Immunologic characteristics of fibrillary glomerulonephritis

IgG and IgA immune complexes, mononuclear phagocytic system function, interleukin-2 (IL-2) production by peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL), serum-soluble IL-2 receptors, tumor necrosis factor, beta 2-microglobulin and IL-1 beta, HLA-DNA polymorphisms, immuno-isoelectrofocusing, phenotype of PBL, lymphocyte cytotoxicity, activation of lymphokine-activated killer cells and natural killer cell activity were evaluated in 8 patients with tubular/fibrillary glomerulonephritis (GN). No common serologic, immunologic or immunogenetic features suggestive of plasma cell dyscrasias were found. No elements to state whether these GNs represent a new entity or just atypical forms of known GN were found.