Relationship between renal pathology and the size of circulating immune complexes in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Journal Article · Sun Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1987 · Medicine (Baltimore); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1097/00005792-198703000-00001· OSTI ID:6859411

Wener, M H; Mannik, M; Schwartz, M M; Lewis, E J

Sera from 35 patients with biopsy-proven diffuse proliferative (WHO class IV) or membranous (WHO class V) lupus nephritis were analyzed for the presence and size of circulating immune complexes. Elevations of the C1q solid-phase assay (C1qSP) for immune complexes were found in sera from all patients with diffuse proliferative nephritis, with a mean +/- 1 SEM of 166.8 +/- 42.0 micrograms/AHG-equivalents/ml serum, and in 71.4% of the patients with membranous nephritis (83.1 +/- 26.7, p = 0.06). Using the WHO criteria for subclasses of membranous lupus nephritis, we also designated renal biopsies as nonproliferative (WHO classes Va and Vb) or proliferative (WHO classes IV and Vc). Employing the latter groupings, we observed significant differences between C1qSP results of patients with nonproliferative (30.3 +/- 8.8) and proliferative (172.8 +/- 36.8, p less than 0.001) lupus nephritis. These data suggest that the presence of C1q-binding material in serum is pathophysiologically related to proliferative glomerular lesions, and that levels of C1qSP binding reflect renal lesions in SLE patients. Sucrose density gradient ultracentrifugation was performed on each serum, and gradient fractions analyzed for C1qSP-binding and total IgG, using techniques to minimize losses of immune complexes. The predominant peak of C1qSP activity sedimented with the 6.6S monomeric IgG. The 6.6S C1q-binding IgG was increased only in 1 of 10 patients with membranous lupus nephritis without proliferative changes, and was elevated in 16 of 25 patients with proliferative lesions (WHO classes IV and Vc).

• Research Organization: Univ. of Washington, Seattle
• OSTI ID: 6859411
• Journal Information: Medicine (Baltimore); (United States), Journal Name: Medicine (Baltimore); (United States) Vol. 2; ISSN MEDIA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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550901* -- Pathology-- Tracer Techniques
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
BIOCHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS
BODY
CELL PROLIFERATION
CENTRIFUGATION
COMPLEMENT
DISEASES
IMMUNE REACTIONS
IMMUNOASSAY
IMMUNOLOGY
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
KIDNEYS
KINETICS
NEPHRITIS
ORGANS
PATHOGENESIS
PATIENTS
RADIOASSAY
RADIOIMMUNOASSAY
RADIOIMMUNOLOGY
REACTION KINETICS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
TRACER TECHNIQUES
ULTRACENTRIFUGATION
UROGENITAL SYSTEM DISEASES