Skip to main content
Log in

IgG subclass serum levels in systemic lupus erythematosus patients

  • Brief Report
  • Published:
Clinical Rheumatology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

IgG subclass levels of sera from 105 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) were determined by immunonephelometric assay. Patients were divided into two groups according to clinical activity of the disease: active disease and remission. Forty-five normal controls were also measured. We found a significant increase of IgG1 (p = 0.000), IgG2 (p = 0.000), and IgG3 (p = 0.000) in SLE sera, while IgG4 (p = 0.494) values did not differ significantly from those of controls. When patients were divided according to clinical activity, decrease of IgG3 concentration was observed in the patients in remission. In contrast, the concentrations of IgG1, IgG2, and IgG4 subclass were similar between the two groups (p > 0.05). Our data suggest that differential increase of IgG subclasses during the course of SLE may be of relevance to the pathogenesis of the disease.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Kay RA, Wood KJ, Bernstein RM, Holt PJ, Pumphrey RS (1988) An IgG subclass imbalance in connective tissue disease. Ann Rheum Dis 47:536–541

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Bijl M, Dijstelbloem HM, Oost WW, Bootsma H, Derksen RH, Aten J, Limburg PC, Kallenberg CG (2002) IgG subclass distribution of autoantibodies differs between renal and extra-renal relapses in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Rheumatology (Oxford) 41:62–67

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Kuroki A, Shibata T, Honda H, Totsuka D, Kobayashi K, Sugisaki T (2002) Glomerular and serum IgG subclasses in diffuse proliferative lupus nephritis, membranous lupus nephritis, and idiopathic membranous nephropathy. Intern Med 41:936–942

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Ravirajan CT, Rowse L, MacGowan JR, Isenberg DA (2001) An analysis of clinical disease activity and nephritis-associated serum autoantibody profiles in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: a cross-sectional study. Rheumatology (Oxford) 40:1405–1412

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Loizou S, Cofiner C, Weetman AP, Walport MJ (1992) Immunoglobulin class and IgG subclass distribution of anticardiolipin antibodies in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and associated disorders. Clin Exp Immunol 90:434–439

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Fang QY, Yu F, Tan Y, Xu LX, Wu LH, Liu G, Shao FM, Zhao MH (2009) Anti-c1q antibodies and IgG subclass distribution in sera from chinese patients with lupus nephritis. Nephrol Dial Transplant 24:172–178

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Tsujimura M, Tokano Y, Takasaki Y, Hashimoto H (1997) The relation between IgG subclasses and clinical manifestations in patients with active systemic lupus erythematosus. Nihon Rinsho Meneki Gakkai Kaishi 20:8–13

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Blanco F, Kalsi J, Ravirajan CT, Speight P, Bradwell AR, Isenberg DA (1992) IgG subclasses in systemic lupus erythematosus and other autoimmune rheumatic diseases. Lupus 1:391–399

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Pressac M, Allouche F, Circaud R, Aymard P (1995) Evaluation of human IgG subclass assays on Beckman array. Ann Clin Biochem 32:281–288

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Hochberg MC (1997) Updating the american college of rheumatology revised criteria for the classification of systemic lupus erythematosus. Arthritis Rheum 40:1725

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Bombardier C, Gladman DD, Urowitz MB, Caron D, Chang CH (1992) Derivation of the SLEDAI. A disease activity index for lupus patients. The Committee on Prognosis Studies in SLE. Arthritis Rheum 35:630–640

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Manolova I, Dancheva M, Halacheva K (2002) Predominance of IgG1 and IgG3 subclasses of autoantibodies to neutrophil cytoplasmic antigens in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Rheumatol Int 21:227–233

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Tiikkainen U, Wangel A, Appleton SL, Arthur D (1991) Subclasses of IgG anticardiolipin antibodies in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Scand J Immunol 34:265–271

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Amoura Z, Koutouzov S, Chabre H, Cacoub P, Amoura I, Musset L, Bach JF, Piette JC (2000) Presence of antinucleosome autoantibodies in a restricted set of connective tissue diseases: antinucleosome antibodies of the IgG3 subclass are markers of renal pathogenicity in systemic lupus erythematosus. Arthritis Rheum 43:76–84

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We thank professor Jian Guo and professor Zhi-xian Xie of Beijing Hospital for their assistance.

Disclosures

None.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jin-ming Li.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lin, Gg., Li, Jm. IgG subclass serum levels in systemic lupus erythematosus patients. Clin Rheumatol 28, 1315–1318 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-009-1224-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-009-1224-x

Keywords

Navigation