Changes in the glomerular capillary wall induced by lymphocyte products and serum of nephrotic patients.

This study demonstrated that a soluble factor derived from patients with nephrotic syndrome caused changes consistent with the development of proteinuria when infused into the renal artery of a rat. The supernatants of cultures of stimulated lymphocytes of patients with the nephrotic syndrome containing autologous sera were infused into the renal arteries of rats and caused patchy spreading of the foot processes of epithelial cells and reduction of charge of the glomerular basement membrane of rat kidneys. The equivalent supernatants from normal subjects did not produce these changes.