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Gibson BG, Cox TE, Marchbank KJ. Contribution of animal models to the mechanistic understanding of Alternative Pathway and Amplification Loop (AP/AL)-driven Complement-mediated Diseases. Immunol Rev 2023; 313:194-216. [PMID: 36203396 PMCID: PMC10092198 DOI: 10.1111/imr.13141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
This review aimed to capture the key findings that animal models have provided around the role of the alternative pathway and amplification loop (AP/AL) in disease. Animal models, particularly mouse models, have been incredibly useful to define the role of complement and the alternative pathway in health and disease; for instance, the use of cobra venom factor and depletion of C3 provided the initial insight that complement was essential to generate an appropriate adaptive immune response. The development of knockout mice have further underlined the importance of the AP/AL in disease, with the FH knockout mouse paving the way for the first anti-complement drugs. The impact from the development of FB, properdin, and C3 knockout mice closely follows this in terms of mechanistic understanding in disease. Indeed, our current understanding that complement plays a role in most conditions at one level or another is rooted in many of these in vivo studies. That C3, in particular, has roles beyond the obvious in innate and adaptive immunity, normal physiology, and cellular functions, with or without other recognized AP components, we would argue, only extends the reach of this arm of the complement system. Humanized mouse models also continue to play their part. Here, we argue that the animal models developed over the last few decades have truly helped define the role of the AP/AL in disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beth G. Gibson
- Complement Therapeutics Research Group and Newcastle University Translational and Clinical Research InstituteFaculty of Medical ScienceNewcastle‐upon‐TyneUK
- National Renal Complement Therapeutics CentreaHUS ServiceNewcastle upon TyneUK
| | - Thomas E. Cox
- Complement Therapeutics Research Group and Newcastle University Translational and Clinical Research InstituteFaculty of Medical ScienceNewcastle‐upon‐TyneUK
- National Renal Complement Therapeutics CentreaHUS ServiceNewcastle upon TyneUK
| | - Kevin J. Marchbank
- Complement Therapeutics Research Group and Newcastle University Translational and Clinical Research InstituteFaculty of Medical ScienceNewcastle‐upon‐TyneUK
- National Renal Complement Therapeutics CentreaHUS ServiceNewcastle upon TyneUK
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2
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Peters K. Physiology and pathology of the C3 amplification cycle: A retrospective. Immunol Rev 2023; 313:217-224. [PMID: 36408746 PMCID: PMC10099761 DOI: 10.1111/imr.13165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The C3 "Tickover" hypothesis, a mechanism whereby the host maintains constant surveillance of potential invading pathogens, targeting them for elimination through amplified C3b generation and C3-dependent effector mechanisms, was proposed by the late Professor Peter Lachmann in 1973. This unique insight came from a combined understanding of the complement system as it was then defined and the nature of the disease process in rare complement deficiencies and complement-driven diseases. In this review, I give a personal perspective of how understanding of "Tickover" has developed in the subsequent 50 years, culminating in the introduction into the clinic of therapeutic agents designed to combat amplification-driven disease.
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3
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Kamala O, Malik TH, Hallam TM, Cox TE, Yang Y, Vyas F, Luli S, Connelly C, Gibson B, Smith-Jackson K, Denton H, Pappworth IY, Huang L, Kavanagh D, Pickering MC, Marchbank KJ. Homodimeric Minimal Factor H: In Vivo Tracking and Extended Dosing Studies in Factor H Deficient Mice. Front Immunol 2021; 12:752916. [PMID: 34956184 PMCID: PMC8696033 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.752916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
C3 glomerulopathy (C3G) is associated with dysregulation of the alternative pathway (AP) of complement and treatment options remain inadequate. Factor H (FH) is a potent regulator of the AP. An in-depth analysis of FH-related protein dimerised minimal (mini)-FH constructs has recently been published. This analysis showed that addition of a dimerisation module to mini-FH not only increased serum half-life but also improved complement regulatory function, thus providing a potential treatment option for C3G. Herein, we describe the production of a murine version of homodimeric mini-FH [mHDM-FH (mFH1-5^18-20^R1-2)], developed to reduce the risk of anti-drug antibody formation during long-term experiments in murine models of C3G and other complement-driven pathologies. Our analysis of mHDM-FH indicates that it binds with higher affinity and avidity to WT mC3b when compared to mouse (m)FH (mHDM-FH KD=505 nM; mFH KD=1370 nM) analogous to what we observed with the respective human proteins. The improved binding avidity resulted in enhanced complement regulatory function in haemolytic assays. Extended interval dosing studies in CFH-/- mice (5mg/kg every 72hrs) were partially effective and bio-distribution analysis in CFH-/- mice, through in vivo imaging technologies, demonstrates that mHDM-FH is preferentially deposited and remains fixed in the kidneys (and liver) for up to 4 days. Extended dosing using an AAV- human HDM-FH (hHDM-FH) construct achieved complete normalisation of C3 levels in CFH-/- mice for 3 months and was associated with a significant reduction in glomerular C3 staining. Our data demonstrate the ability of gene therapy delivery of mini-FH constructs to enhance complement regulation in vivo and support the application of this approach as a novel treatment strategy in diseases such as C3G.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ola Kamala
- Complement Therapeutics Research Group and National Renal Complement Therapeutics Centre, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, The Medical School, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Talat H. Malik
- Centre for Inflammatory Disease, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas M. Hallam
- Complement Therapeutics Research Group and National Renal Complement Therapeutics Centre, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, The Medical School, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas E. Cox
- Complement Therapeutics Research Group and National Renal Complement Therapeutics Centre, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, The Medical School, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Yi Yang
- Complement Therapeutics Research Group and National Renal Complement Therapeutics Centre, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, The Medical School, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Falguni Vyas
- Complement Therapeutics Research Group and National Renal Complement Therapeutics Centre, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, The Medical School, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Saimir Luli
- Preclinical In Vivo Imaging, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, The Medical School, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Chloe Connelly
- Complement Therapeutics Research Group and National Renal Complement Therapeutics Centre, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, The Medical School, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Beth Gibson
- Complement Therapeutics Research Group and National Renal Complement Therapeutics Centre, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, The Medical School, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Kate Smith-Jackson
- Complement Therapeutics Research Group and National Renal Complement Therapeutics Centre, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, The Medical School, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Harriet Denton
- Complement Therapeutics Research Group and National Renal Complement Therapeutics Centre, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, The Medical School, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Isabel Y. Pappworth
- Complement Therapeutics Research Group and National Renal Complement Therapeutics Centre, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, The Medical School, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Lei Huang
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, The Medical School, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - David Kavanagh
- Complement Therapeutics Research Group and National Renal Complement Therapeutics Centre, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, The Medical School, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew C. Pickering
- Centre for Inflammatory Disease, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Kevin J. Marchbank
- Complement Therapeutics Research Group and National Renal Complement Therapeutics Centre, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, The Medical School, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, United Kingdom
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Song H, Zhang M, Li X, Xu F, Zhang D, Zhu X, Zhang J, Qin W, Shi S, Wen J. Generation and Characterization of Mouse Models of C3 Glomerulonephritis With CFI D288G and P467S Mutations. Front Physiol 2021; 12:649801. [PMID: 34149444 PMCID: PMC8209374 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.649801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
C3 glomerulopathy (C3GP) is a disease entity caused by abnormality of the complement alternative pathway (AP) and characterized by C3 deposition in glomeruli. Many variations or mutations of complement factors are believed to underlie the susceptibility to C3GP, but there is a lack of experimental evidence. We have recently reported a patient with C3 glomerulonephritis (C3GN) and compound heterozygosity of two novel variations in the complement factor (CFI). Here, we generated a mouse model to mimic the CFI variations for studying pathogenicity of CFI variations in C3GN development. We used the CRISPR/Cas9 system to make mutant mouse lines that carried D288G and P467S mutations in CFI, respectively, and crossed them to generate mice with compound heterozygosity of CFI D288G and P467S. The mice were all normal in either SPF (specific pathogen free) or regular environment. When treated with lipopolysaccharides (LPS), a bacterial endotoxin that mimics infection and sepsis, the mice developed albuminuria, kidney function impairment, and C3 glomerular deposition at levels comparable with the wild-type mice. The mice with other genotypes concerning CFI D288G and P467S were also tested in parallel. Unexpectedly, we found that the D288G homozygotes all developed severe mesangial deposition of C3 in the LPS model, indicating that CFI D288G variation was involved in the C3 deposition, a key feature of C3GN. The mouse lines generated in the present study can be used to further study the role of CFI variations in C3GN development; in addition, they may be used to screen and test infections and environmental factors capable of triggering C3GN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Song
- National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Diseases, Affiliated Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Mingchao Zhang
- National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Diseases, Affiliated Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xue Li
- National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Diseases, Affiliated Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Feng Xu
- National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Diseases, Affiliated Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Difei Zhang
- Department of Nephrology, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaodong Zhu
- National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Diseases, Affiliated Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jiong Zhang
- National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Diseases, Affiliated Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Weisong Qin
- National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Diseases, Affiliated Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Shaolin Shi
- National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Diseases, Affiliated Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jiqiu Wen
- National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Diseases, Affiliated Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
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Gain-of-function factor H-related 5 protein impairs glomerular complement regulation resulting in kidney damage. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2022722118. [PMID: 33753502 PMCID: PMC8020653 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2022722118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The complement system is integral to innate immunity and host defense. However, inappropriate activation causes host tissue damage and disease. In health, this is prevented by a complex protein network that includes the factor H proteins. Understanding control of complement is critical to treat complement-mediated disease. We demonstrate that a gain-of-function mutant factor H–related 5 protein (FHR5) results in glomerular damage. The mutant interfered with complement regulation within the kidney, resulting in complement accumulation within glomeruli and kidney damage. Administration of a complement regulator with enhanced surface regulatory activity reduced mutant-associated glomerular complement. FHR5 can disrupt the homeostatic regulation of complement within the kidney, and targeting FHR5 represents a way to treat some types of complement-mediated kidney injury. Genetic variation within the factor H–related (FHR) genes is associated with the complement-mediated kidney disease, C3 glomerulopathy (C3G). There is no definitive treatment for C3G, and a significant proportion of patients develop end-stage renal disease. The prototypical example is CFHR5 nephropathy, through which an internal duplication within a single CFHR5 gene generates a mutant FHR5 protein (FHR5mut) that leads to accumulation of complement C3 within glomeruli. To elucidate how abnormal FHR proteins cause C3G, we modeled CFHR5 nephropathy in mice. Animals lacking the murine factor H (FH) and FHR proteins, but coexpressing human FH and FHR5mut (hFH-FHR5mut), developed glomerular C3 deposition, whereas mice coexpressing human FH with the normal FHR5 protein (hFH-FHR5) did not. Like in patients, the FHR5mut had a dominant gain-of-function effect, and when administered in hFH-FHR5 mice, it triggered C3 deposition. Importantly, adeno-associated virus vector-delivered homodimeric mini-FH, a molecule with superior surface C3 binding compared to FH, reduced glomerular C3 deposition in the presence of the FHR5mut. Our data demonstrate that FHR5mut causes C3G by disrupting the homeostatic regulation of complement within the kidney and is directly pathogenic in C3G. These results support the use of FH-derived molecules with enhanced C3 binding for treating C3G associated with abnormal FHR proteins. They also suggest that targeting FHR5 represents a way to treat complement-mediated kidney injury.
