title: Distribution of glomerular IgG subclass deposits in malignancy-associated membranous nephropathy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Several studies have shown a predominant glomerular deposition of IgG4 in patients with idiopathic membranous nephropathy (MN), whereas significant depositions of other IgG subclasses have been shown in patients with lupus-associated MN and bucillamine-induced MN.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined the distribution patterns of glomerular IgG subclass deposits in 10 patients with malignancy-associated MN (M-MN) and in 15 patients with idiopathic MN by immunofluorescence (IF) microscopy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The glomerular IF intensities of IgG1 and IgG2 were significantly stronger in the malignancy group than in the idiopathic group (P<0.05). In contrast, there were no differences in glomerular IF intensities of IgG3 and IgG4 between the two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that the distribution patterns of glomerular IgG subclass deposits are different in idiopathic MN and M-MN. The strong IF intensity of glomerular IgG1 and IgG2 in M-MN may provide a possible predictor for this condition.
authors.affiliation: The Third Department of Internal Medicine, Akita University School of Medicine, Hondo, Japan. Ohtanih@doc.med.akita-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ohtani
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wakui
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Komatsuda
authors.forename: Shin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Okuyama
authors.forename: Rie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Masai
authors.forename: Nobuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Maki
authors.forename: Akihiro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kigawa
authors.forename: Ken-ichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sawada
authors.forename: Hirokazu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Imai
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D015433:Glomerulonephritis, Membranous / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000378:metabolism*; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D011897:Random Allocation
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G