Increase of CD23-positive cells in peripheral blood from patients with IgA nephropathy and non-IgA proliferative glomerulonephritis.
CD23 is a surface marker of activated B cells as well as a low-affinity Fc receptor for IgE. In this study, we enumerated CD23-positive peripheral blood lymphocytes and evaluated their clinical significance in patients with IgA nephropathy (IgAN). Twenty-five patients with IgAN and 16 patients with non-IgA proliferative glomerulonephritis (PGN) were studied. Twenty-seven healthy adults served as controls. CD23-bearing cells were enumerated by flow cytometry, and serum IgE levels were measured by latex photometric immunoassay. Significant increases in the number of CD23-positive cells were observed in patients with IgAN (p less than 0.01) and PGN (p less than 0.05) compared with controls. A significant elevation of serum IgE levels was also observed in the patients with IgAN and PGN (p less than 0.05). No positive correlation between the number of CD23-positive cells and serum IgE levels was observed. We also examined the induction of surface CD23 expression on peripheral lymphocytes by interleukin (IL)-2, IL-3, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, interferon (IFN)-gamma, IFN-alpha, phytohemagglutinin, concanavalin A, pokeweed mitogen, lipopolysaccharide and phorbol myristate acetate. IL-4 was revealed to have a significantly potent effect on the induction of cell surface CD23 compared with other stimulants. It was concluded that many patients with IgAN or PGN show high serum IgE levels and/or high CD23-positive cell counts in their peripheral blood, suggesting that hyperactivation of B cells might be involved in the development of IgAN and non-IgA PGN. It appeared that IL-4 may play a significant role in the etiology of these types of glomerulonephritis.
Yano
N
N
Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Tokai University, Isehara, Japan.
Miyazaki
M
M
Endoh
M
M
Kuramoto
T
T
Eguchi
K
K
Yagame
M
M
Nomoto
Y
Y
Sakai
H
H
D000328:Adult; D000944:Antigens, Differentiation, B-Lymphocyte; D016175:B-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005922:Glomerulonephritis, IGA / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D015432:Glomerulonephritis, Membranoproliferative / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D011961:Receptors, Fc; D017455:Receptors, IgE
D000944:Antigens, Differentiation, B-Lymphocyte; D011961:Receptors, Fc; D017455:Receptors, IgE; D007073:Immunoglobulin E