Objective : Although the major pathogenic abnormalities of IgAN are considered present in the systemic immune system rather than the kidneys, the pathogenesis of this disease remains unclear. Abnormalities of IgA including under-glycosylation and polymeric IgA immune complex (IC) formation have been discussed in relation to pathogenesis. Since upper respiratory tract infection exarcerbates IgAN and tonsillectomy has therapeutic effects on this disease, previous studies have examined the involvement of antigens in this disease. However, obvious antigens that form IgAIC have not been identified.
In this study, we analyzed IgA binding protein (BP) in serum from IgAN patients using LC-ESI TOF MS to determine whether exogeneous antigens are involved in IgAIC formation.
Materials : Six patients with IgAN (n=1 good prognosis, n=1 relatively good prognosis, n=3 relatively poor prognossis, n=1 poor prognosis), five patients (n=4 relatively poor prognosis, n=1 poor progonosis) who had undergone tonsillectomy and 3 courses of steroid pulse therapy and eight healthy volunteers were examined in this study.
Methods : Serum 400 μ1 was added to jacalin, and IgA1/lgA1-BP was eluted using O.8M galactose. The eluted protein was fractionated on a Superdex 200 10/300GL column. When 1.5μg of protein from each fraction was electrophresed on acrylamide gel, 30 to 40 bands confirmed by silver staining of each sample were analyzed by LC-ESI MS. Moreover, changes in IgA1-BP due to the therapy were also analyzed. Jacalin-binding protein, which was obtained from 25 μ1 of serum, was subjected to Western blotting to quantitatively evaluate the identified protein. The protocol for steroid therapy was as follows; intravenous pulse administration of methylprednisolone of 0.5g/dayX 3 days every two months and oral administration of prednisolone at 0.5 mg/kg every other day after each pulse therapy.
Results : The eluted protein showed 4 peak fractions (170kDa, 340kDa, 680kDa, and higher than 680kDa). In each fraction of IgA1/IgA1-BP, MS identified apolipoprotein, immunoglobulin (Ig) heavy chain (α, μ, γ) and light chain, Ig J chain, fibronectin, C1INH, C4bp and α 1MG. C4bp was frequently observed in the patient group (patients; 3/6, volunteers; 1/5). This system failed to determine any obvious exogeneous antigen in the IgA1-BP. Interestingly, tonsillectomy with steroid pulse therapy increased concentrations of the 170 and higher than 680kDa peaks and decreased that of the 340kDa peak. After this therapy, IgA1-binding IgG decreased in the 340kDa and 680kDa fractions, while IgA1-binding C4bp decreased in the 680kDa and higher fractions.
Conclusions : Although we could not confirm exogeneous antigen in IgA1-BP, the present findings suggested that IgG and C4bp might be involved in the formation of pathological IgAIC.
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