Cold-reacting antinuclear factor in sera from patients with primary glomerular diseases.

Antinuclear factor (ANF) was determined in sera from patients with primary glomerular diseases to evaluate the autoimmune nature of this disorder. Sera from 61 patients with various types of glomerular disorders were assayed for ANF by the fluorescent antinuclear antibody (FANA) technique at 37 degrees C and 4 degrees C. Thirty healthy adults served as controls. Cold-reacting ANF, which was detected predominantly in the class of IgM, was observed in 54 out of 61 patients with various types of primary glomerular disorders. The nuclear staining pattern was "speckled". Sera from healthy adults did not show any positive signs of ANF. It is suggested that some autoimmune mechanisms may be involved in the development of primary glomerular diseases.