Secretory immunoglobulin A in urinary tract infection, chronic glomerulonephritis, and renal transplantation.
An enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) for the quantitation of secretory IgA (S-IgA) in the urine is described. The assay is sensitive (linear down to 0.02 microgram/ml), specific, and reproducible (intraassay variation 7.8%, interassay variation 18.9%). The assay was used to determine the urinary excretion rates of S-IgA in patients with bladder catheter (n = 12), cystotomy and urinary tract infection (n = 13), urosepsis (n = 5), chronic glomerulonephritis, including IgA-nephritis (n = 31), in renal allograft recipients (n = 30), and in healthy controls (n = 46). An elevated S-IgA urinary excretion (P less than 0.01) was found in all patient groups studied. The highest values were observed in urosepsis. No significant differences between S-IgA levels in IgA-nephritis and other forms of chronic glomerulonephritis were detected. The elevated S-IgA excretion in renal allograft recipients indicates that immunosuppressive therapy does not influence the local S-IgA production in the urinary tract. The susceptibility of these patients to urinary tract infections is therefore not due to a S-IgA deficiency.
Marx
M
M
1st Department of Internal Medicine, University of Mainz, Federal Republic of Germany.
Weber
M
M
Schafranek
D
D
Wandel
E
E
Meyer zum Büschenfelde
K H
KH
Köhler
H
H
D004231:Diuresis; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005921:Glomerulonephritis / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000652:urine; D007071:Immunoglobulin A, Secretory / Q000652:urine*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000276:immunology*; D008598:Menstruation; D011507:Proteinuria / Q000276:immunology; D012635:Secretory Component / Q000652:urine; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000276:immunology*
D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007071:Immunoglobulin A, Secretory; D012635:Secretory Component