Alternative Pathway Is Essential for Glomerular Complement Activation and Proteinuria in a Mouse Model of Membranous Nephropathy.

ABSTRACT: Membranous nephropathy is an immune kidney disease caused by IgG antibodies that form glomerular subepithelial immune complexes. Proteinuria is mediated by complement activation, as a result of podocyte injury by C5b-9, but the role of specific complement pathways is not known. Autoantibodies-mediating primary membranous nephropathy are predominantly of IgG4 subclass, which cannot activate the classical pathway. Histologic evidence from kidney biopsies suggests that the lectin and the alternative pathways may be activated in membranous nephropathy, but the pathogenic relevance of these pathways remains unclear. In this study, we evaluated the role of the alternative pathway in a mouse model of membranous nephropathy. After inducing the formation of subepithelial immune complexes, we found

SUBMITTER: Luo W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6023961 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature