Lymphocyte populations in the peripheral blood from patients with IgA nephropathy

On the basis of a reported increase of circulating surface IgA-bearing lymphocytes in Japanese patients with IgA nephropathy, peripheral blood lymphocyte populations have been studied in 22 Italian patients affected by the same disease, 13 patients with other chronic idiopathic glomerulonephritis and 15 normal subjects were the controls. No significant differences was found among the three groups. In particular, in the IgA nephropathy group we did not find any increase in the number of IgA-bearing lymphocytes, and in the synthesis of immunoglobulins by circulating lymphocytes.