1
|
Chiarenza DS, Verrina EE, La Porta E, Caridi G, Ghiggeri GM, Mortari G, Lugani F, Angeletti A, Bigatti C. Biologics and Non-Biologics Immunosuppressive Treatments for IgA Nephropathy in Both Adults and Children. J Clin Med 2024; 13:2465. [PMID: 38730994 PMCID: PMC11084942 DOI: 10.3390/jcm13092465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2024] [Revised: 04/14/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Immunoglobulin A nephropathy represents the most prevalent cause of glomerulonephritis worldwide and may lead to renal failure in a relevant number of cases in both paediatric and adult subjects. Although their pathogenesis is still largely unclear, evidence of immune abnormalities provides the background for the use of immunosuppressive drugs, such as corticosteroids, calcineurin inhibitors, and antiproliferative and alkylating agents. Unfortunately, these treatments fail to achieve a sustained remission in a significant percentage of affected patients and are burdened by significant toxicities. Recent developments of new biologics, including anti-BAFF/APRIL inhibitors and molecules targeting complement components, offered the opportunity to selectively target immune cell subsets or activation pathways, leading to more effective and safer hypothesis-driven treatments. However, studies testing new biologic agents in IgAN should also consider paediatric populations to address the unique needs of children and close the therapeutic gap between adult and paediatric care.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Andrea Angeletti
- Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplantation Unit, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, 16147 Genoa, Italy; (D.S.C.); (E.E.V.); (E.L.P.); (G.C.); (G.M.G.); (G.M.); (F.L.); (C.B.)
| | | |
Collapse
|
2
|
Säemann MD, Odler B, Windpessl M, Regele H, Eller K, Neumann I, Rudnicki M, Gauckler P, Kronbichler A, Knechtelsdorfer M. [Diagnosis and therapy of membranous nephropathy-2023]. Wien Klin Wochenschr 2023; 135:648-655. [PMID: 37728650 PMCID: PMC10511554 DOI: 10.1007/s00508-023-02261-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023]
Abstract
Membranous nephropathy (MN) is an immune-complex glomerulonephritis and is one of the most common causes of nephrotic syndrome in adults and is also one of the autoimmune kidney diseases with the highest rate of spontaneous remission. The most common autoantigen (> 70% of cases) is directed against the phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2-R) and, with its detection and clinical course, allows for excellent diagnostics as well as optimal therapy monitoring. Other autoantigens are constantly being published and will enable an autoantigen-based diagnostic and therapeutic algorithm for MN in the future. In the absence of spontaneous remission, a specific B‑cell-directed therapy, especially with rituximab, is the initial therapy of choice. Calcineurininhibitors or cyclophosphamide should only be used if they are carefully indicated in the respective clinical context and if there are serious clinical consequences both from the nephrotic syndrome and from loss of kidney function. Since immune complexes within the kidney often require a long time to be degraded, proteinuria response can follow the immunological remission after many months. The therapy of MN represents the favorable case of a precision medicine-based therapy in nephrology, whereby new therapeutic B‑cell antibodies for the rare but difficult forms of MN will find their way into clinical routine in the not-too-distant future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marcus D Säemann
- 6. Medizinische Abteilung mit Nephrologie & Dialyse, Klinik Ottakring, Wien, Österreich
- Medizinische Fakultät, SFU, Wien, Österreich
| | - Balazs Odler
- Klinische Abteilung für Nephrologie, Abteilung für Innere Medizin III (Nephrologie, Dialyse und Hypertensiologie), Medizinische Universität Graz, Graz, Österreich
| | - Martin Windpessl
- Abteilung für Innere Medizin IV, Klinikum Wels-Grieskirchen, Wels, Österreich
- Medizinische Fakultät, JKU, Linz, Österreich
| | - Heinz Regele
- Klinisches Institut für Pathologie, Medizinische Universität Wien, Wien, Österreich
| | - Kathrin Eller
- Klinische Abteilung für Nephrologie, Abteilung für Innere Medizin III (Nephrologie, Dialyse und Hypertensiologie), Medizinische Universität Graz, Graz, Österreich
| | - Irmgard Neumann
- Vasculitis.at, Wien, Österreich
- Immunologiezentrum Zürich (IZZ), Zürich, Schweiz
| | - Michael Rudnicki
- Department Innere Medizin IV (Nephrologie und Hypertensiologie), Medizinische Universität Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Österreich
| | - Philipp Gauckler
- Department Innere Medizin IV (Nephrologie und Hypertensiologie), Medizinische Universität Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Österreich
| | - Andreas Kronbichler
- Department Innere Medizin IV (Nephrologie und Hypertensiologie), Medizinische Universität Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Österreich.
