Chronic glomerular nephritis in a man with an IgM cold autoantibody of anti-I specificity and a cold lymphocytotoxic antibody.

This communication describes a young man with chronic glomerular nephritis whose serum contained cold antibodies directed against both red cells and lymphocytes. A renal biopsy revealed unusual histological features including extensive deposits of IgM and complement. Although abnormal immune responses are not uncommon in chronic renal failure, it is suggested that there may be a causal relationship between the underlying renal lesion and the abnormal antibodies.