Measurement of complement proteins C2 and B in systemic lupus erythematosus and septic shock.

We developed sensitive radioassays to quantitate the homologous complement proteins C2 and B, in intact form, in sera from patients with diseases associated with hypocomplementemia. In a study of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients, we found a subset of patients (6/40) with low C2 concentrations, though overall, C2 concentration was not related to disease activity. Protein B concentration was increased in 23/40 SLE patients, apparently not due to a generalized acute phase response. Among patients with both gram-negative and gram-positive septic shock, C2 and B concentrations were low in a subset of patients with pre-existing cirrhosis, suggesting hepatic hyposynthesis of these proteins may be important in their prognosis and predisposition to severe infections.