1] Defects in C4A are a cause of susceptibility to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) [MIM:152700. A chronic, inflammatory and often febrile multisystemic disorder of connective tissue. It affects principally the skin, joints, kidneys and serosal membranes. It is thought to represent a failure of the regulatory mechanisms of the autoimmune system. Note=Interindividual copy-number variation (CNV) of complement component C4 and associated polymorphisms result in different susceptibilities to SLE. The risk of SLE susceptibility has been shown to be significantly increased among subjects with only two copies of total C4. A high copy number is a protective factor against SLE.^[2]

Function

CO4A_HUMAN C4 plays a central role in the activation of the classical pathway of the complement system. It is processed by activated C1 which removes from the alpha chain the C4a anaphylatoxin. The remaining alpha chain fragment C4b is the major activation product and is an essential subunit of the C3 convertase (C4b2a) and the C5 convertase (C3bC4b2a) enzymes of the classical complement pathway. Derived from proteolytic degradation of complement C4, C4a anaphylatoxin is a mediator of local inflammatory process. It induces the contraction of smooth muscle, increases vascular permeability and causes histamine release from mast cells and basophilic leukocytes.

References

1. ↑ Barba G, Rittner C, Schneider PM. Genetic basis of human complement C4A deficiency. Detection of a point mutation leading to nonexpression. J Clin Invest. 1993 Apr;91(4):1681-6. PMID:8473511 doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1172/JCI116377
2. ↑ Yang Y, Chung EK, Wu YL, Savelli SL, Nagaraja HN, Zhou B, Hebert M, Jones KN, Shu Y, Kitzmiller K, Blanchong CA, McBride KL, Higgins GC, Rennebohm RM, Rice RR, Hackshaw KV, Roubey RA, Grossman JM, Tsao BP, Birmingham DJ, Rovin BH, Hebert LA, Yu CY. Gene copy-number variation and associated polymorphisms of complement component C4 in human systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE): low copy number is a risk factor for and high copy number is a protective factor against SLE susceptibility in European Americans. Am J Hum Genet. 2007 Jun;80(6):1037-54. Epub 2007 Apr 26. PMID:17503323 doi:10.1086/518257