title: Complement activation in patients with neuromyelitis optica.
abstract: The role of complement has been demonstrated in experimental models of neuromyelitis optica (NMO), however, only few studies have analysed complement components longitudinally in NMO patients. We measured serum or plasma concentrations of anti-C1q antibodies and complement split products C3a and C4a and soluble C5b-9 in patients with NMO, multiple sclerosis and healthy controls. NMO patients had higher levels of C3a and anti-C1q antibodies than healthy controls. C3a levels correlated with disease activity, neurological disability and aquaporin-4 IgG in NMO patients suggesting a role of the alternative pathway of complement in the pathogenesis of NMO and supporting the strategy of therapeutic complement inhibition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Center of Clinical Neuroscience, First Faculty of Medicine, General University Hospital, Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic; Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK. Electronic address: petranytrova@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nytrova
authors.affiliation: Third Department of Medicine, General University Hospital, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Eliska
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Potlukova
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Center of Clinical Neuroscience, First Faculty of Medicine, General University Hospital, Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kemlink
authors.affiliation: Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Woodhall
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Center of Clinical Neuroscience, First Faculty of Medicine, General University Hospital, Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Dana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Horakova
authors.affiliation: Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Waters
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Center of Clinical Neuroscience, First Faculty of Medicine, General University Hospital, Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Havrdova
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Clinical Immunology, Institute of Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Diagnostics, General University in Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Dana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zivorova
authors.affiliation: Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vincent
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Clinical Immunology, Department of Biomedicine, University Hospital Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Marten
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Trendelenburg
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D051401:Aquaporin 4 / Q000276:immunology; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D003167:Complement Activation / Q000276:immunology*; D015922:Complement C1q / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D015926:Complement C3a / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000276:immunology*; D009471:Neuromyelitis Optica / Q000276:immunology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C496030:AQP4 protein, human; D051401:Aquaporin 4; D001323:Autoantibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D015922:Complement C1q; D015926:Complement C3a
keywords: Aquaporin-4 IgG; C1q antibodies; Complement; Neuromyelitis optica