Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0024141 (systemic lupus erythematosus)
 44,322 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Human plasma prekallikrein (Fletcher factor) clotting activity and antigen levels have been examined in various clinical conditions. Prekallikrein antigen was measured by a newly developed, specific, and sensitive radioimmunoassay. The assay had no demonstrable cross-reactivity with human urinary kallikrein nor, in the species tested, animal plasma prekallikrein. This assay was able to measure plasma kallikrein after its biological functions had been inactivated by plasma inhibitors. Normal human pooled plasma contained approximately 50 microgram/ml prekallikrein. Quantitative measurement of plasma prekallikrein was possible for concentrations as low as 0.3% of that of normal pooled plasma. A good correlation (correlation coefficient = 0.71) existed between titers of plasma prekallikrein measured by Fletcher factor clotting assays and radioimmunoassays among 40 normal subjects. Both prekallikrein clotting activity and antigen were significantly reduced in plasmas of patients with advanced hepatic cirrhosis or DIC. Prekallikrein activity and antigen were mildly decreased in plasmas or serums of patients with chronic renal failure and nephrotic syndrome but were normal in those of patients under treatment with warfarin or suffering from SLE, rheumatoid arthritis, sarcoidosis, or HANE. Human cord serum contained a lower titer of prekallikrein antigen than adult serum. Strenuous physical exercise did not significantly change plasma prekallikrein levels.
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PMID:Human plasma prekallikrein (Fletcher factor) clotting activity and antigen in health and disease. 65 66

To evaluate a flare of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) during pregnancy and to differentiate it from diseases of pregnancy, serological parameters are often utilized. However, there are conflicting reports regarding the merit of conventional measurements of complement and activation products. While in normal pregnancy the levels of serum C3, C4, and CH50 gradually rise, a decline in these levels occurs during the course of pregnancy in selected SLE patients. There is controversy regarding whether such falls represent decreases in the overall synthesis of complement or activation, the former theory being supported by a report of normal levels of the C1s-C1 inhibitor complex. During normal pregnancies, increases of complement split products, such as plasma C3a, may occur, and these correlate positively with elevations of C3. In pregnancies complicated by lupus, increases of C3a are often accompanied by a decline in total C3 and CH50. In a minority of non-SLE patients, preeclampsia has been associated with elevations of a variety of complement split products. Ba, C3a, C4d, SC5b-9, indicating activation of both the classical and alternative pathways. The CH50 levels tend to remain normal in these patients. In contrast, elevations of complement split products frequently accompany disease flares in patients with SLE. A high ratio of CH50/Ba may differentiate patients with preeclampsia from those with active SLE. A decline in conventional measures of C3, C4, or CH50 which is accompanied by elevations of complement split products appears to differentiate a lupus flare from non-SLE diseases of pregnancy.
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PMID:Activation of the complement pathway: comparison of normal pregnancy, preeclampsia, and systemic lupus erythematosus during pregnancy. 128 75

RHP has been purified from the plasma of both normal individuals and patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). RHP from both these sources was shown to be identical with Factor H by reaction with antisera and N-terminal amino acid sequence analysis. Factor H, from both normal and RA sera, inhibited the solubilization of immune precipitates but did not affect prevention of immune precipitation. Factor H was shown to inhibit the haemolytic activity of fluid-phase C1, but unlike C1-inhibitor, it had little effect on C1 bound to EA (EAC1). Factor H was shown to complex with intact C1, to isolated C1q and to the C1r:C1s tetramer. However, binding of factor H to C1 did not dissociate the C1 macromolecule. A C1-Factor H complex was detected in the serum and plasma from normal individuals and patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and RA. Serum levels of this complex were reduced, by EDTA-treatment of serum and by activation of complement by the classical pathway.
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PMID:Purification and characterization of RHP (factor H) and study of its interactions with the first component of complement. 138 42

