Although the etiology and pathogenesis of IgA nephropathy is not fully understood, it has been classified as an immune-complex induced glomerulonephritis caused by an immunological mechanism. Forty-two patients with primary IgA nephropathy underwent tissue typing for HLA-A, B, and DR antigens by the standard method using a microlymphocytotoxicity test. There was no significant correlation between HLA-A and B antigens and this disease. However, the frequency of HLA-DR4 was 57.1% in the patients with normal renal function, 85.7% in those with decreased renal function, 100% in dialysis patients, and 39.2% in the control group. It is statistically significant in the patients with renal dysfunction (corrected P less than 0.05). Our results suggest that the HLA system may play an important role in the occurrence and exacerbation of IgA nephropathy in the Japanese population.

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HLA-A, B, DR, and MT antigens were examined in 50 patients with idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN) by the standard microlymphocytotoxicity technique. The frequency of HLA-DR2 was significantly increased in the patients in comparison to the controls. Significant decreases in the frequencies were seen for HLA-DR4, DRw8 and DRw9 in the patients. The linkage disequilibrium between HLA-Bw52 and DR2 was noted in the controls, but it was significantly weaker in the patients. The frequency of MTl was significantly higher, and that of MT3 was significantly lower in the patients as compared with the controls. The findings suggest that an immunological disturbance under the influence of genetic factors may confer a susceptibility to IMN.

Convalescence of distal radius bone fracture, which is major disease for elderly people, requires speedy improvement of the contracture for wrist joint angles. The contracture is the case that wrists stiffen up and the range of their motion tends to be restricted by fixing them for long time after bone fracture. Recently, traction of the wrist during flexing and extending the wrist joint is considered to be efficient as the rehabilitation procedure. Previously, we developed an equipment that can apply the constant traction force to the wrist during flexing and extending the wrist joint. By using the equipment, we observed the dynamic motion of carpals in the wrist by radiography and found that the ratio of displacement of radius -lunate joint (R-L joint) to that of wrist angle increases by the traction. However, as the obtained images by radiography were not so clear and 2 dimensional data by projecting the texture of carpal, the displacement and rotation of carpal couldn't be measured precisely. We have developed a new equipment that can hold a wrist joint being pulled at flexion or extension posture for MRI photography. MRI can take detail 3 dimensional images. By using the equipment, the study reveals that lunar, which constitutes R-L joint as a major carpel, rotates by traction of the wrist and its rotation extends the motion range of R-L joint to dorsiflexion side. Furthermore, the interosseous distance of capitate -lunate joint (C-L joint) tends to extent by the traction at neutral and dorsiflexion positions, and it may have influence on the extension of the motion range of R-L joint.