Critical evaluation of strategies for the production of blood coagulation factors in plant-based systems

Front Plant Sci.                online article

The human complement system is a part of the immune system responsible for elimination of invading microorganisms and apoptotic body cells via multiple signaling pathways. We describe a synthetic multi-target complement inhibitor produced in the moss Physcomitrella patens combining the activities of complement factor H (FH) and the FH-related protein 1 (FHR1) with cofactor and decay acceleration activities comparable to FH. Its mechanism of action on multiple levels within the alternative pathway of complement activation led to a higher inhibitory effect than FH on the whole alternative pathway. These in vitro activity tests strongly encourage the large-scale production of mossMFHR1´s to prove in vivo therapeutic activity.