scholarly journals Case Report of Spontaneous Remission of Biopsy-Proven Idiopathic Immune Complex-Mediated Membranoproliferative Glomerulonephritis

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 81-90 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rehan Shah ◽  
Mark S. Segal ◽  
Michael J. Wilkowski
Keyword(s):  
Immune Complex ◽  
Membranoproliferative Glomerulonephritis ◽  
Conservative Therapy ◽  
Spontaneous Remission ◽  
Pressure Control ◽  
C3 Glomerulopathy ◽  
Histopathologic Diagnosis ◽  
Nephrotic Range Proteinuria ◽  
Immunosuppression Therapy

Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN) is a histopathologic diagnosis causing microscopic hematuria, nephrotic range proteinuria, and chronic renal failure. Current understanding divides pathogenesis into two broad categories: immune complex mediated and complement mediated (now termed C3 glomerulopathy). The term idiopathic immune complex-mediated MPGN would apply to a patient without an identifiable source of immune complex production and no evidence of C3 glomerulopathy. Presented is a patient with idiopathic immune complex mediated MPGN and her clinical course. The patient opted for conservative therapy with losartan, carvedilol, chlorthalidone, and atorvastatin. Nephrotic range proteinuria of 8.7 g per day resolved over 5 months, with improvement of serum from 3.3 to 1.2 mg/dL. Remission continues at follow-up 21 months after biopsy. For idiopathic immune complex-mediated MPGN, resorting to empiric immunosuppression therapy may not be the best option. As this patient demonstrates, a conservative approach of blood pressure control with anti-renin-angiotensin agents, control of lipids, and watchful follow-up can be successful.

scholarly journals CFHR5 Genetic Variations and Serum Levels in Patients with Immune-Complex-Mediated Membranoproliferative Glomerulonephritis and C3-Glomerulopathy

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nóra Garam ◽  
Marcell Cserhalmi ◽  
Zoltán Prohászka ◽  
Ágnes Szilágyi ◽  
Nóra Veszeli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Immune Complex ◽  
Membranoproliferative Glomerulonephritis ◽  
Kidney Diseases ◽  
Alternative Pathway ◽  
Serum Levels ◽  
Genetic Alterations ◽  
Factor H ◽  
Complement Factor ◽  
C3 Glomerulopathy

Abstract Background: Factor H-related-5 (FHR-5) is a member of the complement Factor H protein family. Due to the homology to Factor H, the main complement regulator of the alternative pathway, it may also be implicated in pathomechanism of kidney diseases where Factor H and alternative pathway dysregulation play a role. Here, we report the first observational study on CFHR5 variations along with serum FHR-5 levels in immune-complex-mediated membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (IC-MPGN) and C3 glomerulopathy (C3G) patients together with the clinical, genetic, complement and follow-up data.Results: 120 patients with a histologically-proven diagnosis of IC-MPGN/C3G were enrolled in the study. FHR-5 serum levels were measured in ELISA, the CFHR5 gene was analyzed by Sanger-sequencing, and selected mutants were studied as recombinant proteins in ELISA and SPR.Eight relevant CFHR5 variations in 14 patients (11.7%) were observed, 5 of them identified as pathogenic for C3G. The FHR-5G278S and FHR-5R356H mutations altered the interaction of FHR-5 with C3b, when compared to the FHR-5WT. Serum FHR-5 levels were lower in patients compared to controls. Low serum FHR-5 concentration at presentation associated with better renal survival during the follow-up period, furthermore, it showed clear association with signs of hypocomplementemia and clinically meaningful clusters.Conclusions: Our observations support the hypothesis that FHR-5 protein and its genetic alterations play a role in the pathogenesis of IC-MPGN/C3G.

scholarly journals FHR-5 Serum Levels and CFHR5 Genetic Variations in Patients With Immune Complex-Mediated Membranoproliferative Glomerulonephritis and C3-Glomerulopathy

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nóra Garam ◽  
Marcell Cserhalmi ◽  
Zoltán Prohászka ◽  
Ágnes Szilágyi ◽  
Nóra Veszeli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Immune Complex ◽  
Membranoproliferative Glomerulonephritis ◽  
Kidney Diseases ◽  
Alternative Pathway ◽  
Serum Levels ◽  
Factor H ◽  
Fine Tuning ◽  
Complement Factor ◽  
C3 Glomerulopathy

BackgroundFactor H-related protein 5 (FHR-5) is a member of the complement Factor H protein family. Due to the homology to Factor H, the main complement regulator of the alternative pathway, it may also be implicated in the pathomechanism of kidney diseases where Factor H and alternative pathway dysregulation play a role. Here, we report the first observational study on CFHR5 variations along with serum FHR-5 levels in immune complex-mediated membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (IC-MPGN) and C3 glomerulopathy (C3G) patients together with the clinical, genetic, complement, and follow-up data.MethodsA total of 120 patients with a histologically proven diagnosis of IC-MPGN/C3G were enrolled in the study. FHR-5 serum levels were measured in ELISA, the CFHR5 gene was analyzed by Sanger sequencing, and selected variants were studied as recombinant proteins in ELISA and surface plasmon resonance (SPR).ResultsEight exonic CFHR5 variations in 14 patients (12.6%) were observed. Serum FHR-5 levels were lower in patients compared to controls. Low serum FHR-5 concentration at presentation associated with better renal survival during the follow-up period; furthermore, it showed clear association with signs of complement overactivation and clinically meaningful clusters.ConclusionsOur observations raise the possibility that the FHR-5 protein plays a fine-tuning role in the pathogenesis of IC-MPGN/C3G.

