title: The role of hepatitis B surface antigen in the pathogenesis of glomerulopathies.
abstract: The frequency of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) has been studied in the sera and renal biopsies of 276 patients with various forms of glomerulonephritis (GN), the nephrotic syndrome and other nephropathies. Using a modified Hepanosticon method, HBs antigenemia was detected in 32 of 196 patients (16.3%) with immune complex (IC) GN and the nephrotic syndrome. Indirect immunofluorescence revealed HBsAg in 33 renal biopsy tissue specimens (16.8%). HBsAg was found in the sera of four of the 80 remaining patients with other renal diseases (5%), and in the renal biopsy tissues of another four (5%). Antibody against HBsAg could only be demonstrated in the serum of one glomerulonephritic patient. The sera of 18,799 normal blood donors were used as controls; of these 186 (0.99%) had positive tests for HBsAg. It is concluded that, in some patients with GN and the nephrotic syndrome, HBsAg-containing IC may be implicated in the development and/or progression of the disease.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001158:Arteries / Q000276:immunology; D001160:Arterioles / Q000276:immunology; D002353:Carrier State / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D005921:Glomerulonephritis / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000098:blood supply / Q000276:immunology*; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009404:Nephrotic Syndrome / Q000150:complications
chemical_list: D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens