Human factor H-related protein 2 (CFHR2) regulates complement activation.
(2013) Human factor H-related protein 2 (CFHR2) regulates complement activation. PLoS One 8(11), e78617. PubMed
ILRS Authors
Denise Buhlmann Qian Chen Hannes Eberhardt
Projects
The role of CFHR proteins in human autoimmune diseases
Details
Functional characterization of the soluble complement receptor type II (CR2/CD21) in infection
Details
Abstract
Mutations and deletions within the human CFHR gene cluster on chromosome 1 are associated with diseases, such as dense deposit disease, CFHR nephropathy or age-related macular degeneration. Resulting mutant CFHR proteins can affect complement regulation. Here we identify human CFHR2 as a novel alternative pathway complement regulator that inhibits the C3 alternative pathway convertase and terminal pathway assembly. CFHR2 is composed of four short consensus repeat domains (SCRs). Two CFHR2 molecules form a dimer through their N-terminal SCRs, and each of the two C-terminal ends can bind C3b. C3b bound CFHR2 still allows C3 convertase formation but the CFHR2 bound convertases do not cleave the substrate C3. Interestingly CFHR2 hardly competes off factor H from C3b. Thus CFHR2 likely acts in concert with factor H, as CFHR2 inhibits convertases while simultaneously allowing factor H assisted degradation by factor I.
Identifier
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0078617 PMID: 24260121