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Devalaraja-Narashimha K, Meagher K, Luo Y, Huang C, Kaplan T, Muthuswamy A, Halasz G, Casanova S, O'Brien J, Peyser Boiarsky R, McWhirter J, Gartner H, Bai Y, MacDonnell S, Liu C, Hu Y, Latuszek A, Wei Y, Prasad S, Huang T, Yancopoulos G, Murphy A, Olson W, Zambrowicz B, Macdonald L, Morton LG. Humanized C3 Mouse: A Novel Accelerated Model of C3 Glomerulopathy. J Am Soc Nephrol 2021; 32:99-114. [PMID: 33288630 PMCID: PMC7894673 DOI: 10.1681/asn.2020050698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND C3 glomerulopathy (C3G) is characterized by the alternative-pathway (AP) hyperactivation induced by nephritic factors or complement gene mutations. Mice deficient in complement factor H (CFH) are a classic C3G model, with kidney disease that requires several months to progress to renal failure. Novel C3G models can further contribute to understanding the mechanism behind this disease and developing therapeutic approaches. METHODS A novel, rapidly progressing, severe, murine model of C3G was developed by replacing the mouse C3 gene with the human C3 homolog using VelociGene technology. Functional, histologic, molecular, and pharmacologic assays characterize the presentation of renal disease and enable useful pharmacologic interventions in the humanized C3 (C3hu/hu) mice. RESULTS The C3hu/hu mice exhibit increased morbidity early in life and die by about 5-6 months of age. The C3hu/hu mice display elevated biomarkers of kidney dysfunction, glomerulosclerosis, C3/C5b-9 deposition, and reduced circulating C3 compared with wild-type mice. Administration of a C5-blocking mAb improved survival rate and offered functional and histopathologic benefits. Blockade of AP activation by anti-C3b or CFB mAbs also extended survival and preserved kidney function. CONCLUSIONS The C3hu/hu mice are a useful model for C3G because they share many pathologic features consistent with the human disease. The C3G phenotype in C3hu/hu mice may originate from a dysregulated interaction of human C3 protein with multiple mouse complement proteins, leading to unregulated C3 activation via AP. The accelerated disease course in C3hu/hu mice may further enable preclinical studies to assess and validate new therapeutics for C3G.
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7
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Cell-Type-Specific Complement Profiling in the ABCA4 -/- Mouse Model of Stargardt Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21228468. [PMID: 33187113 PMCID: PMC7697683 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21228468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Revised: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Stargardt macular degeneration is an inherited retinal disease caused by mutations in the ATP-binding cassette subfamily A member 4 (ABCA4) gene. Here, we characterized the complement expression profile in ABCA4−/− retinae and aligned these findings with morphological markers of retinal degeneration. We found an enhanced retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) autofluorescence, cell loss in the inner retina of ABCA4−/− mice and demonstrated age-related differences in complement expression in various retinal cell types irrespective of the genotype. However, 24-week-old ABCA4−/− mice expressed more c3 in the RPE and fewer cfi transcripts in the microglia compared to controls. At the protein level, the decrease of complement inhibitors (complement factor I, CFI) in retinae, as well as an increased C3b/C3 ratio in the RPE/choroid and retinae of ABCA4−/−, mice was confirmed. We showed a corresponding increase of the C3d/C3 ratio in the serum of ABCA4−/− mice, while no changes were observed for CFI. Our findings suggest an overactive complement cascade in the ABCA4−/− retinae that possibly contributes to pathological alterations, including microglial activation and neurodegeneration. Overall, this underpins the importance of well-balanced complement homeostasis to maintain retinal integrity.
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8
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Thurman JM. Complement and the Kidney: An Overview. Adv Chronic Kidney Dis 2020; 27:86-94. [PMID: 32553250 DOI: 10.1053/j.ackd.2019.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Revised: 10/10/2019] [Accepted: 10/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The complement cascade was first recognized as a downstream effector system of antibody-mediated cytotoxicity. Consistent with this view, it was discovered in the 1960s that complement is activated in the glomeruli of patients with immune complex glomerulonephritis. More recently, research has shown that complement system has many additional functions relating to regulation of the immune response, homeostasis, and metabolism. It has also become clear that the complement system is important to the pathogenesis of many non-immune complex mediated kidney diseases. In fact, in atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome and C3 glomerulopathy, uncontrolled complement activation is the primary driver of disease. Complement activation generates multiple pro-inflammatory fragments, and if not properly controlled it can cause fulminant tissue injury. Furthermore, the mechanisms of complement activation and complement-mediated injury vary from disease to disease. Many new drugs that target the complement cascade are in clinical development, so it is important to fully understand the biology of the complement system and its role in disease.
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Pauly D, Agarwal D, Dana N, Schäfer N, Biber J, Wunderlich KA, Jabri Y, Straub T, Zhang NR, Gautam AK, Weber BHF, Hauck SM, Kim M, Curcio CA, Stambolian D, Li M, Grosche A. Cell-Type-Specific Complement Expression in the Healthy and Diseased Retina. Cell Rep 2019; 29:2835-2848.e4. [PMID: 31775049 PMCID: PMC6911814 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.10.084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2019] [Revised: 05/24/2019] [Accepted: 10/22/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Complement dysregulation is a feature of many retinal diseases, yet mechanistic understanding at the cellular level is limited. Given this knowledge gap about which retinal cells express complement, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing on ~92,000 mouse retinal cells and validated our results in five major purified retinal cell types. We found evidence for a distributed cell-type-specific complement expression across 11 cell types. Notably, Müller cells are the major contributor of complement activators c1s, c3, c4, and cfb. Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) mainly expresses cfh and the terminal complement components, whereas cfi and cfp transcripts are most abundant in neurons. Aging enhances c1s, cfb, cfp, and cfi expression, while cfh expression decreases. Transient retinal ischemia increases complement expression in microglia, Müller cells, and RPE. In summary, we report a unique complement expression signature for murine retinal cell types suggesting a well-orchestrated regulation of local complement expression in the retinal microenvironment. Overshooting complement activity contributes to retinal degeneration. Pauly et al. demonstrate a distinct complement expression profile of retinal cell types that changes with aging and during retinal degeneration. This prompts the intriguing concept of a local retinal complement activation possibly independent of the systemic components typically produced by the liver.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Pauly
- Experimental Ophthalmology, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg 93053, Germany.
| | - Divyansh Agarwal
- Genomics and Computational Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Nicholas Dana
- Department of Ophthalmology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Nicole Schäfer
- Experimental Ophthalmology, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg 93053, Germany
| | - Josef Biber
- Department of Physiological Genomics, Biomedical Center, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Planegg-Martinsried 82152, Germany
| | - Kirsten A Wunderlich
- Department of Physiological Genomics, Biomedical Center, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Planegg-Martinsried 82152, Germany
| | - Yassin Jabri
- Experimental Ophthalmology, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg 93053, Germany
| | - Tobias Straub
- Core Facility Bioinformatics, Biomedical Center, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Planegg-Martinsried 82152, Germany
| | - Nancy R Zhang
- Department of Statistics, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Avneesh K Gautam
- Department of Medicine, Immunology and Allergy, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Bernhard H F Weber
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Regensburg, Regensburg 93053, Germany
| | - Stefanie M Hauck
- Research Unit Protein Science, Helmholtz Center Munich, Research Center for Environmental Health (GmbH), Munich 80939, Germany
| | - Mijin Kim
- Department of Ophthalmology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Christine A Curcio
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294-0019, USA
| | - Dwight Stambolian
- Department of Ophthalmology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Mingyao Li
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Antje Grosche
- Department of Physiological Genomics, Biomedical Center, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Planegg-Martinsried 82152, Germany.
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Garg N, Zhang Y, Nicholson-Weller A, Khankin EV, Borsa NG, Meyer NC, McDermott S, Stillman IE, Rennke HG, Smith RJ, Pavlakis M. C3 glomerulonephritis secondary to mutations in factors H and I: rapid recurrence in deceased donor kidney transplant effectively treated with eculizumab. Nephrol Dial Transplant 2019; 33:2260-2265. [PMID: 29370420 DOI: 10.1093/ndt/gfx369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2017] [Accepted: 12/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Background C3 glomerulonephritis (C3GN) is caused by alternate complement pathway over-activation. It frequently progresses to end-stage renal disease, recurs in two-thirds of transplants and in half of these cases progresses to allograft loss. There is currently no proven treatment for C3GN. Case Presentation We describe a family segregating pathogenic alleles of complement factor H and I (CFH and CFI). The only member carrying both mutations developed C3GN. Prolonged delayed graft function after deceased donor transplantation, heavy proteinuria and isolated C3 hypocomplementemia prompted an allograft biopsy confirming diagnosis of recurrent C3GN. Discussion This is the first report of early recurrence of C3GN in an allograft in a patient with known mutations in complement regulatory genes and no preexisting para-proteinemia. Complement activation resulting from ischemia-reperfusion injury from prolonged cold ischemia time unabated in the setting of deficiency of two major complement regulators likely led to the early and severe recurrence. In atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome, the terminal complement cascade activation in the sentinel event initiating endothelial injury; blockade at the level of C5 convertase with eculizumab is uniformly highly effective in management. C3 glomerulopathies (C3GN and dense deposit disease) are a more complex and heterogeneous group. The relative degree of dysregulation at the levels of C3 and C5 convertases and therefore response to eculizumab varies among patients. In our patient, the clinical response to eculizumab was dramatic with recovery of allograft function and complete resolution of proteinuria. We review all cases of recurrent C3 glomerulopathy treated with eculizumab and discuss how complement biomarkers may aid in predicting response to therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neetika Garg
- Department of Medicine, Nephrology Division, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yuzhou Zhang
- Molecular Otolaryngology and Renal Research Laboratories, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Anne Nicholson-Weller
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Eliyahu V Khankin
- Department of Medicine, Nephrology Division, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nicolò Ghiringhelli Borsa
- Molecular Otolaryngology and Renal Research Laboratories, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Nicole C Meyer
- Molecular Otolaryngology and Renal Research Laboratories, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Susan McDermott
- Department of Medicine, Nephrology Division, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Isaac E Stillman
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Helmut G Rennke
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Richard J Smith
- Molecular Otolaryngology and Renal Research Laboratories, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.,Iowa Institute of Human Genetics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Martha Pavlakis
- Department of Medicine, Nephrology Division, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
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11
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Smith RJH, Appel GB, Blom AM, Cook HT, D'Agati VD, Fakhouri F, Fremeaux-Bacchi V, Józsi M, Kavanagh D, Lambris JD, Noris M, Pickering MC, Remuzzi G, de Córdoba SR, Sethi S, Van der Vlag J, Zipfel PF, Nester CM. C3 glomerulopathy - understanding a rare complement-driven renal disease. Nat Rev Nephrol 2019; 15:129-143. [PMID: 30692664 PMCID: PMC6876298 DOI: 10.1038/s41581-018-0107-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 190] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The C3 glomerulopathies are a group of rare kidney diseases characterized by complement dysregulation occurring in the fluid phase and in the glomerular microenvironment, which results in prominent complement C3 deposition in kidney biopsy samples. The two major subgroups of C3 glomerulopathy - dense deposit disease (DDD) and C3 glomerulonephritis (C3GN) - have overlapping clinical and pathological features suggestive of a disease continuum. Dysregulation of the complement alternative pathway is fundamental to the manifestations of C3 glomerulopathy, although terminal pathway dysregulation is also common. Disease is driven by acquired factors in most patients - namely, autoantibodies that target the C3 or C5 convertases. These autoantibodies drive complement dysregulation by increasing the half-life of these vital but normally short-lived enzymes. Genetic variation in complement-related genes is a less frequent cause. No disease-specific treatments are available, although immunosuppressive agents and terminal complement pathway blockers are helpful in some patients. Unfortunately, no treatment is universally effective or curative. In aggregate, the limited data on renal transplantation point to a high risk of disease recurrence (both DDD and C3GN) in allograft recipients. Clinical trials are underway to test the efficacy of several first-generation drugs that target the alternative complement pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard J H Smith
- Molecular Otolaryngology and Renal Research Laboratories and the Departments of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics (Divisions of Nephrology), Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.
