OBJECTIVE: To investigate the significance of detecting serum complement C3 and C4 in patients with multiple myeloma (MM) and to explore its correlation with myeloma bone disease (MBD). METHODS: The levels of serum complement C3 and C4 in 69 MM patients and 30 healthy people were examined by scatter nephelometry. The bone density of L1-4 vertebral body, bilateral femoral neck and bilateral hip joints were measured by dual energy bone density meter (DXA). RESULTS: The levels of serum complement C3 and C4 in MM patients significantly increased in comparison with that in healthy people (P＜0.01). The patients in advanced clinical stage exhibited a higher levels of C3 and C4 than those in stable stage (P＜0.01). In addition, the patients with grade C of MBD had a higher levels of serum complement C3 and C4 than those in patients with grade A and B of MBD (P＜0.01). The levels of serum complement C3 and C4 in MM patients negatively correlated with bone density in L1-4 vertebral body, bilateral femoral necks and hip joints. The correlation coefficients were r=-0.938, r=-0.659, r=-0.745, r=-0.748, r=-0.596 in complement C3 and r=-0.908, r=-0.623, r=-0.710, r=-0.714, r=-0.595 in complement C4, respectively. CONCLUSION The levels of complement C3 and C4 positively correlate with the severity of bone disease and bone density in MM patients, which suggests that complement C3 and C4 plays important roles in the development of MBD. The levels of serum C3 and C4 may be the sensitive biomarkers of MBD.
Biomarkers ; Complement C3 ; metabolism ; Complement C4 ; metabolism ; Femur Neck ; Humans ; Multiple Myeloma

Epilepsy is a brain condition characterized by the recurrence of unprovoked seizures. Recent studies have shown that complement component 3 (C3) aggravate the neuronal injury in epilepsy. And our previous studies revealed that TRPV1 (transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1) is involved in epilepsy. Whether complement C3 regulation of neuronal injury is related to the activation of TRPV1 during epilepsy is not fully understood. We found that in a mouse model of status epilepticus (SE), complement C3 derived from astrocytes was increased and aggravated neuronal injury, and that TRPV1-knockout rescued neurons from the injury induced by complement C3. Circular RNAs are abundant in the brain, and the reduction of circRad52 caused by complement C3 promoted the expression of TRPV1 and exacerbated neuronal injury. Mechanistically, disorders of neuron-glia interaction mediated by the C3-TRPV1 signaling pathway may be important for the induction of neuronal injury. This study provides support for the hypothesis that the C3-TRPV1 pathway is involved in the prevention and treatment of neuronal injury and cognitive disorders.
Animals ; Astrocytes/metabolism* ; Complement C3/metabolism* ; Epilepsy ; Mice ; Neurons/pathology* ; Status Epilepticus ; TRPV Cation Channels/metabolism*

OBJECTIVETo explore lupus nephritis (LN) patients' monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1) and urinary IP-10 (ulP-10) levels, the correlation between each clinical activity index and rheumatism syndrome, thereby proving objective evidence for microscopic typing of rheumatism syndrome.

METHODSTotally 60 LN patients were assigned to the rheumatism group (31 cases) and the non-rheumatism group (29 cases). Besides, 20 healthy volunteers were recruited as the normal control group. Clinical data and renal pathology were collected, and urinary levels of MCP-1 and IP-10 detected by ELISA. The correlation between rheumatism syndrome and each activity index as well as manifestations of clinical activities was comprehensively analyzed. Results (1) Patients in the rheumatism group were more liable to occur fever, serositis, edema, and hypertension (P<0.05). (2) Compared with the non-rheumatism group, patients in the rheumatism group exhibited much higher levels of 24 h protein quantification and blood urea nitrogen, higher levels of uMCP-1 and ulP-10. Microscopic hematuria, anti-ds-DNA, anti-Sm, the positive rate of AnuA, scores of SLEDAI and BILAG were higher in the rheumatism group than in the non-rheumatism group (P<0.05). Levels of plasma albumin and complement C3 were lower in the rheumatism group than in the non-rheumatism group (P<0.05). (3) The average activity index (AI) of the renal pathology was higher in the rheumatism group than in the non-rheumatism group. The most frequent pathological type of rheumatism group was type IV of LN.

