scholarly journals Lupus Membranous Nephropathy

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 10-20
Author(s):  
Claudio Ponticelli ◽  
Gabriella Moroni ◽  
Alessia Fornoni

Background: Lupus membranous nephropathy (LMN) is a rare disease, usually associated with nephrotic syndrome. Methods: We reviewed the literature by searching for the following terms on Pubmed.gov: lupus nephritis, membranous nephropathy (MN), lupus membranous nephropathy, nephrotic syndrome, and Class V lupus nephritis. Results: The histology of LMN at light microscopy is similar to that of primary MN. Cases of MN associated with focal or diffuse proliferation are not considered LMN by the International Society of Nephrology/Renal Pathology Society classification. Immunofluorescence study of LMN shows deposits of all immunoglobulins and complement. Tubulo-reticular structures, extraglomerular deposits, subepithelial, and scanty subendothelial deposits can be seen on electron microscopy. Phospholipase A2 receptor deposits are usually but not necessarily absent in LMN. The pathogenesis is still not completely understood. The inflammatory milieu of lupus may favor the development of autoantigens and intraglomerular assembly of immune complexes. These are more often associated with mesangial or endocapillary hypercellular lesions. Alternatively, autoantibodies may bind autoantigens in the glomerular subepithelium, triggering a signaling cascade leading to LMN. A central role in the development of podocyte injury and proteinuria is played by the components of complement C5b-C9. CKD progression in LMN is slow but may be accelerated by the frequency of renal flares. Persistent nephrotic syndrome and/or the frequent use of corticosteroids may lead to a series of life-threatening complications. Discussion: Treatment of arterial hypertension, dyslipidemia, and diabetes are of paramount importance. Besides specific therapies of these complications, hydroxychloroquine and vitamin D supplementation are recommended. Immunosuppression should be limited to patients with nephrotic proteinuria. The most frequently used drugs are corticosteroids, calcineurin inhibitors, cyclophosphamide, mycophenolate, and rituximab, alone or combined. Early detection and treatment of renal flares is of paramount importance to prevent CKD progression.

2020 ◽  
Vol 92 (6) ◽  
pp. 99-104
Author(s):  
Irina N. Bobkova ◽  
Elena S. Kamyshova

Membranous nephropathy (MN) is the most common cause of nephrotic syndrome in adults. Since the moment of animal model creation and the recognition of podocytes damage as a key mechanism of MN development, the identification of antigens, first of all the phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R), and the development of methods of PLA2R autoantibodies detection and its monitoring opened a new era in the idiopathic MN (iMN) diagnosis, treatment and prognosis evaluation. MN continues to be actively studied in the new millennium, since a number of aspects of its pathogenesis still need to be clarified, and there is still no clear opinion on the iMN treatment optimal approach. Comprehensive clinical and serological assessment of patients with iMN can be the key to individual choice of treatment protocols. In patients with aPLA2R-positive iMN, the predictor of disease remission is the aPLA2R titer decrease or aPLA2R disappearance in the blood serum, and disease relapse is associated with the aPLA2R appearance ore increase of aPLA2R titer in the circulation. Studies which were conducted by today (GEMRITUX, MENTOR, STARMEN, NICE, etc.) confirmed the acceptable safety profile and effectiveness of iMN therapy by anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies (rituximab): more than half of of iMN patients had remission of nephrotic syndrome or proteinuria decrease, remissions in anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies treated patients were longer compared to traditional therapy. The obtained data allows us to consider rituximab and anti-CD20 antibody therapy of a new generation not only as an alternative to the more toxic treatment with cyclophosphane and calcineurin inhibitors, but as an independent promising direction of therapy for patients with IMN, which completely changes the paradigm of treatment of this glomerulopathy.


2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
pp. 1123-1136 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sanjeev Sethi ◽  
Benjamin J. Madden ◽  
Hanna Debiec ◽  
M. Cristine Charlesworth ◽  
LouAnn Gross ◽  
...  

