Decreased production of interleukin-1 by monocytes from patients with lipoid nephrosis

In order to further characterize monocyte function in patients with lipoid nephrosis (LN), we studied the production of interleukin-1 (IL-1). In this study we examined the ability of peripheral blood monocytes (PBM) from LN patients to produce this monokine in vitro under the stimulus of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The levels of IL-1 were decreased in patients with LN compared with those in normal controls and lower in LN patients with nephrotic syndrome (NS) than in those without NS. In contrast, the values in IgA nephropathy (IgAN) patients with or without NS did not differ from normal subjects. The addition of indomethacin, an inhibitor of prostaglandin synthesis, partially restored this defect. These results suggest that the impaired IL-1 production of LN PBM is probably attributable, at least in part, to increased prostaglandin production and possibly influences the immune status of LN patients.