| | - Gerald B Appel
- Department of Nephrology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Anna M Blom
- Department of Translational Medicine, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - H Terence Cook
- Centre for Inflammatory Disease, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Vivette D D'Agati
- Department of Pathology, Renal Pathology Laboratory, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Fadi Fakhouri
- Department of Nephrology and Immunology, Centre Hospitalier et Universitaire de Nantes, Nantes, France
| | - Véronique Fremeaux-Bacchi
- Service de Néphrologie-Transplantation Adulte, Hôpital Necker-Enfants Malades, Université Paris Descartes, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Mihály Józsi
- Complement Research Group, Department of Immunology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University and the MTA-SE Research Group of Immunology and Haematology, Hungarian Academy of Sciences and Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - David Kavanagh
- Newcastle University, Institute of Genetic Medicine, International Centre for Life, Central Parkway, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - John D Lambris
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Marina Noris
- Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche (IRCCS) 'Mario Negri', Clinical Research Centre for Rare Diseases 'Aldo e Cele Daccò', Ranica, Bergamo, Italy
| | | | - Giuseppe Remuzzi
- Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche (IRCCS) 'Mario Negri', Clinical Research Centre for Rare Diseases 'Aldo e Cele Daccò', Ranica, Bergamo, Italy
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Unit of Nephrology and Dialysis, Azienda Socio-Sanitaria Territoriale (ASST) Papa Giovanni XXIII, Bergamo, Italy
| | - Santiago Rodriguez de Córdoba
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Enfermedades Raras, Madrid, Spain
| | - Sanjeev Sethi
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Johan Van der Vlag
- Department of Nephrology, Radboud Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Peter F Zipfel
- Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Jena, Germany
- Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
| | - Carla M Nester
- Molecular Otolaryngology and Renal Research Laboratories and the Departments of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics (Divisions of Nephrology), Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
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12
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Abbas F, El Kossi M, Kim JJ, Shaheen IS, Sharma A, Halawa A. Complement-mediated renal diseases after kidney transplantation - current diagnostic and therapeutic options in de novo and recurrent diseases. World J Transplant 2018; 8:203-219. [PMID: 30370231 PMCID: PMC6201327 DOI: 10.5500/wjt.v8.i6.203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2018] [Revised: 08/09/2018] [Accepted: 08/28/2018] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
For decades, kidney diseases related to inappropriate complement activity, such as atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome and C3 glomerulopathy (a subtype of membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis), have mostly been complicated by worsened prognoses and rapid progression to end-stage renal failure. Alternative complement pathway dysregulation, whether congenital or acquired, is well-recognized as the main driver of the disease process in these patients. The list of triggers include: surgery, infection, immunologic factors, pregnancy and medications. The advent of complement activation blockade, however, revolutionized the clinical course and outcome of these diseases, rendering transplantation a viable option for patients who were previously considered as non-transplantable cases. Several less-costly therapeutic lines and likely better efficacy and safety profiles are currently underway. In view of the challenging nature of diagnosing these diseases and the long-term cost implications, a multidisciplinary approach including the nephrologist, renal pathologist and the genetic laboratory is required to help improve overall care of these patients and draw the optimum therapeutic plan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fedaey Abbas
- Nephrology Department, Jaber El Ahmed Military Hospital, Safat 13005, Kuwait
- Faculty of Health and Science, University of Liverpool, Institute of Learning and Teaching, School of Medicine, Liverpool L69 3GB, United Kingdom
| | - Mohsen El Kossi
- Faculty of Health and Science, University of Liverpool, Institute of Learning and Teaching, School of Medicine, Liverpool L69 3GB, United Kingdom
- Doncaster Royal Infirmary, Doncaster DN2 5LT, United Kingdom
| | - Jon Jin Kim
- Faculty of Health and Science, University of Liverpool, Institute of Learning and Teaching, School of Medicine, Liverpool L69 3GB, United Kingdom
- Nottingham Children Hospital, Nottingham NG7 2UH, United Kingdom
| | - Ihab Sakr Shaheen
- Faculty of Health and Science, University of Liverpool, Institute of Learning and Teaching, School of Medicine, Liverpool L69 3GB, United Kingdom
- Royal Hospital for Children, Glasgow G51 4TF, United Kingdom
| | - Ajay Sharma
- Faculty of Health and Science, University of Liverpool, Institute of Learning and Teaching, School of Medicine, Liverpool L69 3GB, United Kingdom
- Royal Liverpool University Hospitals, Liverpool L7 8XP, United Kingdom
| | - Ahmed Halawa
- Faculty of Health and Science, University of Liverpool, Institute of Learning and Teaching, School of Medicine, Liverpool L69 3GB, United Kingdom
- Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, Sheffield S57AU, United Kingdom
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13
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Timmermans SAMEG, Abdul-Hamid MA, Potjewijd J, Theunissen ROMFIH, Damoiseaux JGMC, Reutelingsperger CP, van Paassen P. C5b9 Formation on Endothelial Cells Reflects Complement Defects among Patients with Renal Thrombotic Microangiopathy and Severe Hypertension. J Am Soc Nephrol 2018; 29:2234-2243. [PMID: 29858281 DOI: 10.1681/asn.2018020184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2018] [Accepted: 04/25/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Severe hypertension can induce thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) in the renal vasculature, the occurrence of which has been linked to mechanical stress to the endothelium. Complement defects may be the culprit of disease in patients who present with severe renal disease and often progress to ESRD, despite BP control.Methods We studied a well defined cohort of 17 patients with hypertension-associated TMA to define the prevalence of complement defects by a specific ex vivo serum-based microvascular endothelial cell assay.Results Compared with normal human serum and samples from patients with hypertensive arterionephrosclerosis, 14 of 16 (87.5%) serum samples collected at presentation from 16 patients with hypertension-associated TMA induced abnormal C5b9 formation on microvascular endothelial cells. We detected rare variants in complement genes in eight of 17 (47%) patients. ESRD occurred in 14 of 17 (82%) patients, and recurrent TMA after transplant occurred in seven of 11 (64%) donor kidneys. Eculizumab improved the renal function in three patients and prevented TMA recurrence in an allograft recipient.Conclusions These observations point to complement defects as the key causative factor of ESRD and recurrent TMA after transplant in patients presenting with severe hypertension. Complement defects can be identified by measurements of complement activation on microvascular endothelial cells, which should substantially influence treatment and prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Jan G M C Damoiseaux
- Central Diagnostic Laboratory, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands; and
| | - Chris P Reutelingsperger
- Department of Biochemistry, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands
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14
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A teleost CD46 is involved in the regulation of complement activation and pathogen infection. Sci Rep 2017; 7:15028. [PMID: 29101395 PMCID: PMC5670209 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-15124-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2017] [Accepted: 10/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
In mammals, CD46 is involved in the inactivation of complement by factor I (FI). In teleost, study on the function of CD46 is very limited. In this study, we examined the immunological property of a CD46 molecule (CsCD46) from tongue sole, a teleost species with important economic value. We found that recombinant CsCD46 (rCsCD46) interacted with FI and inhibited complement activation in an FI-dependent manner. rCsCD46 also interacted with bacterial pathogens via a different mechanism to that responsible for the FI interaction, involving different rCsCD46 sites. Cellular study showed that CsCD46 was expressed on peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL) and protected the cells against the killing effect of complement. When the CsCD46 on PBL was blocked by antibody before incubation of the cells with bacterial pathogens, cellular infection was significantly reduced. Consistently, when tongue sole were infected with bacterial pathogens in the presence of rCsCD46, tissue dissemination and survival of the pathogens were significantly inhibited. These results provide the first evidence to indicate that CD46 in teleosts negatively regulates complement activation via FI and protects host cells from complement-induced damage, and that CD46 is required for optimal bacterial infection probably by serving as a receptor for the bacteria.
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15
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Abstract
C3 glomerulopathy is a recently defined entity that encompasses a group of kidney diseases caused by abnormal control of complement activation with deposition of complement component C3 in glomeruli leading to variable glomerular inflammation. Before the recognition of the unique pathogenesis of these cases, they were variably classified according to their morphological features. C3 glomerulopathy accounts for roughly 1% of all renal biopsies. Clear definition of this entity has allowed a better understanding of its pathogenesis and clinical course and is likely to lead to the design of rational therapies over the next few years.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Terence Cook
- Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, Hammersmith, London, UK
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16
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Abstract
Recent advances in our understanding of the disease pathology of membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis has resulted in its re-classification as complement C3 glomerulopathy (C3G) and immune complex-mediated glomerulonephritis (IC-GN). The new consensus is based on its underlying pathomechanism, with a key pathogenetic role for the complement alternative pathway (AP), rather than on histomorphological characteristics. In C3G, loss of AP regulation leads to predominant glomerular C3 deposition, which distinguishes C3G from IC-GN with predominant immunoglobulin G staining. Electron microscopy further subdivides C3G into C3 glomerulonephritis and dense deposit disease depending on the presence and distribution pattern of electron-dense deposits within the glomerular filter. Mutations or autoantibodies affecting the function of AP activators or regulators, in particular the decay of the C3 convertase (C3 nephritic factor), have been detected in up to 80 % of C3G patients. The natural outcome of C3G is heterogeneous, but 50 % of patients progress slowly and reach end-stage renal disease within 10-15 years. The new classification not only marks significant advancement in the pathogenic understanding of this rare disease, but also opens doors towards more specific treatment with the potential for improved outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Riedl
- Cell Biology Program of the Research Institute, The Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Avenue, Toronto, ON, M5G 1X8, Canada
- Department of Paediatrics, Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Paul Thorner
- Department of Pediatric Laboratory Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Christoph Licht
- Cell Biology Program of the Research Institute, The Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Avenue, Toronto, ON, M5G 1X8, Canada.
