The Role of Complement System’s C3 and C4 Fractions in the Pathogenesis of Uveitis

ABSTRACT

Purpose

To study the role of the complement system’s C3 and C4 fractions in the pathogenesis of different types of uveitis.

Methods

A prospective case-control study. 118 patients were enrolled. The control group comprised 60 patients who were otherwise healthy people undergoing cataract or pterygium surgery, whereas the uveitis patients group consisted of 58 people. The levels of C3 and C4 fractions in the blood and in the aqueous humor for both groups were evaluated and compared.

Results

No statistically significant differences were found in the levels of the C3 and C4 fractions in the blood between the groups. However, a statistically significant difference was observed in the levels of C3 and C4 in the aqueous humor between the case and control groups, as C3 and C4 fractions were not detected in the control group. The analysis of the mean gradient between the C4 levels in the blood samples and in the aqueous samples did not reveal a statistically significant difference between the case and control groups. However, upon performing an analogous mean gradient analysis of C3 levels, a statistically significant elevation in the value of the mean gradient was observed in the case group as compared to the control group.

Conclusion

Our findings are in line with our initial hypothesis, that the complement system’s C3 and C4 fractions may have a role in the pathogenesis of uveitis.

KEYWORDS:

• Autoimmune uveitis
• complement system C3 and C4 fractions
• uveitis pathogenesis

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank all the participants, medical staff of Malayan Eye Clinic, all referring doctors and laboratories.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.