Pathology

Abstract

Patients with signs and symptoms of SLE produce antibodies which react with a variety of endogenous tissue components. Subsequent to the release of such tissue components, e.g., of intracellular autoantigens in physiologic or pathologic histolysis, circulating immune complexes may develop. The diversity of autoantigens and the heterogeneity of immune complexes cause a series of morphologic changes that are characteristic of SLE as a prototype of a multisystemic disease. Various organs can be affected to a varying extent; of these the kidneys, the skin, the joints, the heart, the lymph nodes, and the serous membranes are most commonly involved. The pathologic anatomy of SLE thus covers a wide range and its diversity manifest itself not only in the gross and clinical changes but also in the microscopic and ultrastructural findings. The latter are of extraordinary importance, particularly for the morphologic assessment of renal changes. Therefore they will be more closely reviewed in the following in the light of some of our own cases.