- Division of Nephrology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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17
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Keir LS, Firth R, Aponik L, Feitelberg D, Sakimoto S, Aguilar E, Welsh GI, Richards A, Usui Y, Satchell SC, Kuzmuk V, Coward RJ, Goult J, Bull KR, Sharma R, Bharti K, Westenskow PD, Michael IP, Saleem MA, Friedlander M. VEGF regulates local inhibitory complement proteins in the eye and kidney. J Clin Invest 2016; 127:199-214. [PMID: 27918307 PMCID: PMC5199702 DOI: 10.1172/jci86418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2016] [Accepted: 10/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Outer retinal and renal glomerular functions rely on specialized vasculature maintained by VEGF that is produced by neighboring epithelial cells, the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and podocytes, respectively. Dysregulation of RPE- and podocyte-derived VEGF is associated with neovascularization in wet age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), choriocapillaris degeneration, and glomerular thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA). Since complement activation and genetic variants in inhibitory complement factor H (CFH) are also features of both ARMD and TMA, we hypothesized that VEGF and CFH interact. Here, we demonstrated that VEGF inhibition decreases local CFH and other complement regulators in the eye and kidney through reduced VEGFR2/PKC-α/CREB signaling. Patient podocytes and RPE cells carrying disease-associated CFH genetic variants had more alternative complement pathway deposits than controls. These deposits were increased by VEGF antagonism, a common wet ARMD treatment, suggesting that VEGF inhibition could reduce cellular complement regulatory capacity. VEGF antagonism also increased markers of endothelial cell activation, which was partially reduced by genetic complement inhibition. Together, these results suggest that VEGF protects the retinal and glomerular microvasculature, not only through VEGFR2-mediated vasculotrophism, but also through modulation of local complement proteins that could protect against complement-mediated damage. Though further study is warranted, these findings could be relevant for patients receiving VEGF antagonists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay S. Keir
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
- Academic Renal Unit, School of Clinical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Rachel Firth
- Academic Renal Unit, School of Clinical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Lyndsey Aponik
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Daniel Feitelberg
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Susumu Sakimoto
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Edith Aguilar
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Gavin I. Welsh
- Academic Renal Unit, School of Clinical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Anna Richards
- Queens Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Yoshihiko Usui
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
- Tokyo Medical University Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Simon C. Satchell
- Academic Renal Unit, School of Clinical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Valeryia Kuzmuk
- Academic Renal Unit, School of Clinical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Richard J. Coward
- Academic Renal Unit, School of Clinical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Jonathan Goult
- Centre for Cellular and Molecular Physiology, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Katherine R. Bull
- Centre for Cellular and Molecular Physiology, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Ruchi Sharma
- National Eye Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Kapil Bharti
- National Eye Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Peter D. Westenskow
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
- The Lowy Medical Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
| | | | - Moin A. Saleem
- Academic Renal Unit, School of Clinical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Martin Friedlander
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
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18
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Abstract
The complement (C) cascade is an ancient system of proteins whose primary role is to initiate and modulate immune responses. During C activation, circulating proteins are cleaved and nascent cleavage fragments participate in a broad range of downstream innate and adaptive immune functions. Although the majority of these functions are either homeostatic or protective, a large body of experimental and clinical evidence also highlights a central role for the C system in the pathogenesis of many types of glomerular disease. From classic pathway activation in lupus nephritis to alternative pathway dysregulation in C3 glomerulopathy, our understanding of the spectrum of C involvement in kidney disease has expanded greatly in recent years. However, the characteristics that make the glomerulus so uniquely susceptible to C-mediated injury are not fully understood, and this remains an area of ongoing investigation. Several C inhibitors have been approved for clinical use, and additional C inhibitory drugs are in development. The use of these drugs in patients with kidney disease will expand our understanding of the benefits and limitations of C inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua M. Thurman
- Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado; and
| | - Carla M. Nester
- Stead Family Department of Pediatrics and
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
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19
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Distinct roles for the complement regulators factor H and Crry in protection of the kidney from injury. Kidney Int 2016; 90:109-22. [PMID: 27165610 DOI: 10.1016/j.kint.2016.02.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2015] [Revised: 02/23/2016] [Accepted: 02/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Mutations in the complement regulatory proteins are associated with several different diseases. Although these mutations cause dysregulated alternative pathway activation throughout the body, the kidneys are the most common site of injury. The susceptibility of the kidney to alternative pathway-mediated injury may be due to limited expression of complement regulatory proteins on several tissue surfaces within the kidney. To examine the roles of the complement regulatory proteins factor H and Crry in protecting distinct renal surfaces from alternative pathway mediated injury, we generated mice with targeted deletions of the genes for both proteins. Surprisingly, mice with combined genetic deletions of factor H and Crry developed significantly milder renal injury than mice deficient in only factor H. Deficiency of both factor H and Crry was associated with C3 deposition at multiple locations within the kidney, but glomerular C3 deposition was lower than that in factor H alone deficient mice. Thus, factor H and Crry are critical for regulating complement activation at distinct anatomic sites within the kidney. However, widespread activation of the alternative pathway reduces injury by depleting the pool of C3 available at any 1 location.
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20
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Vernon KA, Ruseva MM, Cook HT, Botto M, Malik TH, Pickering MC. Partial Complement Factor H Deficiency Associates with C3 Glomerulopathy and Thrombotic Microangiopathy. J Am Soc Nephrol 2016; 27:1334-42. [PMID: 26374608 PMCID: PMC4849824 DOI: 10.1681/asn.2015030295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2015] [Accepted: 07/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The complement-mediated renal diseases C3 glomerulopathy (C3G) and atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) strongly associate with inherited and acquired abnormalities in the regulation of the complement alternative pathway (AP). The major negative regulator of the AP is the plasma protein complement factor H (FH). Abnormalities in FH result in uncontrolled activation of C3 through the AP and associate with susceptibility to both C3G and aHUS. Although previously developed FH-deficient animal models have provided important insights into the mechanisms underlying susceptibility to these unique phenotypes, these models do not entirely reproduce the clinical observations. FH is predominantly synthesized in the liver. We generated mice with hepatocyte-specific FH deficiency and showed that these animals have reduced plasma FH levels with secondary reduction in plasma C3. Unlike mice with complete FH deficiency, hepatocyte-specific FH-deficient animals developed neither plasma C5 depletion nor accumulation of C3 along the glomerular basement membrane. In contrast, subtotal FH deficiency associated with mesangial C3 accumulation consistent with C3G. Although there was no evidence of spontaneous thrombotic microangiopathy, the hepatocyte-specific FH-deficient animals developed severe C5-dependent thrombotic microangiopathy after induction of complement activation within the kidney by accelerated serum nephrotoxic nephritis. Taken together, our data indicate that subtotal FH deficiency can give rise to either spontaneous C3G or aHUS after a complement-activating trigger within the kidney and that the latter is C5 dependent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine A Vernon
- Centre for Complement and Inflammation Research, Imperial College, London, United Kingdom
| | - Marieta M Ruseva
- Centre for Complement and Inflammation Research, Imperial College, London, United Kingdom
| | - H Terence Cook
- Centre for Complement and Inflammation Research, Imperial College, London, United Kingdom
| | - Marina Botto
- Centre for Complement and Inflammation Research, Imperial College, London, United Kingdom
| | - Talat H Malik
- Centre for Complement and Inflammation Research, Imperial College, London, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew C Pickering
- Centre for Complement and Inflammation Research, Imperial College, London, United Kingdom
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21
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Barbour TD, Ling GS, Ruseva MM, Fossati-Jimack L, Cook HT, Botto M, Pickering MC. Complement receptor 3 mediates renal protection in experimental C3 glomerulopathy. Kidney Int 2016; 89:823-32. [PMID: 26924054 PMCID: PMC4869622 DOI: 10.1016/j.kint.2015.11.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2015] [Revised: 11/16/2015] [Accepted: 11/19/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
C3 glomerulopathy is a complement-mediated renal disease that is frequently associated with abnormalities in regulation of the complement alternative pathway. Mice with deficiency of factor H (Cfh–/–), a negative alternative pathway regulator, are an established experimental model of C3 glomerulopathy in which complement C3 fragments including iC3b accumulate along the glomerular basement membrane. Here we show that deficiency of complement receptor 3 (CR3), the main receptor for iC3b, enhances the severity of spontaneous renal disease in Cfh–/– mice. This effect was found to be dependent on CR3 expression on bone marrow–derived cells. CR3 also mediated renal protection outside the setting of factor H deficiency, as shown by the development of enhanced renal injury in CR3-deficient mice during accelerated nephrotoxic nephritis. The iC3b–CR3 interaction downregulated the proinflammatory cytokine response of both murine and human macrophages to lipopolysaccharide stimulation in vitro, suggesting that the protective effect of CR3 on glomerular injury was mediated via modulation of macrophage-derived proinflammatory cytokines. Thus, CR3 has a protective role in glomerulonephritis and suggests that pharmacologic potentiation of the macrophage CR3 interaction with iC3b could be therapeutically beneficial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas D Barbour
- Centre for Complement and Inflammation Research, Imperial College, London, UK
| | - Guang Sheng Ling
- Centre for Complement and Inflammation Research, Imperial College, London, UK
| | - Marieta M Ruseva
- Centre for Complement and Inflammation Research, Imperial College, London, UK
| | - Liliane Fossati-Jimack
- Centre for Complement and Inflammation Research, Imperial College, London, UK; Centre for Experimental Medicine and Rheumatology, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - H Terence Cook
- Centre for Complement and Inflammation Research, Imperial College, London, UK
| | - Marina Botto
- Centre for Complement and Inflammation Research, Imperial College, London, UK
| | - Matthew C Pickering
- Centre for Complement and Inflammation Research, Imperial College, London, UK.
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22
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Chauvet S, Roumenina LT, Bruneau S, Marinozzi MC, Rybkine T, Schramm EC, Java A, Atkinson JP, Aldigier JC, Bridoux F, Touchard G, Fremeaux-Bacchi V. A Familial C3GN Secondary to Defective C3 Regulation by Complement Receptor 1 and Complement Factor H. J Am Soc Nephrol 2015; 27:1665-77. [PMID: 26471127 DOI: 10.1681/asn.2015040348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2015] [Accepted: 08/24/2015] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
C3 glomerulopathy is a recently described form of CKD. C3GN is a subtype of C3 glomerulopathy characterized by predominant C3 deposits in the glomeruli and is commonly the result of acquired or genetic abnormalities in the alternative pathway (AP) of the complement system. We identified and characterized the first mutation of the C3 gene (p. I734T) in two related individuals diagnosed with C3GN. Immunofluorescence and electron microscopy studies showed C3 deposits in the subendothelial space, associated with unusual deposits located near the complement receptor 1 (CR1)-expressing podocytes. In vitro, this C3 mutation exhibited decreased binding to CR1, resulting in less CR1-dependent cleavage of C3b by factor 1. Both patients had normal plasma C3 levels, and the mutant C3 interacted with factor B comparably to wild-type (WT) C3 to form a C3 convertase. Binding of mutant C3 to factor H was normal, but mutant C3 was less efficiently cleaved by factor I in the presence of factor H, leading to enhanced C3 fragment deposition on glomerular cells. In conclusion, our results reveal that a CR1 functional deficiency is a mechanism of intraglomerular AP dysregulation and could influence the localization of the glomerular C3 deposits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Chauvet
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Unité Mixte de Recherche S1138, Complément et Maladies, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Paris, France; Université Paris Descartes Sorbonne Paris-Cité, Paris, France; Université Pierre et Marie Curie (UPMC-Paris-6), Paris, France;
| | - Lubka T Roumenina
