title: The role of complement activation in the pathogenesis of Fuchs' dystrophy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Inflammation can be an etiologic factor of Fuchs' dystrophy according to previous studies. Our aim was to analyse the activation of the complement system in the aqueous humor in this pathological condition.
  
  
  METHODS
  100 μl aqueous humor sample was taken during keratoplasty of 11 Fuchs' dystrophic patients and during phacoemulsification surgery of 18 control patients. The samples were mixed with EDTA and stored at -80 °C. Concentrations of C1rC1sC1Inh and C3bBbP complexes as markers of the activation of the classical and alternative complement pathways, respectively, were measured with ELISA method. The results of the patient group and the control group were compared with statistical analysis (non-parametric Mann Whitney test).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both the concentrations of C1rC1sC1Inh [4.3 (3.2-20.2)AU/ml] and of C3bBbP [15.3 (7.8-22.6)AU/ml] were significantly higher in the Fuchs' dystrophic group than in the control group [C1rC1sC1Inh: 0.0 (0.0-5.6)AU/ml, C3bBbP: 1.4 (0.0-7.8)AU/ml]. The median value is shown along with the (25% and 75% percentiles).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on our results, the complement system may be activated both through the classical and alternative pathways in the aqueous humor of the patients with Fuchs' dystrophy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Semmelweis University, 1085, Mária u. 39, Budapest, Hungary. Electronic address: fustagi@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Ágnes
authors.initials: Á
authors.lastname: Füst
authors.affiliation: 3rd Department of Internal Medicine, Research Laboratory, Semmelweis University, 1125, Kútvölgyi út 4, Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: Dorottya
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Csuka
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Semmelweis University, 1085, Mária u. 39, Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: László
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Imre
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Semmelweis University, 1085, Mária u. 39, Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: Mária
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bausz
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Semmelweis University, 1085, Mária u. 39, Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: Attila
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nagymihály
authors.affiliation: 3rd Department of Internal Medicine, Research Laboratory, Semmelweis University, 1125, Kútvölgyi út 4, Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: György
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Füst
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Semmelweis University, 1085, Mária u. 39, Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: Ágnes
authors.initials: Á
authors.lastname: Csorvási
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Semmelweis University, 1085, Mária u. 39, Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: János
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Németh
authors.affiliation: 3rd Department of Internal Medicine, Research Laboratory, Semmelweis University, 1125, Kútvölgyi út 4, Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: Lilian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Varga
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001082:Aqueous Humor / Q000737:chemistry; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003167:Complement Activation / Q000502:physiology*; D050718:Complement C1 Inhibitor Protein / Q000032:analysis; D015923:Complement C1r / Q000032:analysis; D003173:Complement C1s / Q000032:analysis; D003179:Complement C3b / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005642:Fuchs' Endothelial Dystrophy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D050718:Complement C1 Inhibitor Protein; D003179:Complement C3b; D015923:Complement C1r; D003173:Complement C1s
keywords: Aqueous humor; Complement activation; Corneal endothelium; Fuchs’dystrophy