| | | |
Collapse
|
3
|
Deng L, Xu G. Update on the Application of Monoclonal Antibody Therapy in Primary Membranous Nephropathy. Drugs 2023; 83:507-530. [PMID: 37017915 DOI: 10.1007/s40265-023-01855-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/06/2023]
Abstract
When first introduced, rituximab (RTX), a chimeric anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, brought about an alternative therapeutic paradigm for primary membranous nephropathy (PMN). Rituximab was shown to be effective and safe in PMN patients with kidney dysfunction, with. patients receiving second-line rituximab therapy achieving remission as effectively as those patients who had not previously received immunotherapy. No safety issues were reported. The B cell-driven protocol seems to be as efficient as the 375 mg/m2 × 4 regimen or 1 g × 2 regimen in achieving B cell depletion and remission, but patients with high M-type phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R) antibody levels may benefit from a higher dose of rituximab. While rituximab added another therapeutic option to the treatment regimen, it does have limitations as 20 to 40% of patients do not respond. Not all patients respond to RTX therapy for lymphoproliferative disorders either, therefore further novel anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies have been developed and these may provide alternative therapeutic options for PMN. Ofatumumab, a fully human monoclonal antibody, specifically recognizes an epitope encompassing both the small and large extracellular loops of the CD20 molecule, resulting in increased complement-dependent cytotoxic activity. Ocrelizumab binds an alternative but overlapping epitope region to rituximab and displays enhanced antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxic (ADCC) activities. Obinutuzumab is designed to have a modified elbow-hinge amino acid sequence, leading to increased direct cell death induction and ADCC activities. In PMN clinical studies, ocrelizumab and obinutuzumab showed promising results, while ofatumumab displayed mixed results. However, there is a lack of randomized controlled trials with large samples, especially direct head-to-head comparisons. Alternative molecular mechanisms have been suggested in this context to explore novel therapeutic strategies. B cell activator-targeted, plasma cell-targeted and complement-directed treatments may lead to novel therapy paradigms for PMN. Exploratory strategies for the use of drugs with different mechanisms, such as a combination of rituximab and cyclophosphamide and a steroid, a combination of rituximab and a calcineurin inhibitor, may provide more rapid and efficient remission, but the combination of standard immunosuppression with rituximab could increase infection risk.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Le Deng
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 1, Minde Road, Donghu District, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, China
| | - Gaosi Xu
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 1, Minde Road, Donghu District, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, China.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Zhang S, Huang J, Dong J, Li Z, Sun M, Sun Y, Chen B. Efficacy and safety of rituximab for primary membranous nephropathy with different clinical presentations: a retrospective study. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1156470. [PMID: 37187749 PMCID: PMC10175677 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1156470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Rituximab (RTX) is gaining increasing clinical acceptance in the treatment of primary membranous nephropathy (PMN), with demonstrated efficacy and safety. However, there are few clinical studies on RTX for PMN in Asian populations, especially in China. Methods To observe and analyse the efficacy and safety of RTX treatment, 81 patients with PMN suffering from nephrotic syndrome (NS) were enrolled and divided into an initial therapy group, a conventional immunosuppressive therapy relapse group, and a conventional immunosuppressive therapy ineffective group according to their pre-RTX treatment background. Patients in each group were followed up for 12 months. The primary outcome was clinical remission at 12 months, and the secondary outcomes were safety and the occurrence of adverse events. Results At 12 months, 65 of 81 (80.2%) patients achieved complete (n=21, 25.9%) or partial (n=44, 54.3%) remission after rituximab treatment. Thirty-two of 36 (88.9%) patients in the initial therapy group, 11 of 12 (91.7%) patients in the relapse group and 22 of 33 (66.7%) patients in the ineffective group achieved clinical remission. All 59 patients with positive anti-PLA2R antibodies showed a decreasing trend in antibody levels after RTX treatment, and 55 (93.2%) of them achieved antibody clearance (<20 U/mL). Logistic regression analysis showed that a high anti-PLA2R antibody titer (OR=0.993, P=0.032) was an independent risk factor for nonremission. Adverse events occurred in 18 (22.2%) patients, of which 5 (6.2%) were serious adverse events, and none were malignant or otherwise fatal. Conclusion RTX alone can effectively induce remission PMN and maintain stable renal function. It is recommended as the first choice of treatment and is also effective in patients who relapse and have poor responses to conventional immunosuppressive therapy. Anti-PLA2R antibodies can be used as a marker for RTX treatment monitoring, and antibody clearance is necessary to achieve and improve the rates of clinical remission.