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Unité Mixte de Recherche S1138, Complément et Maladies, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Paris, France; Université Paris Descartes Sorbonne Paris-Cité, Paris, France; Université Pierre et Marie Curie (UPMC-Paris-6), Paris, France
| | - Sarah Bruneau
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Unité Mixte de Recherche S1064, Institut de Transplantation Urologie-Nephrologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nantes, Université de Nantes, Nantes, France
| | - Maria Chiara Marinozzi
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Unité Mixte de Recherche S1138, Complément et Maladies, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Paris, France; Université Paris Descartes Sorbonne Paris-Cité, Paris, France; Université Pierre et Marie Curie (UPMC-Paris-6), Paris, France; Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Service d'Immunologie Biologique, Hôpital européen Georges Pompidou, Paris, France
| | - Tania Rybkine
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Unité Mixte de Recherche S1138, Complément et Maladies, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Paris, France; Université Paris Descartes Sorbonne Paris-Cité, Paris, France; Université Pierre et Marie Curie (UPMC-Paris-6), Paris, France
| | - Elizabeth C Schramm
- Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri
| | - Anuja Java
- Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri
| | - John P Atkinson
- Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri
| | | | | | - Guy Touchard
- Service de Nephrologie, and Service d'Anatomo-Pathologie et Pathologie ultrastructurale, Hôpital de Poitiers, France
| | - Veronique Fremeaux-Bacchi
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Unité Mixte de Recherche S1138, Complément et Maladies, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Paris, France; Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Service d'Immunologie Biologique, Hôpital européen Georges Pompidou, Paris, France
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23
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Murayama MA, Kakuta S, Inoue A, Umeda N, Yonezawa T, Maruhashi T, Tateishi K, Ishigame H, Yabe R, Ikeda S, Seno A, Chi HH, Hashiguchi Y, Kurata R, Tada T, Kubo S, Sato N, Liu Y, Hattori M, Saijo S, Matsushita M, Fujita T, Sumida T, Iwakura Y. CTRP6 is an endogenous complement regulator that can effectively treat induced arthritis. Nat Commun 2015; 6:8483. [PMID: 26404464 PMCID: PMC4598845 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms9483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2015] [Accepted: 08/27/2015] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The complement system is important for the host defence against infection as well as for the development of inflammatory diseases. Here we show that C1q/TNF-related protein 6 (CTRP6; gene symbol C1qtnf6) expression is elevated in mouse rheumatoid arthritis (RA) models. C1qtnf6(-/-) mice are highly susceptible to induced arthritis due to enhanced complement activation, whereas C1qtnf6-transgenic mice are refractory. The Arthus reaction and the development of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis are also enhanced in C1qtnf6(-/-) mice and C1qtnf6(-/-) embryos are semi-lethal. We find that CTRP6 specifically suppresses the alternative pathway of the complement system by competing with factor B for C3(H2O) binding. Furthermore, treatment of arthritis-induced mice with intra-articular injection of recombinant human CTRP6 cures the arthritis. CTRP6 is expressed in human synoviocytes, and CTRP6 levels are increased in RA patients. These results indicate that CTRP6 is an endogenous complement regulator and could be used for the treatment of complement-mediated diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masanori A Murayama
- Division of Experimental Animal Immunology, Center for Animal Disease Models, Research Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Tokyo University of Science, Chiba 278-0022, Japan.,Laboratory of Molecular Pathogenesis, Center for Experimental Medicine and Systems Biology, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo (IMSUT), Tokyo 108-8639, Japan.,Department of Computational Biology, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Chiba 277-0882, Japan.,Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology (CREST), Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Saitama 332-0012, Japan
| | - Shigeru Kakuta
- Laboratory of Molecular Pathogenesis, Center for Experimental Medicine and Systems Biology, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo (IMSUT), Tokyo 108-8639, Japan
| | - Asuka Inoue
- Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8575, Japan
| | - Naoto Umeda
- Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8575, Japan
| | - Tomo Yonezawa
- Division of Experimental Animal Immunology, Center for Animal Disease Models, Research Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Tokyo University of Science, Chiba 278-0022, Japan.,Department of Systems Biomedicine, National Research Institute of Child Health and Development, Tokyo 157-8535, Japan
| | - Takumi Maruhashi
- Division of Experimental Animal Immunology, Center for Animal Disease Models, Research Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Tokyo University of Science, Chiba 278-0022, Japan.,Laboratory of Molecular Pathogenesis, Center for Experimental Medicine and Systems Biology, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo (IMSUT), Tokyo 108-8639, Japan
| | - Koichiro Tateishi
- Department of Applied Biochemistry, Tokai University, Hiratsuka, Kanagawa 259-1292, Japan
| | - Harumichi Ishigame
- Laboratory of Molecular Pathogenesis, Center for Experimental Medicine and Systems Biology, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo (IMSUT), Tokyo 108-8639, Japan
| | - Rikio Yabe
- Division of Experimental Animal Immunology, Center for Animal Disease Models, Research Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Tokyo University of Science, Chiba 278-0022, Japan.,Laboratory of Molecular Pathogenesis, Center for Experimental Medicine and Systems Biology, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo (IMSUT), Tokyo 108-8639, Japan.,Department of Molecular Immunology, Medical Mycology Research Center, Chiba University, Chiba 260-8673, Japan
| | - Satoshi Ikeda
- Laboratory of Molecular Pathogenesis, Center for Experimental Medicine and Systems Biology, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo (IMSUT), Tokyo 108-8639, Japan
| | - Akimasa Seno
- Division of Experimental Animal Immunology, Center for Animal Disease Models, Research Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Tokyo University of Science, Chiba 278-0022, Japan.,Laboratory of Molecular Pathogenesis, Center for Experimental Medicine and Systems Biology, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo (IMSUT), Tokyo 108-8639, Japan.,Department of Computational Biology, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Chiba 277-0882, Japan
| | - Hsi-Hua Chi
- Division of Experimental Animal Immunology, Center for Animal Disease Models, Research Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Tokyo University of Science, Chiba 278-0022, Japan
| | - Yuriko Hashiguchi
- Division of Experimental Animal Immunology, Center for Animal Disease Models, Research Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Tokyo University of Science, Chiba 278-0022, Japan
| | - Riho Kurata
- Division of Experimental Animal Immunology, Center for Animal Disease Models, Research Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Tokyo University of Science, Chiba 278-0022, Japan.,Department of Systems Biomedicine, National Research Institute of Child Health and Development, Tokyo 157-8535, Japan
| | - Takuya Tada
- Laboratory of Molecular Pathogenesis, Center for Experimental Medicine and Systems Biology, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo (IMSUT), Tokyo 108-8639, Japan
| | - Sachiko Kubo
- Division of Experimental Animal Immunology, Center for Animal Disease Models, Research Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Tokyo University of Science, Chiba 278-0022, Japan.,Laboratory of Molecular Pathogenesis, Center for Experimental Medicine and Systems Biology, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo (IMSUT), Tokyo 108-8639, Japan
| | - Nozomi Sato
- Laboratory of Molecular Pathogenesis, Center for Experimental Medicine and Systems Biology, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo (IMSUT), Tokyo 108-8639, Japan
| | - Yang Liu
- Laboratory of Molecular Pathogenesis, Center for Experimental Medicine and Systems Biology, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo (IMSUT), Tokyo 108-8639, Japan
| | - Masahira Hattori
- Department of Computational Biology, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Chiba 277-0882, Japan
| | - Shinobu Saijo
- Laboratory of Molecular Pathogenesis, Center for Experimental Medicine and Systems Biology, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo (IMSUT), Tokyo 108-8639, Japan.,Department of Molecular Immunology, Medical Mycology Research Center, Chiba University, Chiba 260-8673, Japan
| | - Misao Matsushita
- Department of Applied Biochemistry, Tokai University, Hiratsuka, Kanagawa 259-1292, Japan
| | - Teizo Fujita
- Fukushima Prefectural General Hygiene Institute, Fukushima 960-8142, Japan
| | - Takayuki Sumida
- Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8575, Japan
| | - Yoichiro Iwakura
- Division of Experimental Animal Immunology, Center for Animal Disease Models, Research Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Tokyo University of Science, Chiba 278-0022, Japan.,Laboratory of Molecular Pathogenesis, Center for Experimental Medicine and Systems Biology, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo (IMSUT), Tokyo 108-8639, Japan.,Department of Computational Biology, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Chiba 277-0882, Japan.,Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology (CREST), Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Saitama 332-0012, Japan.,Department of Molecular Immunology, Medical Mycology Research Center, Chiba University, Chiba 260-8673, Japan
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24
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Oosterveld MJS, Garrelfs MR, Hoppe B, Florquin S, Roelofs JJTH, van den Heuvel LP, Amann K, Davin JC, Bouts AHM, Schriemer PJ, Groothoff JW. Eculizumab in Pediatric Dense Deposit Disease. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol 2015; 10:1773-82. [PMID: 26316621 DOI: 10.2215/cjn.01360215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2015] [Accepted: 07/01/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Dense deposit disease (DDD), a subtype of C3 glomerulopathy, is a rare disease affecting mostly children. Treatment options are limited. Debate exists whether eculizumab, a monoclonal antibody against complement factor C5, is effective in DDD. Reported data are scarce, especially in children. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS The authors analyzed clinical and histologic data of five pediatric patients with a native kidney biopsy diagnosis of DDD. Patients received eculizumab as therapy of last resort for severe nephritic or nephrotic syndrome with alternative pathway complement activation; this therapy was given only when the patients had not or only marginally responded to immunosuppressive therapy. Outcome measures were kidney function, proteinuria, and urine analysis. RESULTS In all, seven disease episodes were treated with eculizumab (six episodes of severe nephritic syndrome [two of which required dialysis] and one nephrotic syndrome episode). Median age at treatment start was 8.4 (range, 5.9-13) years. For three treatment episodes, eculizumab was the sole immunosuppressive treatment. In all patients, both proteinuria and renal function improved significantly within 12 weeks of treatment (median urinary protein-to-creatinine ratio of 8.5 [range, 2.2-17] versus 1.1 [range, 0.2-2.0] g/g, P<0.005, and eGFR of 58 [range, 17-114] versus 77 [range, 50-129] ml/min per 1.73 m(2), P<0.01). A striking finding was the disappearance of leukocyturia within 1 week after the first eculizumab dose in all five episodes with leukocyturia at treatment initiation. CONCLUSIONS In this case series of pediatric patients with DDD, eculizumab treatment was associated with reduction in proteinuria and increase in eGFR. Leukocyturia resolved within 1 week of initiation of eculizumab treatment. These results underscore the need for a randomized trial of eculizumab in DDD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Bernd Hoppe
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Nephrology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Sandrine Florquin
- Department of Pathology, Emma Children's Hospital/Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Joris J T H Roelofs
- Department of Pathology, Emma Children's Hospital/Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - L P van den Heuvel
- Department of Pediatric Nephrology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; and
| | - Kerstin Amann
- Department of Pathology, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
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25
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De Vriese AS, Sethi S, Van Praet J, Nath KA, Fervenza FC. Kidney Disease Caused by Dysregulation of the Complement Alternative Pathway: An Etiologic Approach. J Am Soc Nephrol 2015; 26:2917-29. [PMID: 26185203 DOI: 10.1681/asn.2015020184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Kidney diseases caused by genetic or acquired dysregulation of the complement alternative pathway (AP) are traditionally classified on the basis of clinical presentation (atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome as thrombotic microangiopathy), biopsy appearance (dense deposit disease and C3 GN), or clinical course (atypical postinfectious GN). Each is characterized by an inappropriate activation of the AP, eventuating in renal damage. The clinical diversity of these disorders highlights important differences in the triggers, the sites and intensity of involvement, and the outcome of the AP dysregulation. Nevertheless, we contend that these diseases should be grouped as disorders of the AP and classified on an etiologic basis. In this review, we define different pathophysiologic categories of AP dysfunction. The precise identification of the underlying abnormality is the key to predict the response to immune suppression, plasma infusion, and complement-inhibitory drugs and the outcome after transplantation. In a patient with presumed dysregulation of the AP, the collaboration of the clinician, the renal pathologist, and the biochemical and genetic laboratory is very much encouraged, because this enables the elucidation of both the underlying pathogenesis and the optimal therapeutic approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- An S De Vriese
- Division of Nephrology, AZ Sint-Jan Brugge-Oostende AV, Brugge, Belgium; and
| | | | - Jens Van Praet
