Antibody-independent activation of the classical complement pathway by cytomegalovirus-infected fibroblasts.

Human fibroblasts weakly activated the alternative complement pathway, as assessed by C3b deposition, while 4- to 5-fold more C3b was observed 4 days after infection on cytomegalovirus (CMV)-infected fibroblasts when incubated with human serum. CMV-infected fibroblasts activated via the classical complement pathway independent of specific anti-CMV antibody and incubation of CMV-infected fibroblasts with serum deficient in complement components revealed that C1q, but not mannan-binding lectin, was required for complement activation. The enhanced complement activation by CMV-infected cells was observed as early as 4 h after infection and required the active transcription of CMV genes. No difference in the complement activation by CMV-infected cells was observed with the use of CMV-seropositive or -seronegative serum as a complement source, suggesting that CMV infection induces or up-regulates a protein that binds directly to C1q in a complement-activating conformation.