title: Complement components and their autoantibodies.
abstract: The purpose of the immune system is to defend the host from constantly changing microbial pathogens. Autoimmune diseases develop as a consequence of the production of antibodies and/or cells that react with self-antigens, and may recruit other effector mechanisms that result in tissue damage. Thus, in this context, autoimmunity represents an immune response to self-antigens that is sufficient to cause disease. This article is specifically devoted to autoantibodies directed against complement components.
authors.affiliation: Rhuematology Section, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Norsworthy
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Davies
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology*; D015551:Autoimmunity / Q000276:immunology*; D015153:Blotting, Western / Q000379:methods; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D003174:Complement C1 Inactivator Proteins; D050718:Complement C1 Inhibitor Protein; D003178:Complement C3 Nephritic Factor / Q000276:immunology; D003165:Complement System Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology*; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel / Q000379:methods; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D015336:Molecular Probe Techniques; D011506:Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D015843:Serpins / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D003174:Complement C1 Inactivator Proteins; D050718:Complement C1 Inhibitor Protein; D003178:Complement C3 Nephritic Factor; D011506:Proteins; C469952:SERPING1 protein, human; D015843:Serpins; C007105:c1q-binding proteins; D003165:Complement System Proteins