EVALUATION OF ANTI-HTLV-1 ANTIBODY IN PRIMARY GLOMERULONEPHRITIS

Human T-cell leukaemia virus type-1 (HTLV-1) is known to cause adult T -cell leukaemia. The prevalence of anti-HTLV-1 antibody in haemodialys is patients has been reported to be higher than that in the general po pulation. The anti-HTLV-1 antibody-positive rate in patients with prim ary glomerulonephritis in the Nagasaki district, an endemic area of HT LV-1, was evaluated. The antibody-positive rates in patients with prim ary glomerulonephritis (9.9%) and in haemodialysis patients (18.4%) we re significantly higher than the rate in general blood donors (6.6%). Of 142 patients with primary glomerulonephritis, 14 (9.9%) were positi ve for the antibody; histological evaluation of these patients showed minor glomerular abnormality in one, mesangial proliferative glomerulo nephritis in eight (IgA nephropathy in six and non-IgA nephropathy in two), membranous nephropathy in three, and crescentic glomerulonephrit is in two. Evaluation of 10 antibody-positive patients by immunofluore scent microscopy showed immunocomplex-type nephritis in nine, suggesti ng the involvement of HTLV-1-associated antigen in the development and progression of glomerulonephritis.