Jelly - hep, complement

[Guest guest]

Jelly thanks for doin your site, Ive just been looking thru it.

Factor H (fH) is not heparin, rather its a protein the host uses to

prevent complement from depositing on host cells.

You probably know about the complement system... a real kick-ass

system... if not: its structurally similar to the coag system. The

several complement proteins are everywhere in humor floating around

all the time, but in inactive form. The first complement protein binds

to certain bacteria molecules, or to the " butt " ends of antibodies,

and in doing so activates itself and then activates the second one,

which activates the third one, etc. This can culminate in the

formation of a lethal pore (made of complement fragments) in the

bacterial membrane. Inflammation and chemotaxis (attraction of white

cells) are also set off in this cascade.

We would all be in trouble if the body didnt make doubly sure

complement doesnt fix to our own cells (in most situations). Factor H

is part of this but I dont really know much about it all. Anyway, when

borrelia " steals " Factor H using exposed proteins known as CRASPs, the

lethal pore (Membrane Attack Complex) is prevented from forming.

> Dumb question, is the factor H they talk about, heparin? I read some

> stuff about heparin binding to Lyme and inhibiting it. I also just

> found a recent study out of Japan on heparin totally clearing

> Babesia. It's on my website in the Lyme section, along with tons of

> stuff about heparin and hypercoagulation. There is a whole topci

> forum on hypercoagualtion. The address is in the links section to

> the left, thanks to Penny.

>