肾小球损伤系由体液和细胞过程介导的直接针对 IV 型胶原 α-3 链的自身免疫性所致。附着在肾小球基底膜上的自身抗体是确定性特征,有大量数据表明这些抗体会引起肾损伤。[10]Lerner RA, Glassock RJ, Dixon FJ. The role of anti-glomerular basement membrane antibody in the pathogenesis of human glomerulonephritis. J Exp Med. 1967;126:989-1004.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/4964566?tool=bestpractice.com[11]Ryan JJ, Reynolds J, Norgan VA, et al. Expression and characterization of the recombinant rat alpha 3(IV)NC1 and its use in induction of experimental autoimmune glomerulonephritis. Nephrol Dial Transplant. 2001;16:253-261.http://ndt.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/16/2/253http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11158397?tool=bestpractice.com不过,T 细胞如今已被认定为在新月体肾炎中起关键作用,[12]Tipping PG, Holdsworth SR. T cells in crescentic glomerulonephritis. J Am Soc Nephrol. 2006;17:1253-1263.http://jasn.asnjournals.org/content/17/5/1253.longhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16624930?tool=bestpractice.com而在一项抗肾小球基底膜(抗 GBM)病动物模型中,已证明 Th1 细胞可在没有任何自身抗体的情况下转移疾病。[13]Wu J, Hicks J, Borillo J, et al. CD4(+) T cells specific to a glomerular basement membrane antigen mediate glomerulonephritis. J Clin Invest. 2002;109:517-524.http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pubmed&pubmedid=11854324http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11854324?tool=bestpractice.com活动性疾病患者具有针对 IV 型胶原 α-3 链抗原表位的特异性循环 T 细胞,其受到与疾病相关的 HLA II 类分子 HLA-DR15 的限制。[14]Cairns LS, Phelps RG, Bowie L, et al. The fine specificity and cytokine profile of T-helper cells responsive to the alpha3 chain of type IV collagen in Goodpasture's disease. J Am Soc Nephrol. 2003;14:2801-2812.http://jasn.asnjournals.org/content/14/11/2801.longhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14569090?tool=bestpractice.com
吸烟在肺肾综合征患者中常见,而在仅有肾病表现的患者中少见。由吸烟、碳氢化合物暴露或近期感染造成的肺损伤可能在肺部 IV 型胶原 α-3 链暴露方面起到一定作用,使其易于受到自身免疫攻击。