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Comparison Of Anti-Pneumococcal Functions Of Native And Modified Forms Of C-Reactive Protein, Donald Neba Ngwa
Comparison Of Anti-Pneumococcal Functions Of Native And Modified Forms Of C-Reactive Protein, Donald Neba Ngwa
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The anti-pneumococcal function of native C-reactive protein (CRP) involves its binding to phosphocholine molecules present on Streptococcus pneumoniae and subsequent activation of the complement system. However, when pneumococci recruit complement inhibitory protein factor H on their surface, they escape complement attack. Non-native forms of CRP have been shown to bind immobilized factor H. Accordingly, we hypothesized that modified CRP would bind to factor H on pneumococci, masking its complement inhibitory activity, allowing native CRP to exert its anti-pneumococcal function. As reported previously, native CRP protected mice from lethal pneumococcal infection when injected 30 minutes before infection but not when injected …
C-Reactive Protein Interactions With Cellular Membranes And Supported Lipid Bilayers, Aml Abd Alhamed Alnaas
C-Reactive Protein Interactions With Cellular Membranes And Supported Lipid Bilayers, Aml Abd Alhamed Alnaas
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
C-reactive protein (CRP) is a serum protein that binds to damaged membranes and initiates the complement immune response. Different forms of CRP are thought to alter how the body responds to inflammation and the degradation of foreign material. Despite knowing that a modified form of CRP(mCRP) binds to downstream protein binding partners better than the native pentameric form, the role of CRP conformation on lipid binding is yet unknown. In this work, three main assays were performed to characterize how conformation affects CRP-membrane interactions. The first assay utilized supported lipid bilayers that mimic the plasma membrane of apoptotic cells. The …