HLA tissue types in patients with acute tubulointerstitial nephritis accompanying uveitis

Abstract

Four cases of idiopathic acute tubulointerstitial nephritis (TIN) associated with uveitis (so-called TINU syndrome) were experienced between 1986 and 1990. Patients' ages ranged from 14 to 42 years old and three were female and one was male. All cases showed general symptoms, such as general malaise, anorexia and weight loss. All patients had initially TIN and became ill uveitis four to eight months after the onset of TIN. All cases had mild proteinuria, mild anemia, the lower serum levels of potassium, hyper gamma-globulinemia and the reduced glomerular filtration rate with the increased beta 2-microglobulin in urine and serum. All renal biopsies specimens showed mild edema and diffuse infiltration of inflammatory mononuclear cells in the interstitium without any glomerular or vascular abnormalities. Furthermore, numerous CD4 positive cells, CD8 positive cells and CD11c positive cells were seen in the interstitium. Of four patients, three cases were treated with both oral administration and eye drop of prednisolone (PSL), another one case was therapied with eye drop PSL only. In all cases TIN had good prognosis, but two patients had recurrences of uveitis. All patients underwent tissue typing for HLA-A, B, C and DR antigens. Three patients had identical HLA-Cw3 and all four cases revealed identical HLA-A24(9). These results suggest that immunological mechanism, especially cell-mediated, and HLA system may play an important role in the occurrence of TINU syndrome.