title: Studies on circulating immune complexes. III: Kinetics of the immunoglobulin class of circulating immune complexes in systemic lupus erythematosus.
abstract: The IgG, IgA and IgM classes of circulating immune complexes (CIC) were examined in 49 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The presence of the IgG class of CIC (IgG-IC), IgA class of CIC (IgA-IC) and IgM class of CIC (IgM-IC) was observed in 39.4%, 24.2% and 35.3%, respectively. During the course of the disease, the levels of IgG-IC and IgM-IC remained generally higher than that of IgA-IC. The patients were divided into three groups, according to the changes in IgG-IC. Group 1: these had IgG-IC persistently, associated with clinically active features (active stage). The presence of IgA-IC was occasionally transient, although IgM-IC did coexist. Group 2: these showed an increased level of IgG-IC, associated with a tendency to relapse (flaring up stage). IgM-IC disappeared occasionally, although IgA-IC appeared to be persistently present. Group 3: these showed levels of IgG-IC which decreased or disappeared and the clinical activity tended to subside (remissible and inactive stages). All classes of CIC tended to disappear. That is to say, IgG-IC, then IgA-IC, and finally IgM-IC decreased in that order. Either IgA-IC or IgM-IC was present alone persistently in a few cases. The correlations between each class of CIC and the immunological parameters were investigated. IgG-IC and IgM-IC were closely related to anti-nuclear antibody, but not to anti-DNA antibody.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Miura
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000032:analysis*; D007700:Kinetics; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D007136:Immunoglobulins