title: Significance of glomerular activation of the alternative pathway and lectin pathway in lupus nephritis.
abstract: The objective of the present study was to elucidate the association between glomerular complement depositions belonging to the alternative (AP) and lectin (LP) pathways, and clinical findings of lupus nephritis (LN). Immunofluorescence (IF) was performed on 17 LN patients using antibodies against factor B, factor H, properdin, mannose-binding lectin (MBL) and L-ficolin. Compared with factor B/factor H negative patients (n = 9), positive patients (n = 8) showed longer duration of LN (p < 0.05) and more severe interstitial fibrosis (p < 0.05). Eleven patients had properdin deposition in glomeruli, and in three of them, with a duration of LN of less than 1 month, factor B was undetectable. Compared with properdin negative patients (n = 6), positive patients (n = 11) showed significantly higher urinary protein excretion (p < 0.01). MBL/L-ficolin positive patients (n = 11) also had significantly higher urinary protein excretion (p < 0.05) compared with negative patients (n = 6). An independent association was found between glomerular deposition of properdin and that of MBL/L-ficolin (p < 0.01) in addition to factor B/factor H. Traces of glomerular activation of AP and LP reflected the clinical status of LN. It appears that glomerular deposition of each complement component, especially properdin, may be an index of the histological activity of LN.
authors: Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Juntendo University Faculty of Medicine, Japan.
authors: N
authors: N
authors: Sato
authors: I
authors: I
authors: Ohsawa
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Nagamachi
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Ishii
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Kusaba
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Inoshita
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Toki
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Horikoshi
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Ohi
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Matsushita
authors: Y
authors: Y
authors: Tomino
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D011415:Complement Factor B / Q000276:immunology; D017242:Complement Factor H / Q000276:immunology; D003170:Complement Pathway, Alternative / Q000276:immunology*; D037582:Complement Pathway, Mannose-Binding Lectin / Q000276:immunology*; D005355:Fibrosis; D006801:Humans; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D037102:Lectins / Q000276:immunology; D008181:Lupus Nephritis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D037601:Mannose-Binding Lectin / Q000276:immunology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011414:Properdin / Q000276:immunology; D011507:Proteinuria / Q000276:immunology; D055815:Young Adult; D000097604:Ficolins
chemical_list: D011415:Complement Factor B; D017242:Complement Factor H; D037102:Lectins; D037601:Mannose-Binding Lectin; D011414:Properdin; D000097604:Ficolins