Light chain distribution in immune deposits on glomeruli of kidneys in human renal disease.

The gammaG-immunoglobulin (IgG) deposited on glomeruli of 32 percutaneous renal biopsies from 30 patients with various forms of renal disease was examined by fluorescent techniques to determine its light chain composition. Serum kappa: lambda light chain ratios were determined on 17 serum samples from 16 of the 30 patients. Glomerular IgG staining with only antikappa antiserum, only antilambda antiserum, and with both antisera was demonstrated. No correlation of serum kappa: lambda light chain ratios with the type or types of light chains demonstrable on the glomeruli was observed. We concluded that the IgG deposited on glomeruli of patients with various forms of renal disease is not a nonspecific sample of the circulating immunoglobulin pool but may well reflect more specific selection, as in the deposition of specific antibody formed against exogenous or endogenous antigens during the development of the renal lesion.