Association of class II antigens of HLA with primary glomerulopathies

HLA antigens of Japanese patients with primary glomerulopathies were determined, and the frequency of each HLA antigen was compared with that of Japanese normal controls. IgA nephropathy with HLA-DR4, idiopathic membraneous glomerulopathy with DR2, lipoid nephrosis with DRw53 and poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis with DR1 were definitely or probably associated. It was suggested that primary glomerulopathies might all be associated with HLA class II and not class I antigens. Japanese patients with HLA-Bw48 and -DRw8 were less susceptible to primary glomerulopathies.