[Changes in rat glomerular polyanion and ultrastructures induced by supernatants of cultured mononuclear cells from patients with steroid-response nephrotic syndrome].

The supernatant of cultured conA stimulated mononuclear cells from patients with steroid-response nephrotic syndrome was infused into rat kidneys. Renal tissue sections stained with colloidal iron were analyzed quantitatively by image analyzer. The mean width of foot processes and slits the volume fraction of foot processes and glomerular capilaries of electron photomicrograph were determined by using stereology in combination with the observation of glomerular ultrastructure. The studies showed that there was a significant decrease in glomerular polyanion in rat kidneys perfused with supernatant from patients in the active stage. The glomerular alterations included swelling and fusion of foot processes and narrowing of filtration slits. There were no above-mentioned alterations in both the patients in remission and the normal controls. The results demonstrated that supernatant of cultured mononuclear cells from patients with steroid-response nephrotic syndrome resulted in pathologic alterations in rat glomeruli similar to those observed in minimal change nephrotic syndrome, and suggested that the glomerular alterations might result from a factor produced by a kind of abnormal T lymphocytes.