Immune-complex glomerulonephritis in a patient with mixed connective tissue disease.
Renal involvement and hypocomplementemia in mixed connective tissue disease are reported to be rare. A patient is described here with mixed connective tissue disease and persistently low serum C'3 levels in whom renal insufficiency and nephrotic syndrome developed secondary to immune-complex glomerulonephritis. Light microscopy of the renal biopsy specimen showed predominantly a membranous lesion. Immunofluorescent staining showed granular deposition along the basement membrane of immunoglobulin G, immunoglobulin M, fibrinogen and C3. Electron microscopy showed numerous electron-dense deposits along the glomerular capillary membrane and in the mesangium.
D000328:Adult; D003095:Collagen Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D003176:Complement C3 / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005921:Glomerulonephritis / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007105:Immune Complex Diseases; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000648:ultrastructure
D003176:Complement C3; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M