Solubilization of preformed bovine serum albumin (BSA) rabbit anti-BSA complexes in serum with kinetic analysis, haemolytic complement function, complement proteins C1q, C4, C3 and complexes containing C1 inhibitor (C1 INH-C1r-C1s-C1 INH) were serially investigated in relation to disease activity in 25 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Clinical assessment of disease activity was expressed using a validated global index (SLEDAI). Markedly decreased capacity to solubilize immune complexes in serum was mainly found in sever disease. By serial analysis, evidence of fairly persistently impaired classical pathway function was found in most of the patients. In partial contrast, impaired alternative pathway function was more clearly associated with active severe disease. Immune complex solubilization during short incubation (5-10 minutes) correlated with classical and alternative pathway-mediated haemolysis. Solubilization during long incubation (40 minutes) was correlated with haemolytic alternative pathway function. In some patients gradual impairment of solubilization during short incubation, and reduced classical pathway haemolytic activity were detectable 2-4 months before clinical manifestations prompted therapeutical intervention. SLEDAI was negatively correlated with solubilization during prolonged incubation (40 minutes) and with haemolytic alternative pathway function, further emphasizing involvement of the alternative pathway in severe disease. The findings emphasize the importance of impaired complement function due to complement activation in SLE. Assays for immune complex solubilization or other complement functions appear to be useful for monitoring disease activity in SLE.
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PMID:Kinetic analysis of immune complex solubilization: complement function in relation to disease activity in SLE. 158 69

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is characterized by a deficiency in C1 inhibitor protein (C1 INH) and by clinical symptoms of episodic swelling of subcutaneous or mucosal tissue. It has rarely been reported in association with non-systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) glomerulonephritis (GN). A recent report of two cases indicates the prognosis to be poor, with both patients progressing to chronic renal failure 8 and 20 years after diagnosis. This report describes the 5-year follow-up of a previously unreported case of an 8-year-old boy with HAE and non-SLE membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN). The patient developed macroscopic hematuria, azotemia, and a vasculitic rash. Treatment included prednisone and cyclophosphamide, resulting in clinical improvement. The present report also summarizes the long-term follow-up of three previously reported cases of HAE and non-SLE GN, 25, 16, and 10 years after their initial presentation. Patients monitored for 25 and 16 years had MPGN and normal renal function and received no therapy. The third patient, monitored for 10 years, had segmental MPGN. This patient presented with urinary abnormalities and, after treatment with prednisone, had improvement in her hematuria. None of these four patients developed chronic renal failure. These observations indicate a variable outcome in patients with HAE and non-SLE GN.
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PMID:Long-term follow-up of non-systemic lupus erythematosus glomerulonephritis in patients with hereditary angioedema: report of four cases. 159

A 22 year old woman with systemic lupus erythematosus affecting the central nervous system had acquired C1 inhibitor deficiency. She was admitted for treatment of psychotic behaviour, but showed no signs of angioedema. The serum complement profile of the patient showed normal C3 concentration and a depletion of C4, C2, C1 inhibitor, and C1q. Her parents had normal complement profiles. An extremely reduced C4 concentration may lead to involvement of the central nervous system in systemic lupus erythematosus.
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PMID:Acquired C1 inhibitor deficiency associated with systemic lupus erythematosus affecting the central nervous system. 195 96

To test whether alternative complement pathway activation explains normal C1s-C1 inhibitor complex in hypocomplementemic (low CH50cl) patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, we examined alternative pathway hemolytic complement (CH50alt) factor B, and Ba fragment in hypocomplementemic sera with normal and with elevated C1s-C1 inhibitor complex. Sera with and without high C1s-C1 inhibitor complex were similar in CH50cl, C3, and C4. There was little evidence for important alternative complement pathway activation in either group, but patients with classical pathway activation (elevated C1s-C1 inhibitor complex) had slightly lower CH50alt and slightly higher factor B and Ba compared to patients with normal C1s-C1 inhibitor complex. Pregnant patients did not differ from non-pregnant patients. Alternative complement pathway activation does not account for hypocomplementemia in this group of patients.
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PMID:Alternative complement pathway in hypocomplementemic/normal C1s-C1 inhibitor complex patients with SLE. 234 30

