Membrane attack complex (mac) deposition in lupus nephritis is associated with hypertension and poor clinical response to treatment.

This study suggests that MAC deposition measured as C9 staining may be a biomarker for more intense disease and poor response to treatment in lupus nephritis. MAC staining may be useful in routine studies of lupus biopsies and identify patients at risk for aggressive disease who may be candidates for novel therapies targeting terminal complement pathway.