Immunopathology of the glomerular changes in chronic pyelonephritis

To investigate the presence of intraglomerular immunoprotein deposition in chronic pyelonephritis (CPN), 29 renal specimens from patients with various urological diseases were examined by immunofluorescence. The relationship between immunohistological findings and types of glomerular changes which were classified according to Heptinstall's criteria was studied. Only type 2 glomeruli, which were considered to be ischemic changes, demonstrated granular and globular depositions of IgM and C3 in the collapsed and solidified shrunken tufts. IgM was positive in 117 of 258 (45.3%), and C3 in 122 of 264 (46.2%) type 2 glomeruli. The distribution patterns of IgM and C3 were much the same. IgG and IgA were rarely observed and neither fibrinogen nor albumin was observed in the tufts of type 2 glomeruli. Normal glomeruli and other types of glomerular changes in CPN showed few or no intraglomerular immunoprotein deposition.