BackgroundIn membranous nephropathy (MN), which is characterized by deposition of immune complexes along the glomerular basement membrane (GBM), phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R) and thrombospondin type 1 domain–containing 7A are target antigens in approximately 70% and 1%–5% of cases of primary MN, respectively. In other cases of primary MN and in secondary MN, the target antigens are unknown.MethodsWe studied 224 cases of biopsy-proven PLA2R-negative MN and 102 controls (including 47 cases of PLA2R-associated MN) in pilot and discovery cohorts. We also evaluated 48 cases of PLA2R-negative presumed primary MN and lupus MN in a validation cohort. We used laser microdissection and mass spectrometry to identify new antigens, which were localized by immunohistochemistry.ResultsMass spectrometry detected exostosin 1 (EXT1) and exostosin 2 (EXT2) in 21 cases of PLA2R-negative MN, but not in PLA2R-associated MN and control cases. Immunohistochemistry staining revealed bright granular GBM staining for EXT1 and EXT2. Clinical and biopsy findings showed features of autoimmune disease, including lupus, in 80.7% of the 26 EXT1/EXT2-associated MN cases we identified. In the validation cohort, we confirmed that EXT1/EXT2 staining was detected in pure class 5 lupus nephritis (eight of 18 patients) and in presumed primary MN associated with signs of autoimmunity (three of 16 patients); only one of the 14 cases of mixed class 5 and 3/4 lupus nephritis was positive for EXT1/EXT2. Tests in seven patients with EXT1/EXT2-associated MN found no circulating anti-exostosin antibodies.ConclusionsA subset of MN is associated with accumulation of EXT1 and EXT2 in the GBM. Autoimmune disease is common in this group of patients.


2018 ◽  
Vol 47 (4) ◽  
pp. 266-274 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaofang Yu ◽  
Jieru Cai ◽  
Xiaoyan Jiao ◽  
Shu Zhang ◽  
Hong Liu ◽  
...  

Background: Currently, there is an urgent need to find ways of identifying primary membranous nephropathy (PMN) patients who are likely to benefit from calcineurin inhibitors (CNI) or who are resistant to them. In this study, we employed nano-HPLC-MS/MS analysis to identify serum biomarkers that predict the clinical response to CNI therapy in PMN patients. Methods: The endpoint was complete remission (CR) after CNI treatment. PMN patients were grouped into no-remission (NR) or CR groups to screen predictive candidates using the nano-HPLC-MS/MS analysis. Results: Compared with NR patients, 3 upregulated proteins and 5 downregulated proteins were found to present a twofold change in CR patients’ serum. Serum amyloid A1 protein (SAA1) was further validated by ELISA; it was decreased in patients in the NR group compared with patients in the CR group, but SAA1 in patients in these groups was lower than in healthy controls and minimal change disease patients. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of SAA1 was used to distinguish PMN NR patients from those in remission and was 0.901, with a sensitivity of 78.3% and specificity of 86.8%, similar to that of the phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R) antibody. Combining SAA1 with the PLA2R antibody, the area under the ROC curve was 0.956, which was higher than that of SAA1 or the PLA2R antibody alone. Conclusions: Serum SAA1 may be a candidate PMN biomarker that can be used to discriminate CNI NR cases from remission patients. The combination of SAA1 and the PLA2R antibody increases the accuracy of diagnosis.


2018 ◽  

There is little information about pregnancy outcomes in patients with active membranous nephropathy (MN), especially those with circulating autoantibodies to M-type phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R), the major autoantigen in primary MN. Membranous glomerulonephritis (MGN) represents an immunologically mediated disease characterized by deposition of immune complexes in the glomerular subepithelial space, frequently associated with circulating M-type phospholipase A2 receptor. Nephrotic syndrome (massive proteinuria and hypoalbuminemia) at diagnosis predicts poor prognosis. Pregnancy with active MGN is high risk for foetal loss, intrauterine growth restriction, and pre-eclampsia, and may worsen maternal renal function, especially with the presence of antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APLA). We report a 23-year-old gravida in her first pregnancy, suffering from MGN and severe nephrotic syndrome, complicated by APLA syndrome. The patient was treated with enoxaparin, aspirin azathioprine, and Prednisone for a short time, in addition to furosemide and albumin intravenously. She was delivered at 30 weeks due to deteriorating maternal and foetal conditions. A successful neonatal and maternal outcome was achieved in this case. The patient's history revealed thrombocytopenia and APLA syndrome and continues to be treated chronically with enoxaparin. Kidney biopsy performed after delivery showed membranous MGN stage II-III. Herein, we present a case of successful pregnancy and foetal outcome in a young woman with APLA syndrome and MN. Keywords: Membranous GN, Nephrotic Syndrome, Anti-Phospholipid Antibodies.