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shasha Zhang
- Department of Nephrology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Jing Huang
- Department of Nephrology, Jinan Shizhong People’s Hospital, Jinan, China
| | - Jianwei Dong
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The People’s Hospital of Rongcheng, Rongcheng, Shandong, China
| | - Zhuo Li
- Department of Nephrology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Mengyao Sun
- Department of Nephrology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Yujiao Sun
- Department of Nephrology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Bing Chen
- Department of Nephrology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, China
- *Correspondence: Bing Chen,
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Chen P, Mao M, Wang C, Zhang X, Zhao X, Gao Y, Luo Y, Zhou Y. Preliminary study on the efficacy of rituximab in the treatment of idiopathic membranous nephropathy: A single-centre experience. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1044782. [PMID: 36875477 PMCID: PMC9974647 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1044782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the efficacy of rituximab in the treatment of idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN). METHODS A total of 77 patients with IMN diagnosed in both our hospital and other hospitals were included in this study; the patients were divided into two groups: a treatment-naïve group (n = 19) and a refractory/relapsed group (n = 58). The clinical data of the patients, including urine examination, blood test, safety evaluation and efficacy evaluation results, were analysed retrospectively. The changes in clinical biochemical indexes and adverse reactions were compared between the two groups before and after treatment, and the clinical efficacy of rituximab (RTX) in the treatment of primary IMN and refractory recurrent membranous nephropathy was evaluated. RESULTS Of the 77 patients included in this study, the average age was 48 years, and there was a male-to-female ratio of 61:16. There were 19 cases in the initial treatment group and 58 cases in the refractory/relapse group. The 24-hour urine protein quantification, cholesterol, B cell count and M-type phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R) results in the 77 patients with IMN after treatment were all lower than those before treatment, and the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). Serum albumin was higher than before treatment, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The total remission rate in the initial and refractory/relapsed treatment groups was 84.21% and 82.76%, respectively. There was no statistical difference in the total remission rate between the two groups (P > 0.05). During treatment, nine patients (11.69%) experienced infusion-related adverse reactions, which were relieved rapidly after symptomatic treatment. The anti-PLA2R antibody titre of the refractory/relapsed group was significantly negatively correlated with serum creatinine (r = -0.187, P = 0.045) and significantly correlated with 24-hour urine protein (r = -0.490, P < 0.001). There was a positive correlation and a significant negative correlation with serum albumin (r = -0.558, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Regardless of whether RTX is used as an initial therapy or refractory/relapsed membranous nephropathy, most patients with IMN have complete or partial remission after RTX treatment, with mild adverse reactions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ping Chen
- Department of Nephrology, Fifth Hospital of Shanxi Medical University (Shanxi Provincial People’s Hospital), Taiyuan, China
- Shanxi Genetic Engineering Center for Experimental Animal Models, Taiyuan, China
| | - Min Mao
- Department of Nephrology, Fifth Hospital of Shanxi Medical University (Shanxi Provincial People’s Hospital), Taiyuan, China
- Shanxi Genetic Engineering Center for Experimental Animal Models, Taiyuan, China
| | - Chendan Wang
- Department of Nephrology, Fifth Hospital of Shanxi Medical University (Shanxi Provincial People’s Hospital), Taiyuan, China
