RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Unravelling the effect of a potentiating anti-Factor H antibody on atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome associated factor H variants JF bioRxiv FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory SP 2020.04.08.026906 DO 10.1101/2020.04.08.026906 A1 Gillian Dekkers A1 Mieke Brouwer A1 Jorn Jeremiasse A1 Angela Kamp A1 Robyn M. Biggs A1 Gerard van Mierlo A1 Scott Lauder A1 Suresh Katti A1 Taco W. Kuijpers A1 Theo Rispens A1 Ilse Jongerius YR 2020 UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2020/04/09/2020.04.08.026906.abstract AB The complement system plays an important role in our innate immune system. Complement activation results in clearance of pathogens, immune complex and apoptotic cells. The host is protected from complement-mediated damage by several complement regulators. Factor H (FH) is the most important fluid-phase regulator of the alternative pathway of the complement system. Heterozygous mutations in FH are associated with complement-related diseases such as atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) and age-related macular degeneration.We recently described an agonistic anti-FH monoclonal antibody that can potentiate the regulatory function of FH. This antibody could serve as a potential new drug for aHUS patients and alternative to C5 blockade by Eculizumab. However, it is unclear whether this antibody can potentiate FH mutant variants in addition to wild type FH. Here, the functionality and potential of the agonistic antibody in the context of pathogenic aHUS-related FH mutant proteins was investigated. The binding affinity of recombinant WT FH, and the FH variants, W1183L, V1197A, R1210C, and G1194D to C3b was increased upon addition of the potentiating antibody and similarly, the decay accelerating activity of all mutants is increased. The potentiating anti-FH antibody is able to restore the surface regulatory function of most of the tested FH mutants to WT FH levels. In conclusion, our potentiating anti-FH is broadly active and able to enhance both WT FH function as well as most aHUS-associated FH variants tested in this study.