title: Serum complement factor H is associated with clinical and pathological activities of patients with lupus nephritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate serum complement factor H (CFH) and its associations with clinical and pathological features in patients with LN.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum CFH was detected in 241 LN patients, 38 active and 11 inactive patients with SLE without clinical evidence of renal involvement and 51 normal controls. Serum CFH autoantibodies and CFH Tyr402His were screened in the 241 LN patients. CFH deposition in kidneys was detected in some patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum CFH levels in patients with LN at active phase were significantly lower than in 38 SLE patients or in normal controls. No serum anti-CFH autoantibodies were detected in patients with LN, and there was no significant difference in CFH Tyr402His distribution between patients with LN and normal controls. Glomerular expression of CFH was stronger than in normal controls. Serum CFH levels were mildly negatively associated with SLEDAI scores (r = -0.204, P = 0.001) and positively associated with serum C3 (r = 0.367, P < 0.001) and haemoglobulin levels (r = 0.193, P = 0.003). Patients with LN class III, subclass IV-S and those with thrombotic microangiopathy had the lowest serum CFH.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum CFH levels were associated with disease activity of LN.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Renal Division, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Feng-mei
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Di
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Ming-hui
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000378:metabolism; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D017242:Complement Factor H / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000378:metabolism; D008181:Lupus Nephritis / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D015415:Biomarkers; D017242:Complement Factor H