DIFFERENTIAL LOCALIZATION OF S-ANTIGEN AND E-ANTIGEN IN HEPATITIS-B VIRUS-ASSOCIATED GLOMERULONEPHRITIS

We report here a case of membranous glomerulonephritis associated with chronic hepatitis B (HB) virus infection and describe differential lo calization of HE antigens in glomeruli. The pa tient showed mild prote inuria and was positive for hepatitis B surface (HBs) antigen, hepatit is B envelope (HBe) antigen, and antibody to hepatitis B core (HBc) an tigen in the serum. The antibody against hepatitis C was negative. A r enal biopsy revealed membranous glomerulonephritis with mesangial prol iferation. The immunohistochemical studies using monoclonal antibodies localized the HBe antigen along the capillary wall and the HBs antige n in the mesangial area. The immunoelectron microscopic study confirme d the localization of HE antigens; HBe antigen was located in the sube pithelial and intramembranous electron dense deposits and HBs antigen in the mesangial deposits. Our present results provide the first repor t of the differential localization of HE antigens in glomeruli at both the light and electron microscopic levels, The differential localizat ion of HE antigens will provide insight into the pathogenesis of membr anous glomerulonephritis.