PRESENCE OF TUMOR-NECROSIS-FACTOR-ALPHA AND INTERLEUKIN-6 IN RENAL MESANGIAL CELLS OF LUPUS NEPHRITIS PATIENTS

Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) antig enic sites were shown within the resident glomerular mesangial cells o f lupus nephritis patients applying the colloidal gold immunocytochemi cal approach at the electron microscopic level. Using specific: polycl onal antibodies against human recombinant (hr)TNF alpha and hrIL-6 in conjunction with the protein A-gold complex, TNF alpha and IL-6 were s hown in the mesangial cells, being particularly associated with the me mbranes of the rough endoplasmic reticulum. In addition, IL-6 also was present in glomerular immune deposits and occasionally in glomerular epithelial cells. In normal renal tissue the TNF alpha and IL-6 immuno reactivities were undetectable. The specific presence of TNF alpha and IL-6 in pathological specimens was shown by several control experimen ts. Thus, our results offered morphological support that TNF alpha and IL-6 might play a role in human lupus nephritis. The data showed thei r synthesis by the mesangial cells and their possible participation in the progression to chronicity of the renal injury on secretion. Copyr ight (C) 1995 by W.B. Saunders Company