NDT editorial 2009.pdf (222.37 kB)
Immune complex formation in IgA nephropathy: a case of the ‘right’ antibodies in the ‘wrong’ place at the ‘wrong’ time?
journal contribution
posted on 2010-06-22, 14:43 authored by Jonathan Barratt, Frank Eitner, John Feehally, Jürgen FloegeOne of the most striking findings in IgAN is an increase in the circulating levels of poorly galactosylated IgA1 O-glycoforms (Figure 1B). This has been observed in patient populations from North America, Europe and Asia, using a variety of techniques [1–3]. Importantly, two studies of IgA1 eluted from isolated glomeruli have shown that mesangial IgA is enriched with poorly galactosylated IgA1 O-glycoforms, strongly implicating the composition of IgA1 hinge region glycans in the mechanism of IgA1 deposition [4,5]. Novak and colleagues have also reported that these poorly galactosylated IgA1 O-glycoforms are predominantly found in circulating high molecular weight IgA-IC in IgAN [6].