Diagnostic Import of Virus-Like Particles in the Glomerular Endothelium of Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Abstract

Examination of existing files of electron photomicrographs of renal biopsies showed virus-like intracellular inclusions in glomerular endothelial cytoplasm from 29 of 30 patients with an unequivocal diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus and in none of a group of 37 with a variety of nonlupus renal lesions. The virus-like particles were found in the glomerular endothelium of two patients with discoid lupus and histologically normal-appearing glomeruli. In both these patients systemic lupus, including nephritis, subsequently developed. The particles were found also in four of six cases of suspected but not proved systemic lupus. Renal-biopsy material from two patients who had positive L.E.-cell preparations while receiving hydralazine did not contain the virus-like particles. This study does not establish the nature or etiologic import of these particles but indicates that their presence is diagnostically helpful in systemic lupus regardless of the extent of histologic or functional involvement of the kidney.