Lymphocyte Subpopulations in Patients with Minimal Change Disease and IgA Nephropathy

Han, Byoung Geun; Choi, Seung Ok; Yun, Do Sik; Lee, Hyoung Joon; Kang, Nam Kyu; Kim, Hyo Youl; Lee, Kwang Hoon

Abstract

The pathogenetic mechanisms of minimal change disease and immunoglobulin A nephropathy remain uncertain, but recently various reports have reported the important role of the immunological aspect in the pathogenesis of glomerular injury. To assess the abnormalities of immunoregulatory system in these glomerular disease, the percentages of lymphocyte subpopulations in peripheral blood were studied in 24 cases of minimal change disease and 28 of immunoglobulin A nephropathy diagnosed by renal biopsy. The results were as follows: 1) CD4/CD8 ratio of the minimal change disease was significantly increased, compared with normal controls and immunoglobulin A nephropathy(P<0.05). 2) No significant difference in T helper cell and T suppressor cell was found between steroid response group and steroid non-response group in minimal change disease. 3) No significant difference in lymphocyte subpopulation was found between group with nephrotic range of proteinuria and group without nephrotic range of proteinuria in minimal change disease. 4) The discrepancies in lymphocyte subpopulations was not observed between group with infection and group without infection in immunoglobulin A nephropathy. 5) The pathologic grade (criteria of WHO) did not demonstrate a significant difference in lymphocyte subpopulation in immunoglobulin A nephropathy. In conclusion, these results suggest that the dysregulation of cell-mediated immunologic system is involved in the pathogenesis of minimal change disease and immunoglobulin A nephropathy, and some differences of immunoregulatory abnormalities between minimal change disease and immunoglobulin A nephropathy exist. But in this study the change in lymphocyte subpopulation does not anticipate the clinical course and prognosis of minimal change disease and immunoglobulin A nephropathy.