title: [Evaluation of urinary factor H excretion in patients with idiopathic membranous nephropathy].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The complement system plays an important role in renal pathogenesis, and C5b-9, a terminal complement complex, is regarded as the principal mediator of proteinuria in idiopathic membranous nephropathy(MN). Since factor H regulates complement activation at the C3 step and is a crucial factor in complement-mediated tissue injury, the urinary excretion of factor H in patients with idiopathic MN was investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seven patients with biopsy-proven idiopathic MN were studied for twenty-four weeks. Urinary factor H levels were measured by ELISA from regularly collected urine samples, and then evaluated and compared with assays of urinary protein and C5b-9 excretion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the study, five patients were treated with steroid therapy. All seven patients maintained stable renal function and showed a decline in urinary protein excretion. The mean level of urinary factor H was markedly elevated (156.1 +/- 47.1 U/mg U-Cr) before treatment (0 week), and gradually declined to 127.2 +/- 43.5 U/mg U-Cr at 12 weeks, and to 64.7 +/- 26.9 U/mg U-Cr) at 24 weeks. This followed decreases in urinary protein and urinary C5b-9 excretion. Percent change in urinary factor H level significantly decreased 24 weeks after treatment without affecting the plasma factor H level.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that factor H contributes to the regulatory mechanism of in situ complement activation, and thus the study of urinary factor H levels, as well as urinary C5b-9, may be significant in idiopathic MN.
authors: Faculty of Human Health Science, Hachinohe University, Aomori, Japan.
authors: Morito
authors: M
authors: Endo
authors: Yoshinobu
authors: Y
authors: Fuke
authors: Hiroyuki
authors: H
authors: Ohi
authors: Atsushi
authors: A
authors: Satomura
authors: Noboru
authors: N
authors: Fukuda
authors: Takayuki
authors: T
authors: Fujita
authors: Koichi
authors: K
authors: Matsumoto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000652:urine; D017242:Complement Factor H / Q000652:urine*; D015938:Complement Membrane Attack Complex / Q000652:urine; D005260:Female; D015433:Glomerulonephritis, Membranous / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011507:Proteinuria / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D015938:Complement Membrane Attack Complex; D017242:Complement Factor H