- Shanxi Genetic Engineering Center for Experimental Animal Models, Taiyuan, China
| | - Xu Zhang
- Department of Nephrology, Fifth Hospital of Shanxi Medical University (Shanxi Provincial People’s Hospital), Taiyuan, China
- Shanxi Genetic Engineering Center for Experimental Animal Models, Taiyuan, China
| | - Xiaoyu Zhao
- Department of Nephrology, Fifth Hospital of Shanxi Medical University (Shanxi Provincial People’s Hospital), Taiyuan, China
- Shanxi Genetic Engineering Center for Experimental Animal Models, Taiyuan, China
| | - Yuanyuan Gao
- Shanxi Genetic Engineering Center for Experimental Animal Models, Taiyuan, China
| | - Yankun Luo
- Department of Nephrology, Fifth Hospital of Shanxi Medical University (Shanxi Provincial People’s Hospital), Taiyuan, China
- Shanxi Genetic Engineering Center for Experimental Animal Models, Taiyuan, China
| | - Yun Zhou
- Department of Nephrology, Fifth Hospital of Shanxi Medical University (Shanxi Provincial People’s Hospital), Taiyuan, China
- Shanxi Genetic Engineering Center for Experimental Animal Models, Taiyuan, China
- Department of Nephrology, Shanxi Province Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine Hospital, Taiyuan, China
- *Correspondence: Yun Zhou,
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Perna A, Ruggiero B, Podestà MA, Perico L, Orisio S, Debiec H, Remuzzi G, Ruggenenti P. Sexual dimorphic response to rituximab treatment: A longitudinal observational study in a large cohort of patients with primary membranous nephropathy and persistent nephrotic syndrome. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:958136. [PMID: 36120314 PMCID: PMC9479107 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.958136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Rituximab is one of the first-line therapies for patients with membranous nephropathy (MN) at high risk of progression towards kidney failure. We investigated whether the response to Rituximab was affected by sex and anti-PLA2R antibody levels in 204 consecutive patients (148 males and 56 females) with biopsy-proven MN who were referred to the Nephrology Unit of the Azienda Socio Sanitaria Territoriale Papa Giovanni XXIII from March 2001 to October 2016 and managed conservatively for at least 6 months. The primary outcome was a combined endpoint of complete (proteinuria <0.3 g/24 h) or partial (proteinuria <3.0 g/24 h and >50% reduction vs. baseline) remission. Patients gave written informed consent to Rituximab treatment. The study was internally funded. No pharmaceutical company was involved. Anti-PLA2R antibodies were detectable in 125 patients (61.3%). At multivariable analyses, female gender (p = 0.0198) and lower serum creatinine levels (p = 0.0108) emerged as independent predictors of better outcome (p = 0.0198). The predictive value of proteinuria (p = 0.054) and anti-PLA2R titer (p = 0.0766) was borderline significant. Over a median (IQR) of 24.8 (12.0-36.0) months, 40 females (71.4%) progressed to the combined endpoint compared with 73 males (49.3%). Anti-PLA2R titers at baseline [127.6 (35.7-310.8) vs. 110.1 (39.9-226.7) RU/ml] and after Rituximab treatment were similar between the sexes. However, the event rate was significantly higher in females than in males [HR (95%): 2.12 (1.44-3.12), p = 0.0001]. Forty-five of the 62 patients (72.3%) with anti-PLA2R titer below the median progressed to the combined endpoint versus 35 of the 63 (55.6%) with higher titer [HR (95%): 1.97 (1.26-3.07), p < 0.0029]. The highest probability of progressing to the combined endpoint was observed in females with anti-PLA2R antibody titer below the median (86.7%), followed by females with anti-PLA2R antibody titer above the median (83.3%), males with titer below the median (68.1%), and males with titer above the median (44.4%). This trend was statistically significant (p = 0.0023). Similar findings were observed for complete remission (proteinuria <0.3 g/24 h) and after analysis adjustments for baseline serum creatinine. Thus, despite similar immunological features, females were more resilient to renal injury following Rituximab therapy. These findings will hopefully open new avenues to identify the molecular pathways underlying sex-related nephroprotective effects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Annalisa Perna
- Department of Renal Medicine, Centro di Ricerche Cliniche Aldo e Cale Daccò, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Bergamo, Italy
| | - Barbara Ruggiero
- Department of Renal Medicine, Centro di Ricerche Cliniche Aldo e Cale Daccò, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Bergamo, Italy
| | - Manuel Alfredo Podestà
- Department of Renal Medicine, Centro di Ricerche Cliniche Aldo e Cale Daccò, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Bergamo, Italy
- Department of Health Sciences, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Luca Perico
