title: Synthesis of the complement factors C3 and C4 within the central nervous system over the course of aseptic meningitis.
abstract: The concentrations of complement factors C3 and C4 were quantified by single radial immunodiffusion in unconcentrated cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and in serum from 38 patients up to 2 months after onset of acute aseptic meningitigs (AM). Elevated absolute concentrations were found in CSF in 26 and 35 patients, respectively, and in serum in 8 and 31, respectively. Elevation of the CSF C3 index, equal to (CSF/serum C3):(CSF/serum albumin), and of the corresponding CSF C4 index were found in 16 and 7 patients, respectively, as evidence of intrathecal synthesis. Only minor differences of the frequencies of elevated CSF C3 and C4 indices were encountered over the course of AM up to 2 months after onset. The occurrence of intrathecal C3 and C4 synthesis in AM is proposed as reflecting activation of hitherto unknown significance within the central nervous system.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism*; D003176:Complement C3 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D003181:Complement C4 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D006801:Humans; D008581:Meningitis / Q000378:metabolism*; D008582:Meningitis, Aseptic / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D003176:Complement C3; D003181:Complement C4