Function of Factor H-related protein-5, a novel human plasma complement protein found in glomerular immune deposits

研究人员最近发现了一种新的蛋白质，这种蛋白质存在于人类血液中，也存在于肾炎患者的病变肾脏中。这种新的蛋白质存在于所有类型的肾炎中，这些肾炎是由抗体和免疫系统的另一部分（称为补体系统）共同引起的，已知补体系统在引起免疫疾病的组织损伤中起重要作用。这种新蛋白质是补体系统的一部分，但其确切功能尚不清楚。这种蛋白质在免疫疾病中可能很重要，因为它在患病的肾脏和其他补体相关疾病的器官中很常见。在这个项目中，我们将进行一系列实验，以确定这种新蛋白质在补体系统中的作用，以及这种蛋白质在肾炎中引起肾损害的重要性。肾炎是澳大利亚肾衰竭最常见的原因，针对肾脏损伤机制的研究有可能产生新的治疗方法。补体系统在其他炎症性疾病和身体防御系统（如防止微生物攻击）中也起着重要作用。补体系统必须能够区分外来颗粒和人体自身组织，这种新的蛋白质可能在补体的适当调节中发挥作用，以攻击体内正确的东西。因此，阐明该蛋白的功能可能有助于开发除肾炎外的各种炎症性疾病和感染性疾病的治疗方法。

The Investigators have recently discovered a new protein which is present in human blood and is also seen in the diseased kidneys of patients with nephritis. The new protein is present in all types of nephritis that are caused by antibodies together with another part of the immune system, called the complement system, which is know to have an important role in causing tissue damage in immune diseases. The new protein is a part of the complement system but its exact function is not yet known. The protein is likely to be important in immune diseases because it is so commonly found in diseased kidneys and other organs with complement-associated disease. In this project we will conduct a series of experiments which will determine how the new protein works in the complement system and also how important the protein is in causing kidney damage in nephritis. Nephritis is the commonest cause of kidney failure in Australia and research directed towards the mechanism of kidney damage has the potential to produce new types of therapy. The complement system also has a major role in other inflammatory diseases and in body defense systems (such as protection against microbial attack). The complement system must be able to distinguish between foreign particles and the body's own tissue and this new protein may have a role in the appropriate regulation of complement to attack the right things in the body. Elucidation of the function of this protein may well assist, therefore, in developing therapies for a variety of inflammatory diseases and infectious diseases, in addition to nephritis.