title: Endogenous complement C3 synthesis in immune complex nephritis.
abstract: Human renal epithelial and mesangial cells have been shown to synthesise complement C3 in culture, but the relevance of this finding to the development of complement-mediated nephritis is uncertain. We investigated C3 gene expression in tissue biopsies that showed three main categories of renal injury. By semiquantitative polymerase chain reaction, biopsies from patients with immune-complex glomerulonephritis and those with cell-mediated interstitial nephritis showed increased C3 expression (p < 0.05), but biopsies from patients with non-immune glomerular injury did not. These findings suggest that local C3 production is enhanced in immune-mediated nephritis and are consistent with the hypothesis that locally synthesised complement components are involved in the pathogenesis of tissue injury.
authors.affiliation: Renal Laboratory, United Medical School of Guy's Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Sacks
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Andrews
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hartley
mesh_terms: D015932:Complement C3c / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D046508:Culture Techniques; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D007105:Immune Complex Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D007672:Kidney Cortex / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D009393:Nephritis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D015932:Complement C3c