Therapy and outcomes of C3 glomerulopathy and immune-complex membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Priyanka Khandelwal ◽  
Swati Bhardwaj ◽  
Geetika Singh ◽  
Aditi Sinha ◽  
Pankaj Hari ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Immune Complex ◽  
Membranoproliferative Glomerulonephritis ◽  
C3 Glomerulopathy

scholarly journals C3 Glomerulopathy and Related Disorders in Children

2021 ◽  
pp. CJN.00320121
Author(s):  
Edwin Wong ◽  
Kevin Marchbank ◽  
Hannah Lomax-Browne ◽  
Isabel Pappworth ◽  
Harriet Denton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factor ◽  
Immune Complex ◽  
Kidney Failure ◽  
Alternative Pathway ◽  
Multivariable Analysis ◽  
Complement C3 ◽  
C3 Glomerulopathy ◽  
Prognostic Groups ◽  
Initial Biopsy

Background and objectives: Membranoproliferative Glomerulonephritis (MPGN) and C3 Glomerulopathy are rare and overlapping disorders associated with dysregulation of the alternative complement pathway. Specific aetiological data for paediatric MPGN/C3 glomerulopathy are lacking, and outcome data are based upon retrospective studies without aetiological data. Design, setting, participants, and measurements: Eighty prevalent pediatric patients with MPGN/C3 glomerulopathy underwent detailed phenotyping and long-term follow-up within the National Registry of Rare Kidney Diseases (RaDaR). Risk factors for kidney survival were determined using COX proportional hazards model. Kidney and transplant graft survival was determined using Kaplan-Meier method. Results: Central histology review determined 39 C3 glomerulopathy, 31 immune-complex MPGN and 10 immune-complex glomerulonephritis (GN) cases. Patients were aged 2-15 (median 9 (IQR 7-11) years. Median complement C3 and C4 levels were 0.31g/L and 0.14g/L respectively; acquired (anti-complement autoantibodies) or genetic alternative pathway abnormalities were detected in 46% and 9% patients respectively, across all groups including immune-complex GN. Median follow-up was 5.18 (IQR 2.13-8.08) years. Eleven patients (14%) progressed to kidney failure with 9 transplants performed in 8 patients, 2 of which failed due to recurrent disease. Presence of >50% crescents on initial biopsy was the sole variable associated with kidney failure in multivariable analysis (Hazard Ratio 6.2, p = 0.045; 95% CI 1.05 to 36.6). Three distinct C3 glomerulopathy prognostic groups were identified according to presenting eGFR and >50% crescents on initial biopsy. Conclusions: Crescentic disease was a key risk factor associated with kidney failure in a national cohort of pediatric MPGN/C3 glomerulopathy and immune-complex GN. Presenting eGFR and crescentic disease help define prognostic groups in pediatric C3 glomerulopathy. Acquired abnormalities of the alternative pathway were commonly identified but not a risk factor for kidney failure.

Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis

2020 ◽  
pp. 4937-4943
Author(s):  
Tabitha Turner-Stokes ◽  
Mark A. Little
Keyword(s):  
Immune Complex ◽  
Membranoproliferative Glomerulonephritis ◽  
Enzyme Inhibitor ◽  
Alternative Pathway ◽  
Rapidly Progressive Glomerulonephritis ◽  
Pressure Control ◽  
Underlying Disease ◽  
Plasma Cell Dyscrasia ◽  
Angiotensin Ii Receptor ◽  
C3 Nephritic Factor

The key histological features of membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN) are mesangial hypercellularity, endocapillary proliferation, and capillary wall remodelling. There are two main types: (1) immune complex-mediated disease—caused by chronic infection causing persistent antigenaemia (notably hepatitis C), autoimmune disease, or monoclonal immunoglobulin production by plasma cell dyscrasia, and a few ‘idiopathic’ cases; and (2) complement-mediated disease—caused by dysregulation of the alternative pathway of complement, including by C3 nephritic factor (C3Nef), an autoantibody that stabilizes the alternative pathway C3 convertase. Clinical presentation is varied, including nephrotic syndrome, episodic visible haematuria, hypertension/rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis, asymptomatic nonvisible haematuria, and chronic kidney disease. Treatment depends on the underlying disease. All patients should receive appropriate conservative measures (blood pressure control, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor/angiotensin II receptor blocker). Underlying infection or monoclonal gammopathy should be treated, when possible, in those with immune complex-mediated MPGN. Eculizumab may have a role in treatment of some patients with complement-mediated MPGN. Steroids and cyclophosphamide or mycophenolate mofetil are used in patients with severe idiopathic MPGN.

