title: Significant elevations in serum mannose-binding lectin levels in patients with chronic renal failure.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Mannose-binding lectin (MBL), a liver-derived C-type serum lectin, activates the complement cascade through the lectin pathway. Since the complement system contributes to the host defense against infections and mediates inflammatory processes including atherosclerosis, and since chronic renal failure (CRF) patients are prone to the development of infectious complications and cardiovascular disease, we focused on serum MBL levels in CRF patients who were either uremic, or who were receiving hemodialysis treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  MBL levels were measured in the sera of subjects with CRF before they began dialysis treatment (pre-HD patients; n = 23) and in the sera of subjects who were receiving maintenance hemodialysis (HD patients; n = 178), by ELISA using polyclonal anti-rabbit IgG and a monoclonal antibody directed against MBL (3E7).
  
  
  METHODS
  Mean levels (+/- SD) of serum MBL were significantly higher in pre-HD subjects (4.343 +/- 2.533 microg/ml, p < 0.05) and in HD subjects (8.897 +/- 4.920 microg/ml, p < 0.05), than in healthy controls (1.452 +/- 0.692 microg/ml). Levels were also significantly higher in HD subjects than in pre-HD subjects (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Elevated serum MBL levels in patients with CRF might have significantly influence pathologic conditions such as alterations of the immune system and acceleration of atherogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephrology, Internal Medicine II, Nihon University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Satomura
authors.forename: Morita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Endo
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ohi
authors.forename: Sukemasa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sudo
authors.forename: Isao
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ohsawa
authors.forename: Takayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fujita
authors.forename: Misao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matsushita
authors.forename: Teizo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fujita
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D003165:Complement System Proteins; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000097:blood* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D037601:Mannose-Binding Lectin / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D006435:Renal Dialysis
chemical_list: D037601:Mannose-Binding Lectin; D003165:Complement System Proteins; D002097:C-Reactive Protein