- Division of Nephrology, AZ Sint-Jan Brugge-Oostende AV, Brugge, Belgium; and
| | - Karl A Nath
- Nephrology and Hypertension, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Fernando C Fervenza
- Nephrology and Hypertension, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, Minnesota
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26
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Ruseva MM, Peng T, Lasaro MA, Bouchard K, Liu-Chen S, Sun F, Yu ZX, Marozsan A, Wang Y, Pickering MC. Efficacy of Targeted Complement Inhibition in Experimental C3 Glomerulopathy. J Am Soc Nephrol 2015; 27:405-16. [PMID: 26047789 DOI: 10.1681/asn.2014121195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2014] [Accepted: 04/01/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
C3 glomerulopathy refers to renal disorders characterized by abnormal accumulation of C3 within the kidney, commonly along the glomerular basement membrane (GBM). C3 glomerulopathy is associated with complement alternative pathway dysregulation, which includes functional defects in complement regulator factor H (FH). There is no effective treatment for C3 glomerulopathy. We investigated the efficacy of a recombinant mouse protein composed of domains from complement receptor 2 (CR2) and FH (CR2-FH) in two models of C3 glomerulopathy with either preexisting or triggered C3 deposition along the GBM. FH-deficient mice spontaneously develop renal pathology associated with abnormal C3 accumulation along the GBM and secondary plasma C3 deficiency. CR2-FH partially restored plasma C3 levels in FH-deficient mice 2 hours after intravenous injection. CR2-FH specifically targeted glomerular C3 deposits, reduced the linear C3 reactivity assessed with anti-C3 and anti-C3b/iC3b/C3c antibodies, and prevented further spontaneous accumulation of C3 fragments along the GBM. Reduction in glomerular C3d and C9/C5b-9 reactivity was observed after daily administration of CR2-FH for 1 week. In a second mouse model with combined deficiency of FH and complement factor I, CR2-FH prevented de novo C3 deposition along the GBM. These data show that CR2-FH protects the GBM from both spontaneous and triggered C3 deposition in vivo and indicate that this approach should be tested in C3 glomerulopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marieta M Ruseva
- Centre for Complement and Inflammation Research, Imperial College, London, United Kingdom; and
| | - Tao Peng
- Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Cheshire, Connecticut
| | | | | | | | - Fang Sun
- Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Cheshire, Connecticut
| | - Zhao-Xue Yu
- Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Cheshire, Connecticut
| | | | - Yi Wang
- Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Cheshire, Connecticut
| | - Matthew C Pickering
- Centre for Complement and Inflammation Research, Imperial College, London, United Kingdom; and
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27
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Kavanagh D, Yu Y, Schramm EC, Triebwasser M, Wagner EK, Raychaudhuri S, Daly MJ, Atkinson JP, Seddon JM. Rare genetic variants in the CFI gene are associated with advanced age-related macular degeneration and commonly result in reduced serum factor I levels. Hum Mol Genet 2015; 24:3861-70. [PMID: 25788521 PMCID: PMC4459386 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddv091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2014] [Accepted: 03/09/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
To assess a potential diagnostic and therapeutic biomarker for age-related macular degeneration (AMD), we sequenced the complement factor I gene (CFI) in 2266 individuals with AMD and 1400 without, identifying 231 individuals with rare genetic variants. We evaluated the functional impact by measuring circulating serum factor I (FI) protein levels in individuals with and without rare CFI variants. The burden of very rare (frequency <1/1000) variants in CFI was strongly associated with disease (P = 1.1 × 10−8). In addition, we examined eight coding variants with counts ≥5 and saw evidence for association with AMD in three variants. Individuals with advanced AMD carrying a rare CFI variant had lower mean FI compared with non-AMD subjects carrying a variant (P < 0.001). Further new evidence that FI levels drive AMD risk comes from analyses showing individuals with a CFI rare variant and low FI were more likely to have advanced AMD (P = 5.6 × 10−5). Controlling for covariates, low FI increased the risk of advanced AMD among those with a variant compared with individuals without advanced AMD with a rare CFI variant (OR 13.6, P = 1.6 × 10−4), and also compared with control individuals without a rare CFI variant (OR 19.0, P = 1.1 × 10−5). Thus, low FI levels are strongly associated with rare CFI variants and AMD. Enhancing FI activity may be therapeutic and measuring FI provides a screening tool for identifying patients who are most likely to benefit from complement inhibitory therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Kavanagh
- Institute of Genetic Medicine, Newcastle University, International Centre for Life, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Yi Yu
- Ophthalmic Epidemiology and Genetics Service, New England Eye Center, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Elizabeth C Schramm
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Michael Triebwasser
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Erin K Wagner
- Ophthalmic Epidemiology and Genetics Service, New England Eye Center, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Soumya Raychaudhuri
- Partners HealthCare Center for Personalized Genetic Medicine, Boston, MA, USA, Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA, Division of Genetics, Rheumatology, Immunology and Allergy, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA, Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Mark J Daly
- Partners HealthCare Center for Personalized Genetic Medicine, Boston, MA, USA, Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA, Analytic and Translational Genetics Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - John P Atkinson
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Johanna M Seddon
- Ophthalmic Epidemiology and Genetics Service, New England Eye Center, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA, Department of Ophthalmology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA and Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA
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28
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Thomas S, Ranganathan D, Francis L, Madhan K, John GT. Current concepts in C3 glomerulopathy. Indian J Nephrol 2014; 24:339-48. [PMID: 25484526 PMCID: PMC4244712 DOI: 10.4103/0971-4065.134089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Complement component 3 glomerulopathy (C3G) is a recently defined entity comprising of dense deposit disease and C3 glomerulonephritis. The key histological feature is the presence of isolated C3 deposits without immunoglobulins. Often masqueradng as some of the common glomerulonephritides this is a prototype disorder occurring from dysregulated alternate complement pathway with recently identified genetic defects and autoantibodies. We review the pathophysiology, clinical features, and diagnostic and treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Thomas
- Department of Renal Medicine, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Brisbane, Australia
| | - D Ranganathan
- Department of Renal Medicine, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Brisbane, Australia
| | - L Francis
- Department of Pathology, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Brisbane, Australia
| | - K Madhan
- Department of Renal Medicine, Hervey Bay Hospital, Hervey Bay, Australia
| | - G T John
- Department of Renal Medicine, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Brisbane, Australia
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29
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Johnson SA, Wong EKS, Taylor CM. Making sense of the spectrum of glomerular disease associated with complement dysregulation. Pediatr Nephrol 2014; 29:1883-94. [PMID: 23852337 DOI: 10.1007/s00467-013-2559-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2012] [Revised: 05/14/2013] [Accepted: 05/29/2013] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Over recent years, complement has emerged as a major player in the development of a number of glomerular diseases, including atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome, membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis and the recently described C3 glomerulonephritis. Some patients and pedigrees show overlapping features of these conditions. Intriguingly, a few complement gene mutations are common to different disease phenotypes. In this review, we explore the evidence for complement dysregulation in these diseases and the clinical interface between them, and present a hypothesis to explain the variable phenotype associated with dysregulation of the alternative complement pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sally Ann Johnson
- Paediatric Nephrology, Great North Children's Hospital, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK,
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30
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Ratelade J, Verkman AS. Inhibitor(s) of the classical complement pathway in mouse serum limit the utility of mice as experimental models of neuromyelitis optica. Mol Immunol 2014; 62:104-13. [PMID: 24980869 DOI: 10.1016/j.molimm.2014.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2014] [Revised: 06/03/2014] [Accepted: 06/03/2014] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is an inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system in which anti-aquaporin-4 (AQP4) autoantibodies (AQP4-IgG) cause damage to astrocytes by complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC). Various approaches have been attempted to produce NMO lesions in rodents, some involving genetically modified mice with altered immune cell function. Here, we found that mouse serum strongly inhibits complement from multiple species, preventing AQP4-IgG-dependent CDC. Effects of mouse serum on complement activation were tested in CDC assays in which AQP4-expressing cells were incubated with AQP4-IgG and complement from different species. Biochemical assays and mass spectrometry were used to characterize complement inhibitor(s) in mouse serum. Sera from different strains of mice produced almost no AQP4-IgG-dependent CDC compared with human, rat and guinea pig sera. Remarkably, addition of mouse serum prevented AQP4-IgG-dependent CDC caused by human, rat or guinea pig serum, with 50% inhibition at <5% mouse serum. Hemolysis assays indicated that the inhibitor(s) in mouse serum target the classical and not the alternative complement pathway. We found that the complement inhibitor(s) in mouse serum were contained in a serum fraction purified with protein-A resin; however, the inhibitor was not IgG as determined using serum from IgG-deficient mice. Mass spectrometry on the protein A-purified fraction produced several inhibitor candidates. The low intrinsic complement activity of mouse serum and the presence of complement inhibitor(s) limit the utility of mouse models to study disorders, such as NMO, involving the classical complement pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Ratelade
- Departments of Medicine and Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - A S Verkman
- Departments of Medicine and Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
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31
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Abstract
Activation of the complement system is tightly regulated by plasma and cell-associated complement regulatory proteins (CRPs), such as factor H (fH), decay-accelerating factor, and membrane cofactor protein. Animal models of disease have provided considerable insights into the important roles for CRPs in the kidney. Mice deficient in fH have excessive fluid phase C3 activation and inactivation, leading to deposition of inactivated C3b in glomerular capillary walls (GCW), comparable with dense deposit disease. In contrast, when fH lacks C-terminal surface targeting regions, local activation on the GCW leads to a disease reminiscent of thrombotic microangiopathy. The uniquely rodent protein, CR1-related y (Crry), has features analogous to human membrane cofactor protein. Defective Crry leads to unrestricted alternative pathway activation in the tubulointerstitium, resulting in pathologic features ranging from thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA), acute kidney injury, and tubulointerstitium nephritis. In the presence of initiators of the classic or lectin pathways, commonly in the form of immune complexes in human glomerular diseases, complement regulation is stressed, with the potential for recruitment of the spontaneously active alternative pathway. The threshold for this activation is set by CRPs; pathology is more likely when complement regulation is defective. Within the endocapillary region of the GCW, fH is key, while decay-accelerating factor and Crry are protective on mesangial cells and podocytes. Arguably, acquired alterations in these CRPs is a more common event, extending from pathologic states of cellular injury or production of inhibitory antibodies, to physiological fine tuning of the adaptive immune response.
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32
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C3 opsonization regulates endocytic handling of apoptotic cells resulting in enhanced T-cell responses to cargo-derived antigens. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2014; 111:1503-8. [PMID: 24474777 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1316877111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Apoptotic cells are a source of autoantigens and impairment of their removal contributes to the development of autoimmunity in C1q deficiency. However, the lack of complement component 3 (C3), the predominant complement opsonin, does not predispose to autoimmunity, suggesting a modifying role of C3 in disease pathogenesis. To explore this hypothesis, here we investigated the role of C3 in the T-cell response to apoptotic cell-associated antigens. By comparing the phagosome maturation and the subsequent MHC class II presentation of a peptide derived from the internalized cargo between C3-deficient or C3-sufficient dendritic cells, we found that C3 deficiency accelerated the fusion of the apoptotic cargo with lysosomes. As a result, C3 deficiency led to impaired antigen-specific T-cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo. Notably, preopsonization of the apoptotic cells with C3 activation fragments rectified the trafficking and T-cell stimulation defects. These data indicate that activated C3 may act as a "chaperone" in the intracellular processing of an apoptotic cargo and, thus, may modulate the T-cell response to self-antigens displayed on dying cells.
