IgA nephropathy is a chronic kidney disease defined by deposition of IgA in the glomeruli. An abnormality in the glycosylation of the hinge region of the IgA1 isotype of IgA is fundamental to the origins of this very common form of glomerulonephritis. In this issue of the JCI, Suzuki and coworkers describe the characteristics of IgG autoantibodies to the abnormally glycosylated IgA1 secreted by...

We present the case of a woman with IgA nephropathy and concomitant Fabry's disease. She was referred to our hospital with proteinuria and haematuria. A renal biopsy showed findings indicating IgA nephropathy under light and immunofluorescence microscopy. Electron microscopy, however, showed laminated inclusion bodies characteristic of Fabry's disease. The α-galactosidase activity in her serum ...

We report a case of HAM/TSP presenting with short stature, mental retardation, skin eruptions, uterine and ovarian hypogenesis and nephropathy. Skin erythema was noted since from the age of three years old and spasticity of lower extremities from elementary school age. Serum calcium level showed 4.1 mEq/l. Recombinant human PTH infusion resulted in no response of phosphate excretion. The persis...

We have studied the interaction of the Gal-GalNAc-reactive champedak lectin-C with neuraminidase-treated and untreated IgA1 from IgA nephropathy patients. The binding ability of the lectin to untreated IgA1 from IgA nephropathy patients was significantly lower as compared to the untreated IgA1 from normal controls. This differential lectin-binding capacity was abrogated when the experiment was ...

Hereditary spherocytosis is a familial hemolytic anemia. Immunoglobulin A (IgA) nephropathy associated with hereditary spherocytosis has not been reported in children. Here, we report a case of a 17-year-old boy with IgA nephropathy and hereditary spherocytosis. The patient was diagnosed with hereditary spherocytosis at the age of 12 years and splenectomy was done at the age of 15 years. Later,...

It has been postulated that mucosa-related antigens are involved in the development of IgA nephropathy. The aim of this study was to elucidate whether food antigens have any relation to IgA nephropathy in Japan. Sera from I5 patients with IgA ncphropathy and 15 healthy controls were examined using an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay {ELISA), IgG, IgA, and IgM antibedy titers were measured agai...

AIM To report a case of a patient with myeloperoxidase-antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-negative microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) and IgA nephropathy associated with severe pulmonary haemorrhage. CASE REPORT A 59-year-old man presented with ANCA-negative systemic vasculitis accompanied by purpura, nephritis and pulmonary haemorrhage. A skin biopsy specimen revealed pandermal leucocyto...

Renal glomerular changes are a well recognised complication of cirrhosis and are frequently characterised by mesangial IgA deposition. We report a patient with non-cirrhotic portal hypertension who developed IgA nephropathy and a nephrotic syndrome with renal histological changes classically associated with cirrhosis. Splenectomy with resection of a splenic artery aneurysm resulted in remission...

IgA nephropathy is the most common cause of idiopathic glomerulonephritis in the developed world. Although this disorder was initially thought to follow a benign course, it is now recognized that slow progression to end-stage renal disease occurs in up to 50% of affected patients. The two major clinical presentations of IgA nephropathy are gross hematuria and persistent asymptomatic microscopic...