Humoral immune response in patients with IgA and IgM glomerulonephritis.

A single dose of inactivated mumps virus vaccine was administered to male patients with IgA glomerulonephritis (IgA-GN), IgM glomerulonephritis (IgM-GN) and to healthy males. Antibodies to mumps virus were determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Patients with IgA-GN showed a higher and more sustained IgG and IgA antibody response compared to patients with IgM-GN or healthy controls. Before vaccination, patients with IgM-GN had higher levels of IgG antibodies than the controls or those with IgA-GN. However, the IgA antibody and IgG responses after vaccination were low. IgM antibody responses did not vary among the groups studied. It is concluded that patients with IgA-GN are high responders for IgA and IgG antibody production. Patients with IgM-GN are low responders, especially for IgA antibody.