ANALYSIS OF CD14-CYTOMETRY - A USEFUL TOOL FOR MONITORING DISEASE-ACTIVITY OF IGA NEPHROPATHY( CELLS AND CD56+ CELLS IN URINE USING FLOW)

The interrelationship between glomerular inflammatory activity and uri nary leukocytes was investigated in IgA nephropathy (IgAN). The number s of T cells, macrophages, and natural killer (NK) cells in urine were evaluated using flow cytometry. The glomerular changes were studied b y routine histopathological methods and by immunohistochemical methods using monoclonal antibodies. Biopsies were classified into three cate gories: non-crescentic IgAN (n = 44), inactive-crescentic IgAN (n = 17 ), and active-crescentic IgAN (n = 18). Macrophages (Leu M3/CD14) and NK cells (Leu 19/CD56) were predominantly present within active cresce nts, whereas T cells (Leu 4/CD3) were less frequently observed. A sign ificant increase of mononuclear cells in urine was observed in patient s with active-crescentic IgAN as compared with other groups. Moreover, the extent of active crescents in biopsies was significantly correlat ed with the number of CD14+ cells and CD56+ cells in urine (CD14: r = 0.6858, p <0.01; CD56: r = 0.6373, p <0.01). These findings suggest th at analysis of CD14+ cells and CD56+ cells in urine using flow cytomet ry can be a useful tool for monitoring disease activity of IgAN.