Role of serum antibodies to streptococci in patients with IgA nephropathy.
Serum antibodies to whole cells of streptococci and serum immune complexes were investigated in patients with IgA nephropathy accompanied by tonsillitis and in healthy adult controls by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Serum IgA levels to Streptococcus salivarius, S. sanguis I and S. pneumoniae were higher in patients with IgA nephropathy than in healthy controls. The levels of IgG to S. pyogenes T12, S. gordonii and S. sanguis II in patients with IgA nephropathy were also higher than in healthy controls. Serum immune complexes of IgG and IgA were higher in patients with IgA nephropathy than in healthy controls. Serum levels of IgA to some strains of streptococci tended to correlate with the level of IgA immune complex in both patients and healthy controls. These results suggest that antibodies to some strains of streptococci play a role in the pathogenesis of IgA nephropathy.
Kukuminato
Y
Y
Department of Otolaryngology, Sapporo Medical University, Japan.
Hamamoto
M
M
Kataura
A
A
D000328:Adult; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex / Q000097:blood*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005922:Glomerulonephritis, IGA / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood*; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000276:immunology; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000276:immunology; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000276:immunology; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000276:immunology; D013298:Streptococcus sanguis / Q000276:immunology; D014069:Tonsillitis / Q000382:microbiology*
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D007070:Immunoglobulin A