title: Levels of urinary complement factor H in patients with IgA nephropathy are closely associated with disease activity.
abstract: Factor H plays a key inhibitory role in control of the activation of alternative pathway of complement system. The aim of the study was to investigate the predictive value of factor H as a biomarker of renal injury in IgA nephropathy (IgAN). Urine factor H concentration from 202 patients was measured and compared with that of 60 healthy volunteers. Forty-eight patients fulfilled Haas-I or II (group 1), 60 fulfilled Haas-III (group 2) and 94 fulfilled Haas-IV or V (group 3). Co-deposition of factor H and C3b in kidneys were investigated using confocal microscope. The levels of urinary factor H, when expressed as a ratio of urinary creatinine, were significantly higher in groups 3 than group 1 and 2, also significantly higher in group 2 than group 1. In addition, the levels of urinary factor H were significantly higher in those with factor H deposition in the kidney than those without deposition. The levels of urinary factor H may be a useful biomarker to evaluate kidney injury in IgAN.
authors.affiliation: Renal Division, Department of Medicine, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: J-J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: S-X
authors.initials: SX
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: W-Z
authors.initials: WZ
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: M-H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000652:urine; D003179:Complement C3b / Q000378:metabolism; D017242:Complement Factor H / Q000378:metabolism / Q000592:standards / Q000652:urine*; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D019085:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Direct; D005922:Glomerulonephritis, IGA / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000652:urine; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012015:Reference Standards; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D003179:Complement C3b; D017242:Complement Factor H; D003404:Creatinine