Characterizing Properdin-Inhibited C3 Nephritic Factors in Patients with Complement-Mediated Kidney Diseases
Kes H. Stevens, Rianne J. F. Maas, Elena B. Volokhina, Erik J. M. Toonen, Nicole C. A. J. van de Kar, Lambertus P. W. J. van den Heuvel, Marloes A. H. M. Michels · 2026
Read Characterizing Properdin-Inhibited C3 Nephritic Factors in Patients with Complement-Mediated Kidney Diseases by Kes H. Stevens, Rianne J. F. Maas, Elena B. Volokhina, Erik J. M. Toonen, Nicole C. A. J. van de Kar, Lambertus P. W. J. van den Heuvel, Marloes A. H. M. Michels (2026) in the Tower of Babel, a free online library of public-domain works preserved in clean, searchable text. No sign-up. The full text is served as a plain-text file at a predictable URL, where text is present: https://antarctic-labs.com/tower-of-babel/PMC13466216.txt.
Description
Kes Stevens and colleagues characterize a hidden class of autoantibodies in people with complement-driven kidney disease, in a 2026 laboratory study. These antibodies, called C3 nephritic factors, normally prop up an immune enzyme assembly and damage the kidney. The newly described subset works only when a regulator protein named properdin is absent or blocked.
A two-step blood test compared enzyme activity with and without properdin present, using a specific blocker. Seven of sixteen patients showed the hidden activity once properdin was removed, as did one healthy control among twenty-three. Purified antibodies from patients reproduced the effect, and a binding test confirmed most positive cases. Naming this subset may sharpen diagnosis in diseases that are hard to classify.
Catalog record
| CREATOR | Kes H. Stevens, Rianne J. F. Maas, Elena B. Volokhina, Erik J. M. Toonen, Nicole C. A. J. van de Kar, Lambertus P. W. J. van den Heuvel, Marloes A. H. M. Michels |
|---|---|
| YEAR | 2026 |
| COLLECTION | PAPERS |
| FORMAT | TXT |
| FILE SIZE | 41 KB |
| LICENSE | https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 |
| RIGHTS | CC BY |
| SOURCE | Europe PMC |