- Department of Renal Medicine, Centro di Ricerche Cliniche Aldo e Cale Daccò, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Bergamo, Italy
| | - Silvia Orisio
- Department of Renal Medicine, Centro di Ricerche Cliniche Aldo e Cale Daccò, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Bergamo, Italy
| | - Hanna Debiec
- Sorbonne Université and Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Unité Mixte de Recherche, Paris, France
| | - Giuseppe Remuzzi
- Department of Renal Medicine, Centro di Ricerche Cliniche Aldo e Cale Daccò, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Bergamo, Italy
| | - Piero Ruggenenti
- Department of Renal Medicine, Centro di Ricerche Cliniche Aldo e Cale Daccò, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Bergamo, Italy
- Unit of Nephrology and Dialysis, Azienda Socio Sanitaria Territoriale Papa Giovanni XXIII, Bergamo, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Nieto-Gañán I, Iturrieta-Zuazo I, Rita C, Carrasco-Sayalero Á. Revisiting immunological and clinical aspects of membranous nephropathy. Clin Immunol 2022; 237:108976. [PMID: 35276323 DOI: 10.1016/j.clim.2022.108976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Revised: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Idiopathic or primary membranous nephropathy (IMN) is one of the most frequent causes of nephrotic syndrome in adults and the elderly. It is characterized by a thickening of the wall of the glomerular capillaries due to the presence of immune complex deposits. 85% of membranous nephropathy cases are classified as primary or idiopathic (IMN). The rest are of secondary origin (SMN), caused by autoimmune conditions or malignant tumors as lung cancer, colon and melanomas. It is an organ-specific autoimmune disease in which the complement system plays an important role with the formation of the membrane attack complex (MAC; C5b-9), which produces an alteration of the podocyte structure. The antigen responsible for 70-80% of IMN is a podocyte protein called M-type phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R). More recently, another podocyte antigen has been identified, the "Thrombospondin type-1 domain-containing 7A" (THSD7A), which is responsible for 10% of the cases of negative IMN for anti- PLA2R.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Israel Nieto-Gañán
- Immunology Department, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Ignacio Iturrieta-Zuazo
- Immunology Department, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain; Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Spain
| | - Claudia Rita
- Immunology Department, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain
| | | |
Collapse
|
8
|
Sans-Pola C, Agustí A, Bosch JÀ, Agraz I, Alerany C, Danés I. Off-Label Use of Rituximab in Patients with Different Types of Nephropathies in a Tertiary Hospital: A Retrospective Study. J Clin Med 2021; 10:4941. [PMID: 34768461 PMCID: PMC8584949 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10214941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2021] [Revised: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Off-label use of rituximab is commonly requested for patients with resistant nephropathies. The outcomes and tolerability of rituximab in adult patients with nephropathy treated at our hospital (from 2013 to 2018) were described. Data were retrieved from electronic medical records. Response was classified as complete remission (CR), partial remission (PR), or no response (NR) according to the KDIGO criteria. A total of 89 requests were received for 61 patients. Median age was 58 years (45.9% female). Idiopathic membranous nephropathy (MN) (n = 30) was the most frequent indication, followed by minimal change disease (MCD) (n = 15) and secondary membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN) (n = 12). Three patients with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) were included. After most treatment cycles in MN, a CR or PR was observed; median proteinuria levels significantly decreased for these patients (6000 mg/24h (IQR 3584-10,300) vs. 1468.8 (IQR 500-4604.25), p < 0.01). In MPGN, no response was documented after 46.7% of rituximab cycles. A CR or PR was described with the majority of rituximab cycles in MCD, with a significant decrease in proteinuria (6000 mg/24 h (IQR 4007-11,426) vs. 196.8 (IQR 100-1300), p = 0.013). No cycles produced a response in FSGS. Mean CD19+ B-cell decreased in all types of nephropathy (10.44% vs. 0.29%, p < 0.0001). Eleven patients presented infusion-related reactions, and 17 presented infectious complications. The majority of patients with MN and MCD had complete or partial responses; however, neither MPGN nor FSGS had encouraging results.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carla Sans-Pola
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Vall d’Hebron Hospital Universitari, 08035 Barcelona, Spain; (C.S.-P.); (I.D.)
