Enhanced Expression of CD31 and CD54 on Tonsillar High Endothelial Venules in IgA Nephropathy

Abnormalities in the partition of IgA- and IgG-producing cells in the tonsils of patients with IgA nephropathy have been suggested to result from a dysregulation of cell trafficking and homing through high endothelial venules in this lymphoid tissue. In order to document such adhesion anomalies, we used the 36 monoclonal antibodies of the cell adhesion molecules subpanel of the Fifth International Workshop on Leukocyte Differentiation Antigens on frozen sections of tonsils from 10 patients and 15 controls. This allowed us to describe the partition of cell adhesion molecules in human tonsils and to demonstrate a significant enhancement of CD31 and CD54 expression on high endothelial venules of tonsils from patients with IgA nephropathy. These observations are in keeping with the hypothesis of an increased lymphocyte recruitment in tonsils in this disease.