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Updated: May 24, 2026

Analyses of Proteinuria, Renal Infiltration of Leukocytes, and Renal Deposition of Proteins in Lupus-prone MRL/lpr Mice
Published on: June 8, 2022
Association between anti-C1q antibodies and glomerular tuft necrosis in lupus nephritis
Noémie Jourde-Chiche1, Laurent Daniel, Laurent Chiche
1Centre de Néphrologie et Transplantation Rénale, Hôpital de la Conception, Marseille, France. noemie.jourde@ap-hm.fr
Background:
Proliferative glomerulonephritis includes various glomerular lesions in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) that might have distinct pathogenic mechanisms. The aim of the study was to determine whether anti-C1q antibodies, which are associated with lupus nephritis, were specifically associated with given glomerular histopathological lesions.
Methods:
The presence and titer of anti-C1q antibodies were determined in a retrospective study including 63 SLE patients with biopsy-proven lupus nephritis.
Results:
We confirmed the correlation between the presence of anti-C1q antibodies with both clinical and immunological markers of disease activity. We showed that the presence of anti- C1q antibodies was significantly associated with glomerular tuft necrosis and crescents, major criteria of active lesions. Additionally, no necrosis was found in patients without anti- C1q antibodies, giving anti-C1q antibodies a 100% negative predictive value for glomerular tuft necrosis. Conversely, there was no difference in the percentage of glomeruli showing endocapillary proliferation or wire loops according to the anti-C1q status.
Conclusion:
Our data highlight for the first time an association of anti-C1q antibodies with necrotizing forms of lupus nephritis suggesting new insights into the pathogenesis and the treatment of this entity.
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