HELICOBACTER-PYLORI ANTIGEN IN THE GLOMERULI OF PATIENTS WITH MEMBRANOUS NEPHROPATHY

Renal biopsy specimens from patients with membranous nephropathy (MN) were studied using immunohistochemical labelling to clarify the aetiol ogical significance of Helicobacter pylori antigen in this disease. Si xteen specimens were examined, from 7 male and 9 female MN patients. R enal specimens from patients with diabetic nephropathy and IgA nephrop athy, and from autopsied patients without renal diseases were obtained as controls. Immunohistochemical labelling was performed using one po lyclonal antibody and three monoclonal antibodies against H. pylori. S pecimens from 11 of the MN patients revealed granular deposits along t he glomerular capillary walls, which reacted positively with polyclona l antibody after trypsin pretreatment. None of the control specimens r evealed positive labelling. The MN specimens showed no positive reacti on with the primary antibody, which had been treated for immunoabsorpt ion testing using sonicated H. pylori. We also determined H. pylori st atus in these MN patients histologically and/or serologically. Of the 11 patients whose glomeruli were positive for anti-H. pylori antibody, 7 were suitable for analysis, and all were regarded as positive for H . pylori infection. These results suggest that the presence of a speci fic antigen in the glomeruli of patients with MN and H. pylori infecti on may be involved in the pathogenesis of MN.