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Review
. 2022 Apr 22:13:845767.
doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.845767. eCollection 2022.

Novel Biomarkers in Membranous Nephropathy

Qiuying Liu  1   2 , Jianhua Liu  1 , Baoxu Lin  1 , Yue Zhang  1 , Meichen Ma  1 , Mei Yang  1 , Xiaosong Qin  1
Affiliations
Review

Novel Biomarkers in Membranous Nephropathy

Qiuying Liu et al. Front Immunol. .

Abstract

Membranous nephropathy (MN) is the main cause of adult nephrotic syndrome (NS). The pathogenesis of MN is complex and involves subepithelial immune complex deposition. Approximately one-third of patients with MN develop end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Timely diagnosis and reasonable intervention are the keys to improving prognosis. In recent years, with the development of high-throughput technologies, such as mass spectrometry (MS), microarray, and sequencing technologies, the discovery of biomarkers for MN has become an important area of research. In this review, we summarize the significant progress in biomarker identification. For example, a variety of podocyte target antigens and their autoantibodies have been reported. Phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R) is the most well-established target antigen in MN. PLA2R and its autoantibodies have clinical significance, with both diagnostic and therapeutic value for MN. In addition, a variety of new biomarkers, including proteins, metabolites, noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), and immune cells, have recently been found. These MN-related biomarkers have great significance in the diagnosis, progression, prognosis, and treatment response of MN.

Keywords: biomarker; immune cell; membranous nephropathy; metabolome; noncoding RNA; phospholipase A2 receptor; proteome.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Pathological features of IMN. (A) Glomerulus from a patient with IMN showing the thickened GBM (arrow) under a light microscope stained with PASM (original magnification, 400×) and (B) pathognomonic antigen–antibody immune complex deposition on the epithelial side (arrow) stained with Masson (original magnification, 400×). (C) Immunofluorescence microscopy in IMN showed IgG (+++), fine granular deposition along capillary loops. (D) Electron micrograph of IMN showed that the GBM is irregularly thickened, the foot processes are diffusely fused, and more electron-dense deposits (arrow) can be seen under the epithelium (EPI) and in the basement membrane (*) (images were based on pathological data for renal biopsy cases in the Department of Nephrology of Shengjing Hospital).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Pathogenesis of MN.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Distribution of podocyte antigens in patients with IMN.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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