CONCLUSIONSMore severe renal damage and immune abnormality occurred in LN patients of rheumatism syndrome. Rheumatism syndrome is closely correlated to clinical activity indices.

Biomedical Research ; Chemokine CCL2 ; metabolism ; Complement C3 ; metabolism ; Hematuria ; Humans ; Kidney ; Lupus Nephritis ; epidemiology ; metabolism ; Rheumatic Diseases ; epidemiology ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the level of mRNA expression of complement C3 and C4 in rat nasal mucosa and to reveal the relationship with the pathogenesis of allergic rhinitis (AR) .

METHODSTwenty healthy SD rats were randomly divided into AR group and control group, 10 rats for each group. Ten rats was sensitized and intranasally challenged by ovalbumin and Al (OH)3 (as supplement) as allergic rhinitis models, and the control group was treated by saline. RT-PCR was performed to investigate the level of mRNA expression of complement C3 and C4 in nasal mucosa of both groups.

RESULTSC3 and C4 mRNA were detected in both groups. The relative intensity of gene expression was measured. The relative intensity of C3 mRNA expression was 6183+/-1376 in AR group, 4444+/-989 in control group, C4 mRNA was 4398 +/-948 in AR group, and 2771+/-407 in control group. Expression of C3 and C4 in AR group was higher than that of the controls ( P < 0. 05) .

CONCLUSIONThe high level of C3 and C4 mRNA expression in nasal mucosa of rats with allergic rhinitis suggests that C3 and C4 are involved in the immunopathology of allergic rhinitis. The result implies that complement system involved in the rat's allergic rhinitis is possibly activated through the classical pathway.

Animals ; Complement C3 ; metabolism ; Complement C4 ; metabolism ; Female ; Male ; Nasal Mucosa ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of rhubarb powder on serum complement 3 (C3), complement 4 (C4), and hypersensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels in patients with hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage (HICH) after operation.

METHODSForty inpatients with HICH after operation were recruited from Department of Cerebral Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Shaanxi College of Traditional Chinese Medicine from July 2009 to March 2010. They were randomly assigned to the treatment group (20 cases) and the control group (20 cases). From the 4th day after surgery, all patients received routine Western medical treatment. The rhubarb powder, 5-10 g dissolving in 40 mL warm water, was administered or nasally fed to those in the treatment group, 2 -3 times daily for 10 successive days. The contents of serum C3, C4, and hs-CRP were detected in the two groups on the 7th day and the 14th day after operation. The serum hs-CRP content was detected using latex particle enhanced immunoturbidimetric assay. The Scandinavia Stroke Scale (SSS) scores were recorded in the two groups.

RESULTSCompared with the same group on the 4th day after operation, the levels of serum C3 and C4 increased on the 7th day after operation, and SSS score increased on the 14th day after operation in the control group (P < 0.05). The contents of C4 and hs-CRP decreased, and the SSS score increased on the 14th day after operation in the treatment group (P < 0.05). Compared with the same group on the 7th day after operation, the contents of C4 and hs-CRP decreased and the SSS score increased on the 14th day after operation in the treatment group (P < 0.05). Compared with the control group at the same time points, the contents of C4 and C3 decreased on the 7th day after operation; the contents of C3, C4, and hs-CRP decreased, and SSS score increased in the treatment group on the 14th day after operation (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe rhubarb powder could significantly decrease the serum levels of C3, C4, and hs-CRP, and improve the curative effect in patients with HICH after operation.

Adult ; C-Reactive Protein ; metabolism ; Cerebral Hemorrhage ; blood ; Complement C3 ; metabolism ; Complement C4 ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Period ; Rheum ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo investigate the impact of intravenous nutrition on plasma free amino acid spectrum and immune function for patients with sepsis.

METHODSForty severe sepsis patients were divided into two groups: Group B (amino acids + glucose + fat emulsion) and Group A (glucose + fat emulsion), 20 healthy individuals were enrolled as control group. The concentration of free amino acid and immune globulin were determined after 3 days.

RESULTSIn Group A, the levels of valine, leucine, isoleucine, alanine, serine, glutamic acid, histidine, proline and glycine were decreased; while the levels of threonine, cysteine, the ratio of phenylalanine and tyrosine (Phe/Tyr) were higher than those in control group. Meanwhile, peripheral blood IgM, complement C3 and C4 were decreased. In group B, all amino acid levels were improved, but the level of alanine, serine, glutamic acid, histidine and proline still lower than those in control group. Similarly, the levels of IgM, complement C3 and C4 in group B were increased.

