LIPOPROTEINS ACCUMULATE IN IMMUNE DEPOSITS AND ARE MODIFIED BY LIPID-PEROXIDATION IN PASSIVE HEYMANN NEPHRITIS

Proteinuria in passive Heymann nephritis is primarily caused by reacti ve oxygen species that are produced by glomerular cells, Reactive oxyg en species apparently exert their damaging effects on the glomerular f ilter by lipid peroxidation and subsequent adduct formation on matrix proteins of glomerular basement membranes This raised the question as to the source of polyunsaturated fatty acids required as substrates fo r lipid peroxidation were we have localized by immunocytochemistry rat apolipoprotein E and apolipoprotein B within subepithelial immune dep osits, Moreover, apolipoprotein B extracted from isolated glomeruli of proteinuric passive Heymann nephritis rats shows degradation and lipi d peroxidation adduct formation, similar to apoproteins of oxidized li poproteins in atherosclerotic lesions, These data provide evidence tha t lipoproteins accumulate within immune deposits and suggest that thei r lipids generate lipid-peroxidation-derived reactive compounds.