A 33-year-old woman noticed recurrent and sudden attacks of subcutaneous swelling of the extremities and face since the age of 4 years. Sometimes the attacks involved colicky abdominal pain. Her mother and younger sister had episodes of recurrent swelling of the extremities as well. Complement studies revealed low CH50, C1q, C4, and C1 inhibitor levels, with normal C3 and C5 levels. Similar reductions of CH50 C4 and C1 inhibitor levels were observed in her mother, older, and younger sisters. Therefore, she was diagnosed as hereditary angioneurotic edema. In addition, she was diagnosed as having a butterfly rash at the age of 20 years and had a history of solar sensitivity. Histologically the facial lesion showed liquefaction degeneration of the basal cell layer. Direct immunofluorescent staining of the affected skin lesion showed basement membrane-zone staining of IgG and IgM. Laboratory studies revealed lymphopenia and positive ANF. On the basis of the above findings, hereditary angioneurotic edema associated with systemic lupus erythematosus was diagnosed.
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PMID:[A case of hereditary angioneurotic edema associated with systemic lupus erythematosus]. 258 84

An in-depth analysis of clinical and laboratory findings in 58 patients affected by hereditary angioneurotic edema (HANE) is reported with special focus on problems related to the diagnosis of the disorder. The functional C1 inhibitor (C1INH) assay is the method of choice in the diagnosis of HANE, as it is capable of revealing the disorder with 100% accuracy. The immunochemical assay of C1INH detected HANE in 84.5% of the cases, i.e., immunochemical deficiency of C1INH (type I HANE). C4 was markedly reduced in both type I and type II HANE; thus, C4 levels can be particularly useful when C1INH functional tests are not available. CH50 testing is of little diagnostic value since total hemolytic complement activity is reduced in a variety of other congenital or acquired pathologies involving the complement system. The CH50 assay after incubation in low ionic strength buffer may be utilized in mass screening programs for qualitative evaluation. However, the test has the drawback of not being applicable in cases of frank hypocomplmentemia. While a depletion of the complement classical pathway was detected in most cases, no alteration in the complement alternative pathway was recorded, nor there was any reduction in immunoglobulin levels. Family history was positive in 100% of the cases. Attacks were almost always brought on by stress and/or trauma, though the causes were sometimes unknown. Edema could be cutaneous (non-pitting and non-pruritic) in 94.2%, laryngeal (often life-threatening) in 48% and abdominal (almost always painful) in 88.4% of patients. Associated pathologies were found in 2 patients, i.e., lupus rash and C3NeF-positive chronic membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis, respectively.
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PMID:Hereditary angioneurotic edema: clinical and laboratory findings in 58 subjects. 278 1

A patient with two attacks of glottis angioedema in a 15-day period without any apparent stimulus was studied. The complement profile of the patient revealed depletion of C4, C2, C1 inhibitor (C1INH) and C1q, with normal values of C3. Patient's offspring had a normal complement profile. Cytofluorographic analysis of the peripheral blood cells showed a marked increase of B cells. In the clotting study, a circulating lupus-like anticoagulant activity (LLA) was detected with a noticeable decrease of prothrombin time. Hepatosplenomegaly was confirmed by abdominal echography and CAT. From the liver biopsy it was concluded to be a lymphoproliferative process compatible with germinal center lymphoma. It is suggested that the neoplasm is probably the origin of the LLA and the cause of C1 activation, producing the biochemical defect of C1INH and the clinical symptoms of angioedema.
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PMID:Acquired C1-inhibitor deficiency associated with a lupus-like anticoagulant activity. 314 11


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