Skip to main content
Clinical and Experimental Immunology logoLink to Clinical and Experimental Immunology
. 1980 Jun;40(3):431–437.

IgA-containing circulating immune complexes in dermatitis herpetiformis, Henoch-Schönlein purpura, systemic lupus erythematosus and other diseases.

R P Hall, T J Lawley, J A Heck, S I Katz
PMCID: PMC1538929  PMID: 7418261

Abstract

The sera of patients with dermatitis herpetiformis, Henoch-Schönlein purpura and systemic lupus erythematosus were examined for IgA-containing immune complexes using a newly described radioimmunoassay. The IgG Raji cell radioimmunoassay and the 125I-C1q binding assay were also used to detect IgG- and IgM- containing soluble immune complexes. IgA-containing immune complexes were found in the sera of twelve of forty-nine (24%) patients with dermatitis herpetiformis, four of six (67%) patients with Henoch-Schönlein purpura, and seven of ten (70%) patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. IgG- or IgM- containing immune complexes were also found in six of forty-seven patients with dermatitis herpetiformis, in one of six patients with Henoch-Schönlein purpura, and in nine of ten patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, by either the 125I-Clq binding assay or the IgG Raji cell assay. The finding of soluble IgA immune complexes in a high percentage of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and Henoch-Schönlein purpura suggests that they may play an important role in the pathogenesis of these diseases. In contrast, their low prevalence in patients with dermatitis herpetiformis suggests that IgA-containing immune complexes may not play a major role in the pathogenesis of dermatitis herpetiformis.

Full text

PDF
436

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Braun-Falco O., Männel C., Scherer R. Nachweis von zirkulierenden löslichen Immunkomplexen im Serum von Psoriasispatienten mit dem 125J-C1q-Ablenkungstest. Hautarzt. 1977 Dec;28(12):658–660. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Faille-Kuyber E. H., Kater L., Kooiker C. J., Dorhout Mees E. J. IgA-deposits in cutaneous blood-vessel walls and mesangium in Henoch-Schönlein syndrome. Lancet. 1973 Apr 21;1(7808):892–893. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(73)91471-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Götze O., Müller-Eberhard H. J. The C3-activator system: an alternate pathway of complement activation. J Exp Med. 1971 Sep 1;134(3 Pt 2):90s–108s. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Haffenden G., Wojnarowska F., Fry L. Comparison of immunoglobulin and complement deposition in multiple biopsies from the uninvolved skin in dermatitis herpetiformis. Br J Dermatol. 1979 Jul;101(1):39–45. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.1979.tb15290.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Hanauer L. B., Christian C. L. Studies of cryoproteins in systemic lupus erythematosus. J Clin Invest. 1967 Mar;46(3):400–408. doi: 10.1172/JCI105541. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Katz S. I., Hertz K. C., Crawford P. S., Gazze L. A., Frank M. M., Lawley T. J. Effect of sulfones on complement deposition in dermatitis herpetiformis and on complement-mediated guinea-pig reactions. J Invest Dermatol. 1976 Dec;67(6):688–690. doi: 10.1111/1523-1747.ep12598565. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Katz S. I., Strober W. The pathogenesis of dermatitis herpetiformis. J Invest Dermatol. 1978 Feb;70(2):63–75. doi: 10.1111/1523-1747.ep12541202. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Mohammed I., Holborow E. J., Fry L., Thompson B. R., Hoffbrand A. V., Stewart J. S. Multiple immune complexes and hypocomplementaemia in dermatitis herpetiformis and coeliac disease. Lancet. 1976 Sep 4;1(7984):487–490. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(76)90787-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Rothfield N., Ross H. A., Minta J. O., Lepow I. H. Glomerular and dermal depostion of properdin in systemic lupus erythematosus. N Engl J Med. 1972 Oct 5;287(14):681–685. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197210052871402. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Seah P. P., Fry L., Stewart J. S., Chapman B. L., Hoffbrand A. V., Holborow E. J. Immunoglobulins in the skin in dermatitis herpetiformis and coeliac disease. Lancet. 1972 Mar 18;1(7751):611–614. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(72)90409-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Theofilopoulos A. N., Dixon F. J., Bokisch V. A. Binding of soluble immune complexes to human lymphoblastoid cells. I. Characterization of receptors for IgG Fc and complement and description of the binding mechanism. J Exp Med. 1974 Oct 1;140(4):877–894. doi: 10.1084/jem.140.4.877. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Theofilopoulos A. N., Wilson C. B., Dixon F. J. The Raji cell radioimmune assay for detecting immune complexes in human sera. J Clin Invest. 1976 Jan;57(1):169–182. doi: 10.1172/JCI108257. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Tsai C. C., Giangiacomo J., Zuckner J. Letter: Dermal IgA deposits in Henoch-Schönlein purpura and Berger's nephritis. Lancet. 1975 Feb 8;1(7902):342–343. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(75)91260-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Woodroffe A. J., Border W. A., Theofilopoulos A. N., Götze O., Glassock R. J., Dixon F. J., Wilson C. B. Detection of circulating immune complexes in patients with glomerulonephritis. Kidney Int. 1977 Oct;12(4):268–278. doi: 10.1038/ki.1977.111. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Clinical and Experimental Immunology are provided here courtesy of British Society for Immunology

RESOURCES