Journal: bioRxiv
Article Title: Peripheral Complement C4 Protein in Schizophrenia: Association with Gene Copy Number and Immune Cell Subtypes
doi: 10.1101/2025.09.16.676439
Figure Lengend Snippet: (a) Flow cytometry was used to quantify C4 protein in major immune cell subtypes. (b) C4 protein was measured by immunoblotting against C4 protein (22233 Proteintech, Rosemont IL) using WES (capillary-based western blotting) in isolated neutrophils sampled from 15 SCZ and 21 control individuals. Samples were normalized using cellular actin (8H10D10, Invitrogen, Waltham, MA, USA). (c) Table showing the Descriptive statistics of measured immune cell-associated C4 protein in samples from individuals with SCZ compared to controls using different methods. Group comparisons of C4 protein for each major immune cell type (and plasma) were performed using one-way ANOVA. (d-f) CM and NCM were isolated from frozen live PBMC samples. Isolated cells were incubated, fixed, and stained for C4 protein (antibody directed against C4 protein, Proteintech, 22233-1-AP). C4 protein is localized throughout monocyte cells but is preferentially localized at the periphery. Representative images of CMs stained with Hoeschet stain for DNA and fluorescently labeled antibody against C4 protein in a sample from a control participant and a sample from a participant with SCZ. (e) Quantification of C4 protein throughout each cell was performed by measuring the Mean Intensity (Mean) from immunofluorescent images of C4 protein using Fiji. A mask was created from the nuclear stain and used to subtract the central C4 protein fluorescence to determine the Peripheral C4 protein Mean Fluorescence. (f) Table showing the exploratory descriptive statistics of CM and NCM C4 protein in samples from individuals with SCZ compared to controls. RFU = Relative Fluorescent Unit.
Article Snippet: Then, cells were resuspended in permeabilization buffer and an antibody against the C4 protein beta chain with a conjugated fluorescent tag (Complement C4 polyclonal antibody, AbBy Fluor 647 Conjugated, Bioss, Woburn, MA) for 30 minutes at room temperature with rotation in the dark.
Techniques: Flow Cytometry, Western Blot, Isolation, Control, Clinical Proteomics, Incubation, Staining, Labeling, Fluorescence