title: Elevated Plasma α-Defensins (HNP1-3) Levels Correlated with IgA1 Glycosylation and Susceptibility to IgA Nephropathy.
abstract: Aim. IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is the most common form of glomerulonephritis. Recent genome-wide association study (GWAS) suggested that DEFA locus (which encodes α-defensins) may play a key role in IgAN. Methods. The levels of α-defensins in 169 IgAN patients and 83 healthy controls were tested by ELISA. Results. We observed that α-defensins human neutrophil peptides 1-3 (HNP1-3) in IgAN patients were elevated compared with healthy controls. The mean levels of α-defensins of 83 healthy controls and 169 IgAN patients were 50 ng/mL and 78.42 ng/mL. When the results were adjusted to the mean levels of α-defensins of IgAN patients, the percentage of individuals with high levels of α-defensins increased in IgAN patients (22.5%) compared to healthy controls (9.6%) (p = 0.013). The elevation of α-defensins in IgAN patients was independent of renal function or neutrophil count, which were major sources of α-defensins in circulation. More importantly, negative correlation was observed between galactose-deficient IgA1and α-defensins. Conclusion. As α-defensin is a lectin-like peptide, we speculated that it might be involved in IgA galactose deficiency. The data implied that patients with IgAN had higher plasma α-defensins levels and high α-defensins correlated with IgA galactose deficiency, further suggesting a pathogenic role of α-defensins in IgAN.
authors: Renal Division, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing 100034, China; Peking University Institute of Nephrology, Beijing 100034, China; Key Laboratory of Renal Disease, Ministry of Health of China, Beijing 100034, China; Key Laboratory of Chronic Kidney Disease Prevention and Treatment, Peking University, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100034, China.
authors: Yuan-Yuan
authors: YY
authors: Qi
authors: Renal Division, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing 100034, China; Peking University Institute of Nephrology, Beijing 100034, China; Key Laboratory of Renal Disease, Ministry of Health of China, Beijing 100034, China; Key Laboratory of Chronic Kidney Disease Prevention and Treatment, Peking University, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100034, China.
authors: Xu-Jie
authors: XJ
authors: Zhou
authors: Shandong Provincial Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250021, China.
authors: Fa-Juan
authors: FJ
authors: Cheng
authors: Renal Division, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing 100034, China; Peking University Institute of Nephrology, Beijing 100034, China; Key Laboratory of Renal Disease, Ministry of Health of China, Beijing 100034, China; Key Laboratory of Chronic Kidney Disease Prevention and Treatment, Peking University, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100034, China.
authors: Hong
authors: 0000-0001-9855-4068
authors: H
authors: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005922:Glomerulonephritis, IGA / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D023084:alpha-Defensins / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D023084:alpha-Defensins; C406413:human neutrophil peptide 1; C406416:human neutrophil peptide 2; C406427:human neutrophil peptide 3