Up-regulated MHC-class II expression and gamma-IFN and soluble IL-2R in lupus nephritis.
Expression of MHC-class II molecules (HLA-DR and -DQ), serum gamma-interferon (gamma-IFN) and soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) levels were studied in 35 Japanese patients with lupus nephritis (LN) to clarify intraglomerular cellular activation and cytokine involvement in human LN. In 11 normal kidney specimens, HLA-DR(Ia1) was noted in glomerular tufts, but HLA-DQ was either not or was faintly detected in glomeruli by the indirect immunofluorescence technique. HLA-DR and -DQ were observed mainly on the surface of glomerular endothelial cells in 100% and 50% of 28 lupus kidney specimens except for necrotic or sclerotic lesions. HLA-DQ was expressed in a high incidence of 67%, 86% in patients with proliferative LN (WHO Class III-IV) and active lesions, respectively. Serum gamma-IFN and sIL-2R levels were 1.2 +/- 0.2 U/ml and 190 +/- 24 U/ml (mean +/- SEM; N = 30) in normal controls, and elevated in patients with proliferative LN (4.1 +/- 1.0 U/ml, 383 +/- 81 U/ml, N = 25), especially with active lesions (6.2 +/- 1.5 U/ml, 500 +/- 110 U/ml, N = 14). Overall, glomerular lesions such as HLA-DQ expression, the activity index and leukocyte infiltration correlated positively with serum gamma-IFN levels (r = 0.55; P less than 0.01 for HLA-DQ, r = 0.68; P less than 0.001 for activity index, r = 0.38; P less than 0.05 for leukocyte infiltration), but not with serum sIL-2R levels, anti-DNA antibody titers and CH50 titers.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Yokoyama
H
H
First Department of Internal Medicine, Kanazawa University School of Medicine, Ishikawa, Japan.
Takabatake
T
T
Takaeda
M
M
Wada
T
T
Naito
T
T
Ikeda
K
K
Goshima
S
S
Takasawa
K
K
Tomosugi
N
N
Kobayashi
K
K
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002196:Capillaries / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D002455:Cell Division; D005260:Female; D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism*; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008181:Lupus Nephritis / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D012995:Solubility
D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D007371:Interferon-gamma