Decay-accelerating factor induction by tumour necrosis factor-alpha, through a phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase and protein kinase C-dependent pathway, protects murine vascular endothelial cells against complement deposition.

We have shown that human endothelial cells (EC) are protected against complement-mediated injury by the inducible expression of decay-accelerating factor (DAF). To understand further the importance of DAF regulation, we characterized EC DAF expression on murine EC in vitro and in vivo using a model of glomerulonephritis. Flow cytometry using the monoclonal antibody (mAb) Riko-3 [binds transmembrane- and glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored DAF], mAb Riko-4 (binds GPI-anchored DAF) and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), demonstrated that murine EC DAF is GPI-anchored. Tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) increased EC DAF expression, detectable at 6 hr and maximal at 24-48 hr poststimulation. DAF upregulation required increased steady-state DAF mRNA and protein synthesis. In contrast, no increased expression of the murine complement receptor-related protein-Y (Crry) was seen with TNF-alpha. DAF upregulation was mediated via a protein kinase C (PKC)alpha, phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI-3 kinase), p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB)-dependent pathway. The increased DAF was functionally relevant, resulting in a marked reduction in C3 deposition following complement activation. In a nephrotoxic nephritis model, DAF expression on glomerular capillaries was significantly increased 2 hr after the induction of disease. The demonstration of DAF upregulation above constitutive levels suggests that this may be important in the maintenance of vascular integrity during inflammation, when the risk of complement-mediated injury is increased. The mouse represents a suitable model for the study of novel therapeutic approaches by which vascular endothelium may be conditioned against complement-mediated injury.