- Department of Pharmacology, Therapeutics and Toxicology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
- Immunomediated Diseases and Innovative Therapies Research Group, Vall d’Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Vall d’Hebron Hospital Universitari, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Antònia Agustí
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Vall d’Hebron Hospital Universitari, 08035 Barcelona, Spain; (C.S.-P.); (I.D.)
- Department of Pharmacology, Therapeutics and Toxicology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
- Immunomediated Diseases and Innovative Therapies Research Group, Vall d’Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Vall d’Hebron Hospital Universitari, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Josep Àngel Bosch
- Department of Internal Medicine, Vall d’Hebron Hospital Universitari, 08035 Barcelona, Spain;
- Department of Internal Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Irene Agraz
- Department of Nephrology, Referrer in Complex Glomerular Diseases in Adults, Vall d’Hebron Hospital Universitari, 08035 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - Carmen Alerany
- Pharmacy Service, Vall d’Hebron Hospital Universitari, 08035 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - Immaculada Danés
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Vall d’Hebron Hospital Universitari, 08035 Barcelona, Spain; (C.S.-P.); (I.D.)
- Department of Pharmacology, Therapeutics and Toxicology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
- Immunomediated Diseases and Innovative Therapies Research Group, Vall d’Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Vall d’Hebron Hospital Universitari, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Lin L, Wang W, Wu Y, Xie J, Li X, Pan X, Zhang W, Xu J, Cai Y, Ren H, Chen N. Consolidation Treatment and Long-Term Prognosis of Rituximab in Minimal Change Disease and Focal Segmental Glomerular Sclerosis. DRUG DESIGN DEVELOPMENT AND THERAPY 2021; 15:1945-1953. [PMID: 34007154 PMCID: PMC8121273 DOI: 10.2147/dddt.s302257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Purpose There is currently a lack of studies investigating long-term prognosis and the necessity of further rituximab (RTX) consolidation treatment for minimal change disease (MCD) and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of RTX for these diseases and to investigate whether a consolidation treatment can lower risks of relapse and reinforce long-term remission. Patients and Methods A retrospective study was conducted. The relapse and remission of 70 patients treated with 1 course of RTX treatment (4 infusions of 375 mg/m2) over a median follow-up time of 27 months (12–60 months) were analyzed. The rates of patients that were able to achieve non-relapse for a duration of 24 months between RTX consolidation therapy and non-consolidation therapy were compared. Results There were 67 cases (95.71%) of remission and 3 cases (4.29%) of non-remission. The average number of relapses decreased from 3.7±2.5 times before the treatment to 0.8±1.8 times after treatment (P <0.001). The average avannual number of relapses decreased from 1.3±1.2 times/year to 0.2±0.3 times/year (P <0.001). The results from the Cox proportional-hazards model showed that the risk of relapse in patients who received RTX non-consolidation treatment was significantly higher than those with consolidation treatment (odds ratios (OR) 20.9, 95% confidence intervals (CI) OR 5.7–75.7, p<0.001). The 24-month relapse-free rate was also significantly higher in patients with consolidation therapy compared with non-consolidation therapy (86.36% vs 25%, p<0.001). No adverse events were recorded. Conclusion RTX is highly effective in treating MCD and FSGS, and RTX consolidation therapy may be recommended to reinforce long-term remissions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Li Lin
- Department of Nephrology, Ruijin Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Weiming Wang
- Department of Nephrology, Ruijin Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - YiFan Wu
- Biomedical and Health Informatics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - JingYuan Xie
- Department of Nephrology, Ruijin Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiao Li
- Department of Nephrology, Ruijin Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - XiaoXia Pan
- Department of Nephrology, Ruijin Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Wen Zhang
- Department of Nephrology, Ruijin Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing Xu
- Department of Nephrology, Ruijin Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - YiKai Cai
- Department of Nephrology, Ruijin Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Hong Ren
- Department of Nephrology, Ruijin Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Nan Chen
- Department of Nephrology, Ruijin Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Moszczuk B, Kiryluk K, Pączek L, Mucha K. Membranous Nephropathy: From Research Bench to Personalized Care. J Clin Med 2021; 10:jcm10061205. [PMID: 33799372 PMCID: PMC7998937 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10061205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Membranous nephropathy is a glomerulopathy that causes nephrotic syndrome and, in at least a third of cases, lasting end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). It is also a rare case of revolutionary changes in our understanding of the disease, that translates from scientific findings to real diagnosis and treatment recommendations in less than ten years. In this review we present: (1) a short history and traditional approach to patients with membranous nephropathy, (2) current recommendations and treatment options that have emerged in recent years, (3) findings of new studies, with a particular focus on serological/immunological methods, genomic and proteomic studies, still requiring validation. With further development in this field, membranous nephropathy may become one of the first nephrological conditions that apply a truly personalized approach with the omission of invasive measures such as kidney biopsy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Moszczuk
- Department of Immunology, Transplantology and Internal Diseases, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-006 Warsaw, Poland; (B.M.); (L.P.)
