Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is an aggressive disease often leading to renal failure. It might be difficult to distinguish FSGS from minimal change disease (MCD) when renal biopsies from patients with nephrotic syndrome do not indicate sclerotic lesions. Based on the rat model study, reducing podocyte density (average podocyte number per glomerular volume), which suggests relative podocyte depletion, could be seen in FSGS, but not MCD. Here, we compared the following histological parameters of FSGS and MCD in renal biopsy specimens of nephrotic patients.
FcγRIIB negatively regulates BCR-mediated activation signals. We previously established an FcγRIIB-deficient B6-congenic mouse strain (KO1) by gene targeting in 129-derived embryonic stem cells followed by backcrossing to B6 mice. KO1 spontaneously developed pathology of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with autoantibody production and pannus formation leading to joint destruction.
Objectives
To analyse the phenotypic change of KO1 by crossing with lupus prone New Zealand White (NZW) mice, we established the F1 hybrid of KO1 and NZW mice. Also we analysed (KO1 x NZW) F2 mice to see the sharing loci contributing to disease phenotypes.
Methods
We analysed the (KO1 x NZW) F1 mice and (KO1 x NZW) F2 mice. Serum levels of RF, IgG antibodies against double-stranded DNA and chromatin were measured using ELISA. The severity of renal disease was monitored by biweekly testing for proteinuria. Histopathological examination was also performed.
Results
The F1 hybrid of these mice developed glomerulonephritis with the high incidence of positive anti- double-stranded DNA and chromatin antibodies. They did not develop the phenotype of RA, but developed lupus phenotype associated with the inflammatory infiltration in salivary glands as observed in Sjögren syndrome. In the progeny of (KO1 x NZW) F2 mice, RA, SLE, and Sjögren syndrome developed independently or overlapped in an individual mouse. We found that the B6-derived locus located in the centromeric region on chromosome 12 was significantly associated with all these disease phenotypes, suggesting that this locus may play a role in common process shared by these diseases.
Conclusions
Phenotypic specificity of murine autoimmune disorder depends on the genetic factors sharing RA, SLE, and Sjögren syndrome.
Monoclonal gammopathy of renal significance (MGRS) highlights the fact that a small amount of monoclonal immunoglobulin (MIg) not meeting the criteria of multiple myeloma might induce kidney disease if the MIg shows affinity to the kidneys. However, the detection of MIg can be difficult when it remains low levels. Here, we present a case series study of MGRS carried out over the past five years, which involved a comparison of the methods of MIg detection.
