title: Significance of CD163-Positive Macrophages in Proliferative Glomerulonephritis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  CD163, a marker of M2 macrophages, possesses anti-inflammatory properties. This study aims to investigate the clinicopathological significance of CD163-positive macrophages in proliferative glomerulonephritis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Renal tissue samples from patients with lupus nephritis (LN, n = 22), antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody (ANCA)-associated pauci-immune necrotizing glomerulonephritis (PNGN, n = 10), type 1 membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (n = 5), minimal change disease (n = 8) and normal control kidneys (n = 3) were included in this study. The expression of CD163, CD68, CD20 and CD3 in renal tissues was detected by immunohistochemistry or immunofluorescence. The level of urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CD163 was mainly expressed in active crescentic glomerulonephritis, proliferative glomerular lesions and areas of tubulointerstitial injury. Patients with LN-IV and PNGN had numerous CD163-positive cells in glomerular and acute tubulointerstitial lesions. CD163-positive cells in glomeruli positively correlated to proteinuria yet negatively correlated to estimated glomerular filtration rate. There was a positive correlation between the number of CD163 cells in acute tubulointerstitial lesions and NGAL levels, whereas a negative correlation between CD163 numbers and estimated glomerular filtration rate. The number of CD163-positive cells in crescentic glomerulonephritis was more than other groups. In LN, the number of CD163 cells in the tubulointerstitial and glomerular lesions had a positive correlation with activity index. Dual staining showed that CD163-positive cells also expressed CD68, although they did not show any staining for CD20 or CD3.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CD163-positive macrophages were involved in the pathogenesis of proliferative glomerular lesions, active crescentic glomerulonephritis and acute tubular injury of patients with PNGN and active LN.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Chang-Hua
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Dao-Liang
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gao
mesh_terms: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins / Q000652:urine; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000276:immunology*; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic / Q000276:immunology*; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate / Q000276:immunology; D005921:Glomerulonephritis / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000652:urine; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007668:Kidney / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D000071068:Lipocalin-2; D054834:Lipocalins / Q000652:urine; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D062072:Patient Acuity; D011507:Proteinuria / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000652:urine; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000276:immunology*; D051116:Receptors, Scavenger / Q000276:immunology; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D000098902:CD163 Antigen
chemical_list: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; D015703:Antigens, CD; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic; D000098902:CD163 Antigen; C489506:LCN2 protein, human; D000071068:Lipocalin-2; D054834:Lipocalins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D051116:Receptors, Scavenger