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BMC Nephrology
Published in: BMC Nephrology 1/2019

Open Access 01-12-2019 | Glomerulonephritis | Research article

Clinical significance of C4d deposition in renal tissues from patients with primary Sjögren’s syndrome—a preliminary study

Authors: Wenli Xia, Bixia Gao, Lin Duan, Yan Li, Yubing Wen, Limeng Chen, Xuemei Li, Falei Zheng, Mingxi Li

Published in: BMC Nephrology | Issue 1/2019

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Abstract

Background

To evaluate renal expression of C4d, a complement component in the classical/mannose binding lectin (MBL) pathway, in patients with primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS)-associated renal impairments.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the clinical and pathological data from 39 patients with pSS presenting with renal impairments. C4d was examined in paraffin-embedded biopsy tissues using immunohistochemistry. Glomerular C4d positive was defined when > 75% glomeruli were globally stained. Tubulointerstitial C4d (TI-C4d) were scored semi-quantitatively as 0 (absent), 1 (spotty or weak), 2 (patchy) and 3 (diffuse). A TI-C4d score ≥ 2 was considered TI-C4d positive and included in the TI-C4d+ group and vice versa. Peritubular capillary (PTC) C4d was scored as 0 (absent), 1 (0~10%, minimal), 2 (10%~ 50%, focal), and 3 (> 50%, diffuse).

Results

Glomerular C4d deposition was observed in all 8 patients with pSS-related membranous nephropathy (MN) without obvious C1q deposition. Two of 5 patients with mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis and 1 of 2 patients with IgA nephropathy had mild mesangial C4d deposition. Sixteen patients (6 glomerular dominant and 10 tubulointerstitial dominant) presented TI-C4d score ≥ 2. Patients in the TI-C4d+ group exhibited a higher serum creatinine level at the time of renal biopsy (TI-C4d+ 132.5 [89.7, 165.5] vs. TI-C4d− 83.0 [70.7, 102.0] μmol/L, P = 0.008). PTC C4d was observed in 12 patients, with each of minimal, focal and diffuse staining being noted in 4 patients.

Conclusions

The MBL pathway of complement activation was potentially involved in pSS-related MN. Tubulointerstitial C4d might be a pathological marker of severe renal injury in patients with pSS-related renal impairments.
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Metadata
Title
Clinical significance of C4d deposition in renal tissues from patients with primary Sjögren’s syndrome—a preliminary study
Authors
Wenli Xia
Bixia Gao
Lin Duan
Yan Li
Yubing Wen
Limeng Chen
Xuemei Li
Falei Zheng
Mingxi Li
Publication date
01-12-2019
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Nephrology / Issue 1/2019
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2369
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12882-019-1341-y

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