Pathophysiology of lupus nephritis: the role of nucleosomes

Lupus nephritis is regarded as an immune complex mediated disease. Since anti-DNA antibodies are present in the circulation and in diseased glomeruli of patients with lupus nephritis, these antibodies have been assigned a pivotal role in the initiation of lupus nephritis. It remains however unclear how these antibodies become localized in the glomerulus. Contrary to the classical concept of glomerular deposition of DNA/anti-DNA complexes, it has been suggested that anti-DNA antibodies can interact with intrinsic glomerular antigens. Some anti-DNA antibodies can cross-react with heparan sulphate (HS), which is such an intrinsic constituent of the glomerular basement membrane (GBM). Serum HS reactivity coincides with the occurrence of lupus nephritis. It was found that this HS reactivity was exhibited by anti-DNA antibodies complexed to nucleosomes and not by the antibody itself. Nucleosomes are DNA/histone complexes, present in the nucleus, which are released by dying cells. The histone part of the nucleosome is responsible for the binding to the GBM. Recently, it has become clear that also anti-nucleosome antibodies can bind to HS in the GBM via nucleosomes. These nucleosome-containing immune complexes exhibit anti-DNA reactivity in ELISA and Farr assay. It is now thought that nucleosomes released by dying cells bind to anti-DNA or anti-nucleosome antibodies in the circulation, giving rise to nephritogenic immune complexes. Alternatively, nucleosomes may bind to the GBM and serve then as planted antigen for subsequent binding of antibodies via an in situ mechanism. Binding of antibodies via both mechanisms leads to complement activation and damage of the GBM.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)