Author(s):  
Patrizia Passerini ◽  
Claudio Ponticelli

Membranous nephropathy (MN) is a glomerular disease which is characterized histologically by uniform thickening of the glomerular capillary due to the presence of immunoglobulin-containing deposits on the outer or subepithelial aspect of the glomerular basement membrane (GBM). It exists in idiopathic (etiology unknown) or secondary (causally associated with another disorder) forms. Differentiation of the idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN) from secondary forms of MN may be difficult. It is a frequent cause of the nephrotic syndrome in adults. It is also characterized by a tendency for spontaneous remission in some patients and by persistence of proteinuria and slow progression to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in others. Those patients with severe and un-remitting nephrotic syndrome may also suffer from disabling and even life-threatening extra-renal complications, such as thromboembolic events.


2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juliana Reis Machado ◽  
Laura Penna Rocha ◽  
Precil Diego Miranda de Menezes Neves ◽  
Eliângela de Castro Cobô ◽  
Marcos Vinícius Silva ◽  
...  

Podocytopathies (minimal change disease (MCD) and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS)) together with membranous nephropathy are the main causes of nephrotic syndrome. Some changes on the expression of nephrin, podocin, TGF-β, and slit diaphragm components as well as transcription factors and transmembrane proteins have been demonstrated in podocytopathies. Considering the pathogenesis of proteinuria, some elucidations have been directed towards the involvement of epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Moreover, the usefulness of some markers such as TGF-β1, nephrin, synaptopodin, dystroglycans, and malondialdehyde have been determined in the differentiation between MCD and FSGS. Experimental models and human samples indicated an essential role of autoantibodies in membranous glomerulonephritis, kidney damage, and proteinuria events. Megalin and phospholipase-A2-receptor have been described as antigens responsible for the formation of the subepithelial immune complexes and renal disease occurrence. In addition, the complement system seems to play a key role in basal membrane damage and in the development of proteinuria in membranous nephropathy. This paper focuses on the common molecular changes involved in the development of nephrotic proteinuria.


Nephron ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
Gabriel Giannini ◽  
Lois J. Arend

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Membranous nephropathy (MN) is a common cause of nephrotic syndrome in adults and can be primary or secondary. The antigenic target of antibodies in 70% of primary cases is phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R). The presence or absence of mesangial electron-dense deposits has been used to distinguish between primary and secondary MN. Mesangial deposits suggest MN due to lupus, infection, or other causes, though they are reported to occur in approximately 10% of primary MN. Staining for PLA2R is now frequently used for confirming a diagnosis of primary MN. If mesangial deposits predict a secondary cause, they should be more frequent in PLA2R-negative biopsies. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> A review of institutional kidney biopsies between March 2017 and June 2020 identified all cases of MN. Cases with a diagnosis of lupus or near “full-house” staining by immunofluorescence microscopy (IF) were excluded. Light microscopy, IF, and electron microscopy (EM) were performed. PLA2R staining was performed by IF. EM for all cases was reviewed and electron-dense deposit location, distribution, and size were determined. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Ninety-three cases of MN were identified, of which 86 had both PLA2R staining and EM performed. Of these, 51 cases (59%) were positive for PLA2R and 35 (41%) were negative. Mesangial electron-dense deposits were present in 22 (25.6%) of the 86 cases, including 27.5% (14/51) of PLA2R-positive cases and 22.8% (8/35) of PLA2R-negative cases. No difference was seen in size or distribution of deposits, or other features considered suggestive of secondary MN. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> PLA2R-negative cases were not more likely to have mesangial deposits than PLA2R-positive cases. Mesangial deposits should not be used as an indicator of secondary MN.


Nephron ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-4
Author(s):  
Emel Isiktas Sayilar ◽  
Saba Kiremitci ◽  
Ihsan Ergun ◽  
Arzu Ensari

Membranous nephropathy (MN) is the most common cause of nephrotic syndrome in adults. Subepithelial polyclonal immunoglobulin deposits and &#x3e;70% M-type phospholipase A2 receptor antibody positivity are typical findings in idiopathic MN. A 58-year-old female patient was admitted with clinical presentation of nephrotic syndrome. Autoimmune diseases, infections, and malignancies were ruled out after clinical and laboratory evaluations. Diagnostic work-up revealed serum PLA2R antibody negativity and diffuse thickening of glomerular capillary wall on biopsy, while glomerular capillary wall IgG, C3, and Lambda monotypic light chain deposition and PLA2R1 positivity were detected by immunofluorescence and immunohistochemical examination, respectively. Following prednisolone treatment, creatinine and proteinuria were markedly regressed. The MN cases with a light chain deposits are rare and experience regarding their treatment are insufficient.


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