NGAL (Lcn2) monomer is associated with tubulointerstitial damage in chronic kidney disease.

The type and the extent of tissue damage inform the prognosis of chronic kidney disease (CKD), but kidney biopsy is not a routine test. Urinary tests that correlate with specific histological findings might serve as surrogates for the kidney biopsy. We used immunoblots and ARCHITECT-NGAL assays to define the immunoreactivity of urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) in CKD, and we used mass spectroscopy to identify associated proteins. We analyzed kidney biopsies to determine whether specific pathological characteristics associated with the monomeric NGAL species. Advanced CKD urine contained the NGAL monomer as well as novel complexes of NGAL. When these species were separated, we found a significant correlation between the NGAL monomer and glomerular filtration rate (r=-0.53, P<0.001), interstitial fibrosis (mild vs. severe disease; mean 54 vs. 167 µg uNGAL/g Cr, P<0.01), and tubular atrophy (mild vs. severe disease; mean 54 vs. 164 µg uNGAL/g Cr, P<0.01). Monospecific assays of the NGAL monomer demonstrated a correlation with histology that typifies progressive, severe CKD.

Renal involvement in sarcoidosis: histological patterns and prognosis, an Italian survey.

BACKGROUND: Granulomatous interstitial nephritis in sarcoidosis (sGIN) is generally clinically silent, but in <1% causes acute kidney injury (AKI). METHODS: This Italian multicentric retrospective study included 39 sarcoidosis-patients with renal involvement at renal biopsy: 31 sGIN-AKI, 5 with other patterns (No-sGIN-AKI), 3 with nephrotic proteinuria. We investigate the predictive value of clinical features, laboratory, radiological parameters and histological patterns regarding steroid response. Primary endpoint: incident chronic kidney disease (CKD) beyond the 1°follow-up (FU) year; secondary endpoint: response at 1°line steroid therapy; combined endpoint: the association of initial steroid response and outcome at the end of FU. RESULTS: Complete recovery in all 5 No-sGIN-AKI-patients, only in 45% (13/29) sGIN-AKI-patients (p=0.046) (one lost in follow-up, for another not available renal function after steroids). Nobody had not response. Primary endpoint of 22 sGIN-AKI subjects: 65% (13/20) starting with normal renal function developed CKD (2/22 had basal CKD; median FU 77 months, 15-300). Combined endpoint: 29% (6/21) had complete recovery and final normal renal function (one with renal relapse), 48% (10/21) had partial recovery and final CKD (3 with renal relapse, of whom one with basal CKD) (p=0.024). Acute onset and hypercalcaemia were associated to milder AKI and better recovery than subacute onset and patients without hypercalcaemia, women had better endpoints than men. Giant cells, severe interstitial infiltrate and interstitial fibrosis seemed negative predictors in terms of endpoints. CONCLUSIONS: sGIN-AKI-patients with no complete recovery at 1°line steroid should be treated with other immunosuppressive to avoid CKD, in particular if males with subacute onset and III stage-not hypercalcaemic AKI.

Urinary NGAL marks cystic disease in HIV-associated nephropathy.

Nephrosis and a rapid decline in kidney function characterize HIV-associated nephropathy (HIVAN). Histologically, HIVAN is a collapsing focal segmental glomerulosclerosis with prominent tubular damage. We explored the expression of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), a marker of tubular injury, to determine whether this protein has the potential to aid in the noninvasive diagnosis of HIVAN. We found that expression of urinary NGAL was much higher in patients with biopsy-proven HIVAN than in HIV-positive and HIV-negative patients with other forms of chronic kidney disease. In the HIV-transgenic mouse model of HIVAN, NGAL mRNA was abundant in dilated, microcystic segments of the nephron. In contrast, urinary NGAL did not correlate with proteinuria in human or in mouse models. These data show that marked upregulation of NGAL accompanies HIVAN and support further study of uNGAL levels in large cohorts to aid in the noninvasive diagnosis of HIVAN and screen for HIVAN-related tubular damage.

