PRESENCE AND POSSIBLE ROLE OF MONOCYTE INFILTRATION IN HUMAN CHRONIC PROLIFERATIVE GLOMERULONEPHRITIDES - LIGHT MICROSCOPIC, IMMUNOFLUORESCENCE, AND HISTOCHEMICAL CORRELATIONS

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  • 1 January 1979
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 94  (2) , 271-284
Abstract
Cases of chronic glomerulonephritis with a proliferative pattern (11 cases of primary mixed Ig[immunoglobulin]G-IgM cryoglobulinemia, 8 cases of SLE [aystemic lupus erythematosus], and 8 cases of primary membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis) were studied with particular attention to the glomerular monocyte infiltration. The latter, detected by means of nonspecific esterase technique, was compared with the presence of hyaline thrombi and intraluminal Ig lumps. Monocyte infiltration was heavy and almost constant in cryoglobulinemia, less important in SLE and practically absent in membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis. Immunofluorescence technique on paraffin-embedded material showed that monocytes contain IgG and IgM, suggesting a phagocytic activity on some types of immune complexes. Since monocytes are migrant cells and easily removable from the glomeruli by the bloodstream, they could be responsible for regression of glomerular hypercellularity as reported in some patients with cryoglobulinemia showing clinical improvement.