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33
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Ramadass M, Ghebrehiwet B, Smith RJ, Kew RR. Generation of multiple fluid-phase C3b:plasma protein complexes during complement activation: possible implications in C3 glomerulopathies. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2013; 192:1220-30. [PMID: 24367026 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1302288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The complement system is tightly regulated to safeguard against tissue damage that results from unwanted activation. The key step of C3 cleavage to C3b is regulated by multiple mechanisms that control the initiation and extent of activation. This study demonstrated that C3b:plasma protein complexes form in the fluid-phase during complement activation. Several different plasma proteins displayed a discrete high molecular SDS-resistant band when any of the three complement activating pathways were triggered in normal human serum or plasma. Serum depleted of individual complement proteins revealed that C3 and factors B and D were essential for complex formation. Inactivation of the thioester bond in C3 also prevented complex formation. In vitro, complexes could be generated using four purified proteins-C3, factor B, factor D, and target protein-and Mg(2+) to allow C3 convertase formation. These studies showed that the complexes consisted of a plasma protein covalently bound to C3b in a 1:1 molar ratio; the C3b portion was rapidly degraded by factors H and I. Analysis of plasma samples from patients with dense deposit disease and C3 glomerulonephritis demonstrated that C3b:protein complexes form spontaneously in the blood of patients with dense deposit disease and, to a lesser extent, in C3 glomerulonephritis patients, but not in healthy controls. This finding supports the underlying hypothesis that these C3 glomerulopathies are diseases of fluid-phase complement dysregulation. These complexes could normally function as a passive mechanism to intercept C3b from depositing on host cells. However, excessive generation and/or defective clearance of fluid-phase C3b:protein complexes may have pathological consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahalakshmi Ramadass
- Department of Pathology, Stony Brook University School of Medicine, Stony Brook, NY 11794
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34
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Andersen CA, Marcussen N, Gregersen JW. Recovery of renal function succeeding stem cell transplant: a case of C3 Glomerulonephiritis secondary to monoclonal gammopathy. Clin Kidney J 2013; 6:639-42. [PMID: 26069834 PMCID: PMC4438372 DOI: 10.1093/ckj/sft124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2013] [Accepted: 09/19/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN) and C3 glomerulonephritis (C3 GN) can be secondary to monoclonal gammopathy and multiple myeloma. MPGN Type 1 is caused by activation of the classical pathway by immune complex formation, and C3 GN results from abnormalities in the alternative pathway of complement. In previously reported cases of MPGN and C3 GN secondary to monoclonal gammopathy/multiple myeloma, renal outcome has been poor. Here, we present the first patient, to our knowledge, who showed full renal recovery and normalization of the complement system after chemotherapy and stem cell transplantation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Niels Marcussen
- Department of Pathology , Odense University Hospital , Odense , Denmark
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35
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Abstract
C3 glomerulopathy refers to those renal lesions characterized histologically by predominant C3 accumulation within the glomerulus, and pathogenetically by aberrant regulation of the alternative pathway of complement. Dense deposit disease is distinguished from other forms of C3 glomerulopathy by its characteristic appearance on electron microscopy. The extent to which dense deposit disease also differs from other forms of C3 glomerulopathy in terms of clinical features, natural history, and outcomes of treatment including renal transplantation is less clear. We discuss the pathophysiology of C3 glomerulopathy, with evidence for alternative pathway dysregulation obtained from affected individuals and complement factor H (Cfh)-deficient animal models. Recent linkage studies in familial C3 glomerulopathy have shown genomic rearrangements in the Cfh-related genes, for which the novel pathophysiologic concept of Cfh deregulation has been proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas D Barbour
- Kidney Research UK, Centre for Complement and Inflammation Research, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.
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Zhang Y, Nester CM, Holanda DG, Marsh HC, Hammond RA, Thomas LJ, Meyer NC, Hunsicker LG, Sethi S, Smith RJH. Soluble CR1 therapy improves complement regulation in C3 glomerulopathy. J Am Soc Nephrol 2013; 24:1820-9. [PMID: 23907509 DOI: 10.1681/asn.2013010045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Dense deposit disease (DDD) and C3 glomerulonephritis (C3GN) are widely recognized subtypes of C3 glomerulopathy. These ultra-rare renal diseases are characterized by fluid-phase dysregulation of the alternative complement pathway that leads to deposition of complement proteins in the renal glomerulus. Disease triggers are unknown and because targeted treatments are lacking, progress to end stage renal failure is a common final outcome. We studied soluble CR1, a potent regulator of complement activity, to test whether it restores complement regulation in C3 glomerulopathy. In vitro studies using sera from patients with DDD showed that soluble CR1 prevents dysregulation of the alternative pathway C3 convertase, even in the presence of C3 nephritic factors. In mice deficient in complement factor H and transgenic for human CR1, soluble CR1 therapy stopped alternative pathway activation, resulting in normalization of serum C3 levels and clearance of iC3b from glomerular basement membranes. Short-term use of soluble CR1 in a pediatric patient with end stage renal failure demonstrated its safety and ability to normalize activity of the terminal complement pathway. Overall, these data indicate that soluble CR1 re-establishes regulation of the alternative complement pathway and provide support for a limited trial to evaluate soluble CR1 as a treatment for DDD and C3GN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuzhou Zhang
- Molecular Otolaryngology and Renal Research Laboratories, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
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37
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The purpose of this review is to discuss emerging nomenclature, review the salient clinicopathological features and describe the therapeutic options available for the treatment of C3 glomerulopathy (C3G). RECENT FINDINGS C3G is minimally responsive to traditional immune suppression and randomized controlled trials to support therapy are absent. The burgeoning understanding of the role of the alternative complement pathway in C3G combined with animal data supporting the use of terminal complement blockade and a few reports suggesting that the anticomplement drug eculizumab may offer a therapeutic advantage have triggered great interest in the field of complement-mediated renal disease. SUMMARY Anticellular immune suppression and plasma therapy have limited efficacy in C3G. Data suggest that eculizumab may ameliorate disease in some C3G patients. The limited, recently published cohort data highlight crucial aspects of this group of diseases and support the need for extensive genetic and biomarker research to validate the pathologic mechanisms, delineate the spectrum of disease and guide the design of the rigorous trials to identify effective therapies for the treatment of C3G.
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Thurman JM, Kulik L, Orth H, Wong M, Renner B, Sargsyan SA, Mitchell LM, Hourcade DE, Hannan JP, Kovacs JM, Coughlin B, Woodell AS, Pickering MC, Rohrer B, Holers VM. Detection of complement activation using monoclonal antibodies against C3d. J Clin Invest 2013; 123:2218-30. [PMID: 23619360 DOI: 10.1172/jci65861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2012] [Accepted: 02/21/2013] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
During complement activation the C3 protein is cleaved, and C3 activation fragments are covalently fixed to tissues. Tissue-bound C3 fragments are a durable biomarker of tissue inflammation, and these fragments have been exploited as addressable binding ligands for targeted therapeutics and diagnostic agents. We have generated cross-reactive murine monoclonal antibodies against human and mouse C3d, the final C3 degradation fragment generated during complement activation. We developed 3 monoclonal antibodies (3d8b, 3d9a, and 3d29) that preferentially bind to the iC3b, C3dg, and C3d fragments in solution, but do not bind to intact C3 or C3b. The same 3 clones also bind to tissue-bound C3 activation fragments when injected systemically. Using mouse models of renal and ocular disease, we confirmed that, following systemic injection, the antibodies accumulated at sites of C3 fragment deposition within the glomerulus, the renal tubulointerstitium, and the posterior pole of the eye. To detect antibodies bound within the eye, we used optical imaging and observed accumulation of the antibodies within retinal lesions in a model of choroidal neovascularization (CNV). Our results demonstrate that imaging methods that use these antibodies may provide a sensitive means of detecting and monitoring complement activation-associated tissue inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua M Thurman
- Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado 80045, USA.
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Abstract
‘C3 glomerulopathy’ is a recent disease classification comprising several rare types of glomerulonephritis (GN), including dense deposit disease (DDD), C3 glomerulonephritis (C3GN) and CFHR5 nephropathy. These disorders share the key histological feature of isolated complement C3 deposits in the glomerulus. A common aetiology involving dysregulation of the alternative pathway (AP) of complement has been elucidated in the past decade, with genetic defects and/or autoantibodies able to be identified in a proportion of patients. We review the clinical and histological features of C3 glomerulopathy, relating these to underlying molecular mechanisms. The role of uncontrolled C3 activation in pathogenesis is emphasized, with important lessons from animal models. Methods, advantages and limitations of gene testing in the assessment of individuals or families with C3 glomerulopathy are discussed. While no therapy has yet been shown consistently effective, clinical evaluation of agents targeting specific components of the complement system is ongoing. However, limits to current knowledge regarding the natural history and the appropriate timing and duration of proposed therapies need to be addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas D Barbour
- Centre for Complement & Inflammation Research (CCIR), Division of Immunology and Inflammation, Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, UK
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Gui S, Sang X, Zheng L, Ze Y, Zhao X, Sheng L, Sun Q, Cheng Z, Cheng J, Hu R, Wang L, Hong F, Tang M. Intragastric exposure to titanium dioxide nanoparticles induced nephrotoxicity in mice, assessed by physiological and gene expression modifications. Part Fibre Toxicol 2013; 10:4. [PMID: 23406204 PMCID: PMC3605279 DOI: 10.1186/1743-8977-10-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2012] [Accepted: 02/03/2013] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Numerous studies have demonstrated that titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) induced nephrotoxicity in animals. However, the nephrotoxic multiple molecular mechanisms are not clearly understood. Methods Mice were exposed to 2.5, 5 and 10 mg/kg TiO2 NPs by intragastric administration for 90 consecutive days, and their growth, element distribution, and oxidative stress in kidney as well as kidney gene expression profile were investigated using whole-genome microarray analysis technique. Results Our findings suggest that TiO2 NPs resulted in significant reduction of renal glomerulus number, apoptosis, infiltration of inflammatory cells, tissue necrosis or disorganization of renal tubules, coupled with decreased body weight, increased kidney indices, unbalance of element distribution, production of reactive oxygen species and peroxidation of lipid, protein and DNA in mouse kidney tissue. Furthermore, microarray analysis showed significant alterations in the expression of 1, 246 genes in the 10 mg/kg TiO2 NPs-exposed kidney. Of the genes altered, 1006 genes were associated with immune/inflammatory responses, apoptosis, biological processes, oxidative stress, ion transport, metabolic processes, the cell cycle, signal transduction, cell component, transcription, translation and cell differentiation, respectively. Specifically, the vital up-regulation of Bcl6, Cfi and Cfd caused immune/ inflammatory responses, the significant alterations of Axud1, Cyp4a12a, Cyp4a12b, Cyp4a14, and Cyp2d9 expression resulted in severe oxidative stress, and great suppression of Birc5, Crap2, and Tfrc expression led to renal cell apoptosis. Conclusions Axud1, Bcl6, Cf1, Cfd, Cyp4a12a, Cyp4a12b, Cyp2d9, Birc5, Crap2, and Tfrc may be potential biomarkers of kidney toxicity caused by TiO2 NPs exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suxin Gui
- Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
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Lesher AM, Zhou L, Kimura Y, Sato S, Gullipalli D, Herbert AP, Barlow PN, Eberhardt HU, Skerka C, Zipfel PF, Hamano T, Miwa T, Tung KS, Song WC. Combination of factor H mutation and properdin deficiency causes severe C3 glomerulonephritis. J Am Soc Nephrol 2012. [PMID: 23204401 DOI: 10.1681/asn.2012060570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Factor H (fH) and properdin both modulate complement; however, fH inhibits activation, and properdin promotes activation of the alternative pathway of complement. Mutations in fH associate with several human kidney diseases, but whether inhibiting properdin would be beneficial in these diseases is unknown. Here, we found that either genetic or pharmacological blockade of properdin, which we expected to be therapeutic, converted the mild C3 GN of an fH-mutant mouse to a lethal C3 GN with features of human dense deposit disease. We attributed this phenotypic change to a differential effect of properdin on the dynamics of alternative pathway complement activation in the fluid phase and the cell surface in the fH-mutant mice. Thus, in fH mutation-related C3 glomerulopathy, additional factors that impact the activation of the alternative pathway of complement critically determine the nature and severity of kidney pathology. These results show that therapeutic manipulation of the complement system requires rigorous disease-specific target validation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison M Lesher
- Department of Pharmacology and Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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Ruseva MM, Vernon KA, Lesher AM, Schwaeble WJ, Ali YM, Botto M, Cook T, Song W, Stover CM, Pickering MC. Loss of properdin exacerbates C3 glomerulopathy resulting from factor H deficiency. J Am Soc Nephrol 2012. [PMID: 23184055 DOI: 10.1681/asn.2012060571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Complement factor H (CFH) is a negative regulator of the alternative pathway of complement, and properdin is the sole positive regulator. CFH-deficient mice (CFH(-/-)) develop uncontrolled C3 activation and spontaneous renal disease characterized by accumulation of C3 along the glomerular basement membrane, but the role of properdin in the pathophysiology is unknown. Here, we studied mice deficient in both CFH and properdin (CFH(-/-).P(-/-)). Although CFH(-/-) mice had plasma depleted of both C3 and C5, CFH(-/-).P(-/-) animals exhibited depletion of C3 predominantly, recapitulating the plasma complement profile observed in humans with properdin-independent C3 nephritic factors. Glomerular inflammation, thickening of the capillary wall, and glomerular C3 staining were significantly increased in CFH(-/-).P(-/-) compared with CFH(-/-) mice. We previously reported that exogenous CFH ameliorates C3 staining of the glomerular basement membrane and triggers the appearance of mesangial C3 deposits in CFH(-/-) mice; here, we show that these effects require properdin. In summary, during uncontrolled activation of C3 driven by complete CFH deficiency, properdin influences the intraglomerular localization of C3, suggesting that therapeutic inhibition of properdin would be detrimental in this setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marieta M Ruseva
- Centre for Complement and Inflammation Research, Imperial College, London, United Kingdom
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Abstract
In the past decade, a large body of evidence has accumulated in support of the critical role of dysregulation of the alternative complement pathway in atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome (aHUS) and C3 glomerulopathies. These findings have paved the way for innovative therapeutic strategies based on complement blockade, and eculizumab, a monoclonal antibody targeting the human complement component 5, is now widely used to treat aHUS. In this article, we review 28 case reports and preliminary data from 37 patients enrolled in prospective trials of eculizumab treatment for episodes of aHUS involving either native or transplanted kidneys. Eculizumab may be considered as an optimal first-line therapy when the diagnosis of aHUS is unequivocal and this treatment has the potential to rescue renal function when administered early after onset of the disease. However, a number of important issues require further study, including the appropriate duration of treatment according to an individual's genetic background and medical history, the optimal strategy to prevent post-transplantation recurrence of aHUS and a cost-efficacy analysis. Data regarding the efficacy of eculizumab in the control of C3 glomerulopathies are more limited and less clear, but several observations suggest that eculizumab may act on the most inflammatory forms of this disorder.