Mutational Spectrum of CYP24A1 Gene in a Cohort of Italian Patients with Idiopathic Infantile Hypercalcemia.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Loss-of-function mutations in the CYP24A1 gene, which encodes the vitamin D-24 hydroxylase, have been recognized as a cause of elevated 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D concentrations, hypercalcemia, hypercalciuria, nephrocalcinosis and nephrolithiasis in infants and adults. As only a case report describing 2 adult patients has been reported in Italian population, we report here the mutation analysis of CYP24A1 gene in an Italian cohort of 12 pediatric and adult patients with idiopathic infantile hypercalcemia (IIH). METHODS: We performed mutational screening of CYP24A1 gene in a cohort of 12 Italian patients: 8 children with nephrocalcinosis, hypercalcemia and PTH levels <10 pg/ml and 4 adult patients with nephrolithiasis, mild hypercalcemia and PTH levels <10 pg/ml from 11 unrelated Italian families. Clinical and biochemical data were collected. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood leucocytes using standard methods, and whole coding sequence of CYP24A1 gene was analysed in all patients and family members by polymerase chain reaction and direct sequencing. The potential pathogenicity of the newly identified missense mutations was evaluated by 3 different in silico approaches (Sorting Intolerant from Tolerant, Polyphen and Mutation Taster) and by comparative analysis in 14 different species using ClustalW software. RESULTS: CYP24A1 bi-allelic mutations were found in 8 individuals from 7 Italian families (7/11; 64%). Overall, 6 different CYP24A1 mutations, including one small deletion (p.Glu143del), 4 missense mutations (p.Leu148Pro; p.Arg396Trp; p.Pro503Leu; p.Glu383Gln) and one nonsense mutation (p.Tyr220*) were identified. Two out of 6 mutations (p.Tyr220* and p.Pro503Leu) were not previously described. Moreover, a new CYP24A1 variant was identified by genetic screening of asymptomatic controls. CONCLUSION: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a CYP24A1 molecular analysis performed in an Italian cohort of adult and pediatric Italian patients. This study (1) confirms that CYP24A1 plays a causal role in some but not all cases of IIH (64%); (2) expands the spectrum of known CYP24A1 pathogenic mutations; (3) describes 2 hotspots detected in 50% of all Italian cases; and (4) emphasizes the importance of recognition and genetic diagnosis of CYP24A1 defects in infantile as well as adult hypercalcemia.

Coexistence of different circulating anti-podocyte antibodies in membranous nephropathy.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The discovery of different podocyte autoantibodies in membranous nephropathy (MN) raises questions about their pathogenetic and clinical meaning. This study sought to define antibody isotypes and correlations; to compare levels in MN, other glomerulonephritides, and controls; and to determine their association with clinical outcomes. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS: Serum IgG(1), IgG(3), and IgG(4) against aldose reductase (AR), SOD2, and α-enolase (αENO) were measured at diagnosis in 186 consecutive MN patients, in 96 proteinuric controls (36 with FSGS, and 60 with IgA nephropathy), and in 92 healthy people recruited in four Italian nephrology units. Anti-phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2r) and anti-neutral endopeptidase (NEP) IgG(4) were titrated in the same specimens. Association with 1-year follow-up clinical parameters was studied in 120 patients. RESULTS: IgG(4) was the most common isotype for all antibodies; IgG(1) and IgG(3) were nearly negligible. IgG(4) levels were positive in a significant proportion of MN patients (AR, 34%; SOD2, 28%; αENO, 43%). Antibody titers were higher in MN than in healthy and pathologic controls (P<0.005). Anti-NEP IgG(4) did not differ from normal controls (P=0.12). Anti-PLA2r IgG(4) was detected in 60% of patients and correlated with anti-AR, anti-SOD2, and anti-αENO IgG(4) (P<0.001). In MN patients negative for the whole antibody panel (20%), 1-year proteinuria was lower compared with patients with at least one antibody positivity (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that IgG(4) is the prevalent isotype for antibodies against cytoplasmic antigens of podocytes (AR, SOD2, αENO). Their levels were higher than in other proteinuric glomerulonephritides and in normal controls and were correlated with anti-PLA2r. Only baseline negativity for all known antibodies predicted lower 1-year proteinuria.

Direct characterization of target podocyte antigens and auto-antibodies in human membranous glomerulonephritis: Alfa-enolase and borderline antigens.

The identification of glomerular auto-antigens in idiopathic human membranous glomerulonephritis (MGN) is a crucial step towards the definition of the mechanisms of the disease. Recent 'in vivo' studies demonstrated a heterogeneous composition of glomerular immune-deposits in MGN biopsies only a part of which have been characterized. We studied with a proteomical approach IgGs eluted from laser capture microdissected glomeruli of 8 MGN patients and showed the existence of other three immune proteins in MGN glomeruli (α-enolase, elongation factor 2 and Glycyl Aminoacyl-tRNA Synthetase). One of these, i.e. α-enolase, fulfilled all criteria for being considered an auto-antigen. Specific IgG1 and IgG4 reacting with podocyte α-enolase were, in fact, eluted from microdissected glomeruli and Confocal- and Immuno Electron-Microscopy showed co-localization of α-enolase with IgG4 and C5b-9 in immune-deposits. Serum levels of anti a-enolase IgG4 were determined in 131 MGN patients and were found elevated in 25% of cases. Overall, our data demonstrate that glomerular α-enolase is a target antigen of autoimmunity in human MGN. Circulating anti α-enolase auto-antibodies can be detected in sera of a significant quota of MGN patients. Like other auto-antigens, α-enolase may be implicated in the pathogenesis of human MGN.