RECONSTITUTION OF IMMUNOLOGICAL IMBALANCE IN SCID MICE GIVEN TONSILLAR MONONUCLEAR-CELLS FROM PATIENTS WITH IGA NEPHROPATHY

IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is thought to be mediated by the glomerular dep osition of circulating immune complexes containing IgA as the major an tibody component. Tonsillitis often precedes IgAN, and tonsillectomy i s an efficient treatment of IgAN. Thus, the tonsil may cause initial a nd/or progressive events leading to IgAN. To determine the pathologica l features of tonsillar lymphoid cells, we transferred tonsillar monon uclear cells from IgAN patients to SCID mice. Although human IgG-, IgM - and IgA-positive cells were detected in the spleens of SCID-Hu mice, they failed to reproduce the increase in serum IgA level and glomerul ar deposition. These results suggest that other factors are needed for the progression of IgAN.