Pathogenesis of heroin-associated glomerulonephritis. Correlation between the inflammatory activity and renal deposits of immunoglobulin and complement?
Renal specimens from 19 autopsies of persons known to be intravenous heroin-addicts and with severe lympho-monocytic glomerulonephritis were investigated to correlate the inflammatory activity and deposits of immunoglobulin and complement. In all sections, there were 10 or more LCA-positive cells/glomerulum, counted in 20 glomerula but only up to 3 LCA-positive cells in a control-group of 10 autopsied persons without drug addiction and any renal diseases. In some cases diffuse granular deposits of immunoglobulin were found together with deposits of Clq. Although these changes cannot be demonstrated in all cases, deposits of Clq point to an activation of the classical way of the complement binding system in heroin-associated glomerulonephritis. The underlying process, activation of the complement binding system by heroin/morphin itself and adulterants or by hepatitis B and C infection, which are frequent in heroin-addicts, is still unclear.
Dettmeyer
R
R
Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Bonn, Stiftsplatz 12, 53111, Bonn, Germany.
Stojanovski
G
G
Madea
B
B
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001344:Autopsy; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002423:Cause of Death; D015922:Complement C1q / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D003171:Complement Pathway, Classical / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D015432:Glomerulonephritis, Membranoproliferative / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007249:Inflammation; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male
D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D015922:Complement C1q; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens