Autoantibodies against a kidney--liver protein associated with quinolone-induced acute interstitial nephritis or hepatitis

• Published in: Nephrology, dialysis, transplantation Vol. 12; no. 9; pp. 1961 - 1962
• Main Authors: Gauffre, A, Mircheva, J, Glotz, D, Fillastre, J P, Simon, P, Beaune, P H, Druet, P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01.09.1997
• Subjects: Acute Disease; Anti-Bacterial Agents - adverse effects; Autoantibodies - analysis; Autoantibodies - immunology; Biomarkers; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury - immunology; Humans; Immunoblotting; Kidney - metabolism; Liver - metabolism; Microsomes - metabolism; Nephritis, Interstitial - chemically induced; Nephritis, Interstitial - immunology; Proteins - immunology; Proteins - metabolism; Quinolones - adverse effects
• DOI: 10.1093/ndt/12.9.1961
• ISSN: 0931-0509

In the present study we report on four cases of acute interstitial nephritis (AIN) and two cases of hepatitis induced by quinolone. We show by immunoblotting analysis that all sera from these patients contained autoantibodies that recognize a 65-kDa protein expressed in normal human kidney and liver microsomes. Only 6% of sera from healthy individuals who did not ingest quinolone recognized the same protein. These findings suggest that the presence of autoantibodies could be used as a sensitive marker and that a modification of microsomal proteins by quinolone itself or by a metabolite could generated an autoimmune response.