Study for the relationship between lupus nephritis and anti-C1q antibodies

ABSTRACT

Background: lupus nephritis [LN] is an inflammation of the kidney caused by systemic lupus erythematosus [SLE], a disease by the immune system. Anti-C1q antibodies have been found in many different systemic autoimmune diseases, they are strongly linked to immune complex disorder most prominently SLE and severe rheumatoid arthritis and have been suggested to be closely associated with lupus nephritis [LN]. Generally anti-dsDNA antibodies have been acknowledged as an important tool in the diagnosis of SLE, however their predictive value as to the activity of the disease remains controversial, on the contrary anti-C1q antibodies appear to have a clear-cut relationship with renal complications of SLE not only have they been shown to play a pathogenic role in the development of lupus nephritis but also their serum levels correlate with the presence of active proliferation lupus nephritis