title: The possible role of membrane complement regulators in vasculitis.
abstract: Potentially, damage to endothelial cells of small vessel walls may be induced by the deposition of immune complexes and subsequent complement activation. The degree of deposition of C3b onto the endothelial cell surface under normal conditions is regulated by a number of membrane-bound regulators. Under inflammatory conditions various cytokines could potentially deregulate the expression and function of the membrane-bound complement inhibitors. Such a process could potentially increase the susceptibility of the endothelial cell layer to complement-mediated attack and provoke a vascular lesion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, University Hospital Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Daha
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000502:physiology; D018958:CD55 Antigens; D018957:CD59 Antigens; D003167:Complement Activation; D003176:Complement C3 / Q000502:physiology; D003169:Complement Inactivator Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D003165:Complement System Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007105:Immune Complex Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000502:physiology; D014657:Vasculitis / Q000097:blood / Q000145:classification / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D018958:CD55 Antigens; D018957:CD59 Antigens; D003176:Complement C3; D003169:Complement Inactivator Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D003165:Complement System Proteins