Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis type I, mixed cryoglobulinemia and lymphoma in the absence of hepatitis C infection

Chronic hepatitis C virus infection has been linked to cryoglobulinemia, me mbranoproliferative glomerulonephritis, and malignant B-cell lymphoprolifer ation, suggesting a possible pathogenetic link between these disorders. We report a patient with the latter clinical triad in the absence of hepatitis C infection. We postulate that the persistent and dysregulated immunologic activity associated with chronic antigen stimulation, inflammation and/or B-cell malignancy induces nephritogenic autoantibodies, including cryoglobu lins, that produce a similar clinical syndrome in genetically susceptible i ndividuals. Copyright (C) 1999 S. Karger AG, Basel.