Predominance ofIgAdeposits inglomeruli of Schistosoma mansoni infected mice

SUMMARY Wefoundthat IgAispredominant among theimmunedeposits intherenal glomeruli ofmiceinfected withSchistosoma mansoni, andthusconducted an analysis ofthedeposition ofdifferent immunoglobulin isotypes intheglomeruli throughout thecourseofinfection inmice.Both immunofluorescent andimmunoperoxidase methodologies were employed andcompared. The abundance ofS.mansoni antigens andtheisotypes ofantibodies tothese antigens wereexamined in theseraandkidney eluates ofmiceduring thecourseofinfection andtheresults wererelated tothe findings ofimmunohistopathology. Ourobservations suggest thatatleast some immunecomplexes forminsituintheglomeruli ofinfected miceandsupport a possible roleofliver damageinthe pathogenesis ofrenal disease inschistosomiasis. Intestinal mucosal immuneresponses toschistosome antigens may beimportant intheevolution ofrenal disease. Inaddition, therelevance ofthemurine modeltohumanschistosomal nephropathy isquestioned.