Ultrastructural data on the immune-complex nature of vascular lesions in systemic lupus erythematosus
Dreĭer, E.O.; Alekberova, E.S.; Mul'diiarov, P.Ia.; Nasonova, V.A.
Terapevticheskii Arkhiv 52(6): 57-59
1980
ISSN/ISBN: 0040-3660 PMID: 6447379 Document Number: 159517
Results of EM studies of skin biopsy samples in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (16 patients with, and 5 without lupus nephritis) are presented. Deposits of electron-dense material (immunocomplexes) detected both in the affected skin and in the intact one and located in the dermo-epithelial area and in the vascular walls, as well as destructive changes in the connective-tissue cells of the derma, correlated with the presence of lupus nephritis. Signs of elevated permeability of the vessels of the microcirculatory link (plasmorrhagia, dilatation of the slits between the endothelial cells, the presence of lymphocytes and erythrocytes in the paravascular spaces) were revealed. Detection of tubuloreticular structures in the endothelium and fibroblasts correlated with the local activity of the process, i.e., erythematous eruptions.