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Background: Minimal change disease (MCD), a major cause of nephrotic syndrome, is usually treated by corticosteroid administration. MCD unresponsiveness to therapy and recurrences are nonetheless frequently observed, particularly in adults. To explore MCD-related pathogenetic mechanisms and to identify novel drug targets ultimately contributing to novel therapeutic avenues with a certain specificity for MCD, we compared glomerular transcriptomes from MCD with membranous nephropathy (MN) patients and healthy controls. Methods: Renal biopsies from adult patients with MCD (n = 14) or MN (n = 12), and non-diseased controls (n = 8) were selected from the Norwegian Kidney Biopsy Registry. RNA for 75 base-pair paired-end RNASeq were obtained from laser capture micro-dissected (LCM) glomeruli from FFPE sections. Transcriptional landscapes were computed by combining pathway-centered analyses and network science methodologies that integrate multiple bioinformatics resources. Results: Compared to normal glomeruli, cells from MCD displayed an inflammatory signature apparently governed by the IL1 and IL7 systems. While enrichment of IL1 production and secretion was a shared feature of MCD and MN compared to normal tissue, responses involving IL7 pathway activation were unique to MCD. Indeed, IL7R expressed by glomeruli was the most upregulated gene of the interleukin family in MCD versus normal controls. IL7 pathway activation was paralleled by significant enrichment in adaptive immune system processes and transcriptional regulation and depletion in pathways related to energy metabolism and transcription. Downregulation of these organ function-related themes again occurred predominately in MCD and was significantly less pronounced in MN. Immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry, respectively, confirmed the expression of phosphorylated IL-7 receptor alpha (IL7RA, CD127) and IL12 receptor beta 1 (IL12RB1) proteins. Conclusions: Gene expression profiling of archival FFPE-biopsies identifies MCD-specific signatures with IL7RA and IL12RB1 as novel targets for MCD treatment.
RESUMO
BACKGROUND/AIMS: A previous case report found stereomicroscopic changes typical for Fabry disease in a kidney biopsy. This case series evaluates an expanded diagnostic capacity of the method. METHODS: Bedside stereomicroscopy was performed in a cross-sectional prospective study of 31 consecutive enzyme-treated or treatment-naïve male (n = 14) and female Fabry disease patients. The burden of glomerular storage material was scored semiquantitatively on a visual analog scale (range 0-3) and a blinded comparison was done with a reference histologic method. RESULTS: Significant correlations (p < 0.001) were found between the stereomicroscopic scoring of glomerular characteristic white storage material and the amount of podocyte globotriaosylceramide (Gb3) deposits scored by standardized light microscopy. The bedside method correctly identified the variability of podocyte Gb3 accumulation after 10 years of identical agalsidase therapy in 2 brothers aged 24 and 27 years, and also identified tubular cell deposits. Stereomicroscopy correctly verified the absence of sphingolipid deposits in the biopsy of a female index patient with a genetic variant of unknown significance, and the diagnosis of Fabry disease was finally discarded. CONCLUSIONS: Bedside stereomicroscopy of kidney biopsies is an easily available, low-cost microscopy method handled by the clinician. The method carries a high diagnostic sensitivity for Fabry disease, reducing the risk of misdiagnosis in previously unknown cases. An expanded yield of the method is suggested, including the grading of the podocyte Gb3 burden and assessment of effectiveness of enzyme replacement therapy. We recommend the method as complementary to current standard histologic evaluation of Fabry kidney biopsies.