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Sugimoto K, Fujita S, Miyazaki K, Okada M, Takemura T. C3 Glomerulonephritis Associated with a Missense Mutation in the Factor H Gene. TOHOKU J EXP MED 2012; 227:211-5. [PMID: 22790979 DOI: 10.1620/tjem.227.211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Shinsuke Fujita
- Department of Pediatrics, Kinki University School of Medicine
| | - Kouhei Miyazaki
- Department of Pediatrics, Kinki University School of Medicine
| | - Mitsuru Okada
- Department of Pediatrics, Kinki University School of Medicine
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Smith RJH, Harris CL, Pickering MC. Dense deposit disease. Mol Immunol 2011; 48:1604-10. [PMID: 21601923 DOI: 10.1016/j.molimm.2011.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2011] [Revised: 04/05/2011] [Accepted: 04/06/2011] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Dense deposit disease (DDD) is an orphan disease that primarily affects children and young adults without sexual predilection. Studies of its pathophysiology have shown conclusively that it is caused by fluid-phase dysregulation of the alternative pathway of complement, however the role played by genetics and autoantibodies like C3 nephritic factors must be more thoroughly defined if we are to make an impact in the clinical management of this disease. There are currently no mechanism-directed therapies to offer affected patients, half of whom progress to end stage renal failure disease within 10 years of diagnosis. Transplant recipients face the dim prospect of disease recurrence in their allografts, half of which ultimately fail. More detailed genetic and complement studies of DDD patients may make it possible to identify protective factors prognostic for naïve kidney and transplant survival, or conversely risk factors associated with progression to renal failure and allograft loss. The pathophysiology of DDD suggests that a number of different treatments warrant consideration. As advances are made in these areas, there will be a need to increase healthcare provider awareness of DDD by making resources available to clinicians to optimize care for DDD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard J H Smith
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Nephrology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, 21151 PFP, 200 Hawkins Drive, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA.
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Renner B, Ferreira VP, Cortes C, Goldberg R, Ljubanovic D, Pangburn MK, Pickering MC, Tomlinson S, Holland-Neidermyer A, Strassheim D, Holers VM, Thurman JM. Binding of factor H to tubular epithelial cells limits interstitial complement activation in ischemic injury. Kidney Int 2011; 80:165-73. [PMID: 21544060 DOI: 10.1038/ki.2011.115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Factor H is a regulator of the alternative pathway of complement, and genetic studies have shown that patients with mutations in factor H are at increased risk for several types of renal disease. Pathogenic activation of the alternative pathway in acquired diseases, such as ischemic acute kidney injury, suggests that native factor H has a limited capacity to control the alternative pathway in the kidney. Here we found that an absolute deficiency of factor H produced by gene deletion prevented complement activation on tubulointerstitial cells after ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury, likely because alternative pathway proteins were consumed in the fluid phase. In contrast, when fluid-phase regulation by factor H was maintained while the interaction of factor H with cell surfaces was blocked by a recombinant inhibitor protein, complement activation after renal I/R increased. Finally, a recombinant form of factor H, specifically targeted to sites of C3 deposition, reduced complement activation in the tubulointerstitium after ischemic injury. Thus, although factor H does not fully prevent activation of the alternative pathway of complement on ischemic tubules, its interaction with the tubule epithelial cell surface is critical for limiting complement activation and attenuating renal injury after ischemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon Renner
- Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado 80045, USA
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Abstract
Complement is a part of the body's innate immune system that helps defend the host from microbial infection. It is tightly controlled by a number of cell surface and fluid-phase proteins so that under normal circumstances injury to autologous tissues is avoided. In many pathological settings, such as when the complement regulatory mechanisms are dysfunctional or overwhelmed, complement attack of autologous tissues can occur with severe, sometimes life-threatening consequences. The kidney appears to be particularly vulnerable to complement-mediated inflammatory injury and many kidney pathologies have been linked to abnormal complement activation. Clinical and experimental studies have shown that complement attack can be a primary cause in rare, genetically predisposed kidney diseases or a significant contributor to kidney injury caused by other etiological factors. Here we provide a brief review of recent advances on the activation and regulation of the complement system in kidney disease, with a particular emphasis on the relevance of complement regulatory proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison M Lesher
- Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics and Department of Pharmacology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Bao L, Haas M, Quigg RJ. Complement factor H deficiency accelerates development of lupus nephritis. J Am Soc Nephrol 2010; 22:285-95. [PMID: 21148254 DOI: 10.1681/asn.2010060647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Complement factor H (CfH) is a key regulator of the alternative pathway, and its presence on mouse platelets and podocytes allows the processing of immune complexes. Because of the role of immune complexes in the pathophysiology of lupus nephritis, we studied the role of CfH in the development of nephritis in MRL-lpr mice, an animal model of lupus. At 12 weeks, CfH-deficient MRL-lpr mice had significantly more albuminuria and higher BUN levels than MRL-lpr controls. Cfh-deficient MRL-lpr mice also experienced earlier mortality: at 14 weeks, 6 of 9 CfH-deficient MRL-lpr mice had died of renal failure, whereas all 11 littermate CfH-sufficient MRL-lpr mice were alive (P ≤ 0.001). Histologically, CfH-deficient MRL-lpr mice developed severe diffuse lupus nephritis by 12 weeks (glomerulonephritis scores of 2.6 ± 0.4 versus 0.4 ± 0.2 in littermate controls, P = 0.001). Similar to other CfH-deficient mouse models on nonautoimmune backgrounds, immunofluorescence staining showed extensive linear C3 staining along glomerular capillary walls. IgG was present in the mesangium and peripheral capillary walls along with excessive infiltration of macrophages and neutrophils. Ultrastructurally, there were subendothelial and subepithelial immune deposits and extensive podocyte foot process effacement. In summary, the loss of CfH accelerates the development of lupus nephritis and recapitulates the functional and structural features of the human disease. This illustrates the critical role of complement regulation and metabolism of immune complexes in the pathogenesis of lupus nephritis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lihua Bao
- Section of Nephrology, The University of Chicago, 5841 S. Maryland Avenue, MC5100, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
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de Jorge EG, Macor P, Paixão-Cavalcante D, Rose KL, Tedesco F, Cook HT, Botto M, Pickering MC. The development of atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome depends on complement C5. J Am Soc Nephrol 2010; 22:137-45. [PMID: 21148255 DOI: 10.1681/asn.2010050451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Gene variants in the alternative pathway of the complement system strongly associate with atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS), presumably by predisposing to increased complement activation within the kidney. Complement factor H (CFH) is the major regulator of complement activation through the alternative pathway. Factor H-deficient mice transgenically expressing a mutant CFH protein (Cfh(-/-).FHΔ16-20) that functionally mimics the CFH mutations reported in aHUS patients spontaneously develop thrombotic microangiopathy. To investigate the role of complement C5 activation in this aHUS model, we generated C5-deficient Cfh(-/-).FHΔ16-20 mice. Both C5-sufficient and C5-deficient Cfh(-/-).FHΔ16-20 mice had abnormal C3 deposition within the kidney, but spontaneous aHUS did not develop in any of the C5-deficient mice. Furthermore, although Cfh(-/-).FHΔ16-20 animals demonstrated marked hypersensitivity to experimentally triggered renal injury, animals with concomitant C5 deficiency did not. These data demonstrate a critical role for C5 activation in both spontaneous aHUS and experimentally triggered renal injury in animals with defective complement factor H function. This study provides a rationale to investigate therapeutic inhibition of C5 in human aHUS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Goicoechea de Jorge
- Complement and Inflammation Section, Division of Immunology and Inflammation, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London W12 ONN, United Kingdom
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Miura T, Goto S, Iguchi S, Shimada H, Ueno M, Nishi SI, Narita I. Membranoproliferative pattern of glomerular injury associated with complement component 9 deficiency due to Arg95Stop mutation. Clin Exp Nephrol 2010; 15:86-91. [PMID: 21057849 DOI: 10.1007/s10157-010-0358-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2010] [Accepted: 09/28/2010] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Arg95Stop mutation of exon 4 in complement component 9 (C9) gene is common in individuals in Japan with C9 deficiency (C9D); however, understanding of the influences of C9D on human glomerulonephritis remains elusive. METHODS A total of 1288 patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) were recruited from the hospitals in Niigata prefecture. They were screened for the Arg95Stop mutation of C9 gene by allele-specific PCR. RESULTS We identified two individuals with C9D among 1,288 CKD patients, a frequency comparable to that of the general Japanese population (0.16%). Case 1 involved a 44-year-old man presenting with nephrotic proteinuria. The hemolytic activity of CH50 was low, and the concentration of C9 was not detected. Sequencing of exon 4 of the C9 gene showed the Arg95Stop mutation. Renal biopsy revealed diffuse global mesangial proliferation with extensive duplication of glomerular capillary walls. Mesangial, subendothelial and subepithelial deposits were noticed with light and electron microscopy. Immunofluorescent study showed predominant mesangial IgA deposition. Case 2 involved a 62-year-old man presenting with proteinuria and hematuria. His CH50 level was decreased. Renal biopsy revealed diffuse global mesangial proliferation with extensive duplication of glomerular capillary walls. Immune deposits were also confirmed. The percentage of C9D among patients with mesangial proliferation and duplication of GBM in this study was 5.1%. CONCLUSION These results suggested that the lack of membrane attack complex because of an Arg95Stop mutation of the C9 gene predisposed patients to pathognomonic glomerulonephritis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takayoshi Miura
- Division of Clinical Nephrology and Rheumatology, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Asahimachi-dori, Niigata 951-8510, Japan
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