Antibodies to Tamm-Horsfall protein associated with renal damage and urinary tract infections in adults.
Forty-seven adults with urinary tract infection (UTI), 9 with recent acute pyelonephritis and 38 with previous renal infection, were investigated for the presence of autoantibodies to Tamm-Horsfall protein (THP). All patients except 6 had or had had vesicoureteric reflux (VUR). In patients with recent acute pyelonephritis, only IgA antibodies were significantly elevated. Among the patients with previous UTI, more than 6 months before the time of testing, a graded response was found for IgG and IgM specific antibodies, with the lowest value in those with renal damage and elevated serum creatinine and the highest in those with a normal X-ray. A negative correlation was found between IgG antibodies to THP and elevated serum creatinine (r = -0.76, P less than 0.02). No significant correlation was found between VUR itself and antibodies to THP. A low IgG antibody level to THP in patients with a history of previous UTI seems to be a useful indicator of renal scarring. Possible immunologic mechanisms behind the low antibody level and the renal damage are discussed.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009088:Mucoproteins / Q000276:immunology*; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D058949:Uromodulin; D014718:Vesico-Ureteral Reflux / Q000276:immunology
D001323:Autoantibodies; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D009088:Mucoproteins; C548612:UMOD protein, human; D058949:Uromodulin