CONCLUSIONIntravenous nutrition can support the basal requirement of amino acid and improve the immune function of patients with sepsis.

Adult ; Aged ; Amino Acids ; blood ; Complement C3 ; metabolism ; Complement C4 ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin M ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Parenteral Nutrition, Total ; Sepsis ; blood ; immunology ; therapy ; Time Factors

Child ; Child, Preschool ; Complement C3 ; Disease Progression ; Female ; Humans ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; blood ; Lipid Metabolism ; Male ; Obesity ; blood

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Complement C3 ; metabolism ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin A ; blood ; Male ; Silicosis ; blood ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood

OBJECTIVETo investigate the nutritional status in acute stage ischemic stroke and its relation to disease severity and prognosis of patients.

METHODSFifty patients with ischemic stroke were admitted in hospital within 48 h after onset. National Institute of Health stroke scale (NIHSS) was used to assess the severity of stroke. Physical index and laboratory index were measured on d1, d7 and d14 after admission. Physical index included body weight, body mass index, triceps skin folds, upper arm circumference and arm muscle circumference. Laboratory index included prealbumin, high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), complement C3 and cortisol. The severity of metabolic disturbance was expressed as the difference of biochemical indexes between the d7 and d1. All cases were followed up for 6 months. The prognosis of stroke was evaluated with modified Rankin (mRankin) scores.

RESULTSNo significant changes of physical indexes were found between d7 and d1. The levels of prealbumin and complement C3 on d7 after admission were significantly decreased compared to d1 (198.8 mg/L±20.3 mg/L vs 286.7 mg/L±23.8 mg/L and 0.6 g/L±0.1 g/L vs 1.0 g/L±0.1 g/L, respectively, both P<0.05). The levels of hs-CRP and cortisol at d7 were significantly increased compared to d1 (495.2 nmol/L±39.5 nmol/L vs 24.1 mg/L±5.2 mg/L and 396.4 nmol/L±41.3 nmol/L vs 5.1 mg/L±1.2 mg/L, respectively, both P<0.05). On d14 after admission hs-CRP (13.2 mg/L±4.5 mg/L) and cortisol levels (463.4 nmol/L±32.1 nmol/L) were still significantly higher than d1 (both P<0.05). However, there were no difference in prealbumin (259.2 mg/L±22.8 mg/L) and complement C3 (0.8 g/L±0.2 g/L) levels between d1 and d14 after admission. Correlation analysis revealed that the NIHSS scores and mRankin scores were correlated with nutrition metabolism disturbances (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONNutrition metabolism disturbances in patients with acute ischemic stroke are related to the disease duration, the severity and prognosis of stroke.

C-Reactive Protein ; metabolism ; Complement C3 ; metabolism ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone ; blood ; Nutritional Status ; Prealbumin ; metabolism ; Prognosis ; Severity of Illness Index ; Stroke ; diagnosis ; physiopathology

This study was purposed to verify the binding part of human complement C3 to complement receptor III (CRIII) in monocytes, the peptide rC3B, including the binding-site, was expressed, purified and identified. rC3B, the binding part of human complement C3 to CRIII, was selected by computer-aided modeling and summarizing researches published. Then, rC3B gene fragment was amplified by PCR, and cloned into prokaryotic vector pQE30a. The fusion protein rC3B was expressed in E.coli M15 and purified by Ni(2+)-chelating affinity chromatography. The activity of rC3B was identified by Western blot and adherence assay with monocytes. The results showed that rC3B fragment was obtained, and a prokaryotic expression vector pQE30-rC3B was constructed. rC3B was efficiently expressed and purified. In Western blot, the target protein showed the activity of binding with C3 antibody, while the purified protein showed the activity of adherence with monocytes. It is concluded that the recombinant C3B was obtained and identified, and this study lay the basis for the further functional analysis of C3.
Cloning, Molecular ; Complement C3 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; metabolism ; Genetic Vectors ; Humans ; Macrophage-1 Antigen ; genetics ; metabolism ; Receptors, Complement 3b ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; isolation & purification