The role of IgA and IgG immune complexes in IgA nephropathy

The presence of circulating immune complexes in 54 patients with IgA nephropathy has been studied by two different techniques. 64% of the patients had IgG immune complexes and 37% had IgA immune complexes, both determined with the Raji cell assay, and 48% of patients had IgA immune complexes with the anti-IgA inhibition binding assay (anti-IgA Inh BA). In sequential sera from individual patients, immune complexes remained persistently positive or negative in more than 50% of the cases being intermittently in the rest. The immune complexes detected by the Raji cell assay were mostly of 7-13S in size, while those detected by anti-IgA Inh BA were bigger. There was a good correlation between the serum levels of polymeric IgA and the presence of IgA complexes (Raji cell assay). A certain correlation (p less than 0.05) was found between these IgA immune complexes and the clinical activity assessed by the hematuria. A similar correlation (p less than 0.05) was found with specific polymeric IgA immune complexes studied by a method recently described. No relationship was observed between the presence of any HLA antigens and the existence of circulating immune complexes. These results support the contention that IgA immune complexes, especially those composed of polymeric IgA, may have a role in the pathogenesis of IgA nephropathy. Moreover, the high serum levels of polymeric IgA observed in these patients could contribute to the slow clearance and long persistence in the circulation of IgA immune complexes with their subsequent deposition at the glomerular mesangium.