Endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition and renal fibrosis in ischaemia/reperfusion injury are mediated by complement anaphylatoxins and Akt pathway

Abstract excerpt

BACKGROUND: Increasing evidence demonstrates a phenotypic plasticity of endothelial cells (ECs). Endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) contributes to the development of tissue fibrosis. However, the pathogenic factors and signalling pathways regulating this process in ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury are still poorly understood. METHODS: We investigated the possible role of complement in the induction...