S. Suzuki et al., HAEMOPHILUS-PARAINFLUENZAE ANTIGEN AND ANTIBODY IN RENAL BIOPSY SAMPLES AND SERUM OF PATIENTS WITH IGA NEPHROPATHY, Lancet, 343(8888), 1994, pp. 12-16
IgA nephropathy may be associated with colonisation with Haemophilus p
arainfluenzae. In patients with glomerular diseases, we examined renal
-biopsy specimens for presence of bacterial antigen by immunofluoresce
nce microscopy with rabbit antiserum against H parainfluenzae, and by
enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay looked for IgA antibody against H pa
rainfluenzae in patient sera. The rabbit antiserum recognised by immun
oblotting four components of H parainfluenzae outer membranes (OMHP) o
f molecular weights 19.5, 30, 33, and 40 5 kDa. All 44 patients with I
gA nephropathy and 2 of 3 9 patients with other glomerular diseases sh
owed mesangial deposition of OMHP antigens (p<0.001). Patients with Ig
A nephropathy had significantly more IgA antibody against H parainflue
nzae than did patients with other glomerular diseases. IgA antibody in
the sera of patients with IgA nephropathy recognised by immunoblottin
g the same four components of OMHP as recognised by rabbit antiserum.
Glomerular deposition of OMHP antigens and the presence of IgA antibod
y against OMHP in patients with IgA nephropathy suggest that H parainf
luenzae has a role in the aetiology of this disease.