title: Circulating immune complexes in patients with uncomplicated group A streptococcal pharyngitis and patients with acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis.
abstract: To investigate the role of circulating immune complexes (CIC) in the pathogenesis of acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis (AGN), sera were obtained serially from 13 patients with biopsy-proven AGN, 16 patients with group A streptococcal infection, and 20 age- and sex-matched controls. Samples were analysed for Clq-binding activity (Clq-BA), levels of IgG, IgA, IgM, C3 and C4, and antibody titres to streptococcal enzymes. Significant elevation of Clq-BA was observed in 11 patients (84.5%) with AGN and 7 patients (44%) with streptococcal infection alone. The data suggest that CIC do not necessarily cause glomerular damage, but rather represent a systemic inflammatory response in patients with group A streptococcal infection.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex / Q000032:analysis*; D002648:Child; D003166:Complement Activating Enzymes / Q000032:analysis; D015922:Complement C1q; D003176:Complement C3 / Q000032:analysis; D003181:Complement C4 / Q000032:analysis; D005921:Glomerulonephritis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis; D008875:Middle Aged; D010612:Pharyngitis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D003176:Complement C3; D003181:Complement C4; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D015922:Complement C1q; D003166:Complement Activating Enzymes