1992 Volume 34 Issue 11 Pages 1149-1159
It has been reported that patients with Henoch-Schonlein purpura nephritis (HSPN) and IgA nephropathy (IgAN) showed an familial increase of IgA bearing peripheral blood lymphocyte. To elucidate the relationship between IgA bearing cells and clinico-pathological findings or T cell subsets, especially IgA specific helper T cells (Tα4 cells), 20 paients with HSPN and 33 patients with IgAN were studied. The results demonstrated as follows; 1) IgA bearing cells were significantly increased in patients with both HSPN and IgAN (p<0.001). 2) The increase of IgA bearing cells was well correlatd to the degree of patients'proteinuria and hematuria (p<0.05), and also correlated with the severity of patients'renal pathological findings in both diseases. 3) With relation to the T cell subsets in patients with both diseases, only the CD4+ Leu8- cells(helper T cells) and Tα4 cells were significantly increased, in addition, positive correlation between IgA bearing cells and CD4+ Leu8- cells or Tα4 cells was observed. 4) The increase of IgA bearing cells seemed to be transient in HSPN, but remained elevated in IgAN. In conclusion, it was indicated that patients with HSPN and IgAN could have IgA related immunological abnormalities, which may be reflected in the increase of IgA bearing cells and Tα4 cells. It was also suggested that determination of IgA bearing cells could be a useful paramater which may be reflected in the disease activity of HSPN and IgAN.