scholarly journals CFH and CFHR Copy Number Variations in C3 Glomerulopathy and Immune Complex-Mediated Membranoproliferative Glomerulonephritis

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rossella Piras ◽  
Matteo Breno ◽  
Elisabetta Valoti ◽  
Marta Alberti ◽  
Paraskevas Iatropoulos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Immune Complex ◽  
Single Molecule ◽  
Copy Number ◽  
Membranoproliferative Glomerulonephritis ◽  
Alternative Pathway ◽  
Copy Number Variations ◽  
Factor H ◽  
Complement C3 ◽  
Complement Factor ◽  
C3 Glomerulopathy

C3 Glomerulopathy (C3G) and Immune Complex-Mediated Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (IC-MPGN) are rare diseases characterized by glomerular deposition of C3 caused by dysregulation of the alternative pathway (AP) of complement. In approximately 20% of affected patients, dysregulation is driven by pathogenic variants in the two components of the AP C3 convertase, complement C3 (C3) and Factor B (CFB), or in complement Factor H (CFH) and Factor I (CFI), two genes that encode complement regulators. Copy number variations (CNVs) involving the CFH-related genes (CFHRs) that give rise to hybrid FHR proteins also have been described in a few C3G patients but not in IC-MPGN patients. In this study, we used multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) to study the genomic architecture of the CFH-CFHR region and characterize CNVs in a large cohort of patients with C3G (n = 103) and IC-MPGN (n = 96) compared to healthy controls (n = 100). We identified new/rare CNVs resulting in structural variants (SVs) in 5 C3G and 2 IC-MPGN patients. Using long-read single molecule real-time sequencing (SMRT), we detected the breakpoints of three SVs. The identified SVs included: 1) a deletion of the entire CFH in one patient with IC-MPGN; 2) an increased number of CFHR4 copies in one IC-MPGN and three C3G patients; 3) a deletion from CFHR3-intron 3 to CFHR3-3′UTR (CFHR34–6Δ) that results in a FHR3-FHR1 hybrid protein in a C3G patient; and 4) a CFHR31–5-CFHR410 hybrid gene in a C3G patient. This work highlights the contribution of CFH-CFHR CNVs to the pathogenesis of both C3G and IC-MPGN.

scholarly journals Long-Term Outcomes of C3 Glomerulopathy and Immune-Complex Membranoproliferative Glomerulonephritis in Children

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (12) ◽  
pp. 2313-2324
Author(s):  
Amrit Kirpalani ◽  
Natasha Jawa ◽  
William E. Smoyer ◽  
Christoph Licht ◽  
Gina-Marie Barletta ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Immune Complex ◽  
Membranoproliferative Glomerulonephritis ◽  
C3 Glomerulopathy ◽  
Long Term Outcomes

scholarly journals Different Aspects of Classical Pathway Overactivation in Patients With C3 Glomerulopathy and Immune Complex-Mediated Membranoproliferative Glomerulonephritis

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marloes A. H. M. Michels ◽  
Nicole C. A. J. van de Kar ◽  
Sanne A. W. van Kraaij ◽  
Sebastian A. Sarlea ◽  
Valentina Gracchi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Immune Complex ◽  
Membranoproliferative Glomerulonephritis ◽  
Alternative Pathway ◽  
Classical Pathway ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
C3 Glomerulopathy ◽  
Hemolytic Assay ◽  
The Stability ◽  
The Complement System

The rare and heterogeneous kidney disorder C3 glomerulopathy (C3G) is characterized by dysregulation of the alternative pathway (AP) of the complement system. C3G is often associated with autoantibodies stabilizing the AP C3 convertase named C3 nephritic factors (C3NeF). The role of classical pathway (CP) convertase stabilization in C3G and related diseases such as immune complex-mediated membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (IC-MPGN) remains largely unknown. Here, we investigated the CP convertase activity in patients with C3G and IC-MPGN. Using a refined two-step hemolytic assay, we measured the stability of CP convertases directly in the serum of 52 patients and 17 healthy controls. In four patients, CP convertase activity was prolonged compared to healthy controls, i.e. the enzymatic complex was stabilized. In three patients (2 C3G, 1 IC-MPGN) the convertase stabilization was caused by immunoglobulins, indicating the presence of autoantibodies named C4 nephritic factors (C4NeFs). Importantly, the assay also enabled detection of non-immunoglobulin-mediated stabilization of the CP convertase in one patient with C3G. Prolonged CP convertase activity coincided with C3NeF activity in all patients and for up to 70 months of observation. Crucially, experiments with C3-depleted serum showed that C4NeFs stabilized the CP C3 convertase (C4bC2a), that does not contain C3NeF epitopes. All patients with prolonged CP convertase activity showed clear signs of complement activation, i.e. lowered C3 and C5 levels and elevated levels of C3d, C3bc, C3bBbP, and C5b-9. In conclusion, this work provides new insights into the diverse aspects and (non-)immunoglobulin nature of factors causing CP convertase overactivity in C3G/IC-MPGN.

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