[Cell mediated immunity against tubular basement membranes in children with glomerular disease (author's transl)].

Applying a rosette assay we examined peripheral lymphocytes for their sensitivity against enzymatically solubilized tubular basement membranes (TBM). 20 healthy children and 34 children with glomerular diseases were tested. 2 patients from the panel of acute glomerulonephritis and 5 patients with chronic glomerulonephritis showed reactivity against this structure. Children with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome as well as patients with Alport's syndrome revealed no cell mediated immunity against TBM. On grounds of these findings we suggest that tubular involvement in glomerular diseases is not only secondary injury by affection of the glomerular appartus, but may be regarded as a target of the cell mediated immunity.