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-006 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Krzysztof Kiryluk
- Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA;
| | - Leszek Pączek
- Department of Immunology, Transplantology and Internal Diseases, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-006 Warsaw, Poland; (B.M.); (L.P.)
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Krzysztof Mucha
- Department of Immunology, Transplantology and Internal Diseases, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-006 Warsaw, Poland; (B.M.); (L.P.)
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland
- Correspondence: or ; Tel.: +48-(22)-502-1641
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Huang L, Dong QR, Zhao YJ, Hu GC. Rituximab for the management of idiopathic membranous nephropathy: a meta-analysis. Int Urol Nephrol 2020; 53:111-119. [PMID: 32944889 DOI: 10.1007/s11255-020-02633-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of rituximab therapy in the management of idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN). METHODS After literature search, data from eligible studies were used to perform random-effects meta-analyses to estimate remission rates and changes in proteinuria at the latest follow-up after rituximab therapy. The outcomes were used for metaregression to identify the factors affecting the efficacy of rituximab. RESULTS Twenty-one studies were included in the analysis (602 patients; age 50 years [95% CI 46.8, 53.3]; 30% females [95% CI 23, 31]). Follow-up duration was 20.3 months [95% CI 17.1, 23.5]. Remission rate (67% [95% CI 61, 73]) was higher in studies with below average baseline proteinuria (76% [95% CI 61, 88]) than in studies with above average baseline proteinuria (61% [95% CI 54, 68]). The complete and partial remission rates were 26% [95% CI 20, 33] and 37% [95% CI 31, 43], respectively. Rituximab therapy significantly reduced proteinuria (mean difference between final and baseline values: - 4.90 g/day [95% CI - 6.18, - 3.63]; p < 0.00001; % reduction: 62% [95% CI 57, 68]). The reduction in proteinuria was inversely associated with baseline serum albumin levels (p = 0.021) and the estimated glomerular filtration rate (p < 0.00001) and was positively associated with baseline proteinuria (p < 0.00001). The remission rate or decrease in proteinuria was not significantly related to the anti-PLA2R antibody status or previous immunosuppressant therapy. CONCLUSION Rituximab therapy in IMN patients can provide approximately 67% remission rate. The reduction in proteinuria was greater in patients who had higher baseline proteinuria.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lan Huang
- Division of Nephrology, Affiliated Hospital of Chengde Medical University, 36 Nanyingzi St, Shuangqiao Qu, Chengde, 067000, Hebei, China
| | - Qiao-Rong Dong
- Division of Nephrology, Affiliated Hospital of Chengde Medical University, 36 Nanyingzi St, Shuangqiao Qu, Chengde, 067000, Hebei, China
| | - Ya-Juan Zhao
- Division of Nephrology, Affiliated Hospital of Chengde Medical University, 36 Nanyingzi St, Shuangqiao Qu, Chengde, 067000, Hebei, China
| | - Gui-Cai Hu
- Division of Nephrology, Affiliated Hospital of Chengde Medical University, 36 Nanyingzi St, Shuangqiao Qu, Chengde, 067000, Hebei, China.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Luzardo L, Ottati G, Cabrera J, Trujillo H, Garau M, González Bedat C, Coitiño R, Aunchayna MH, Santiago J, Baldovinos G, Silvariño R, Ferreiro A, González-Martínez F, Gadola L, Noboa O, Caorsi H. Substitution of Oral for Intravenous Cyclophosphamide in Membranous Nephropathy. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 1:943-949. [DOI: 10.34067/kid.0002802020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
BackgroundOptimal immunosuppressive treatment for membranous nephropathy is still a matter of controversy. Current recommendations include oral cyclophosphamide combined with steroids (modified Ponticelli regimen) as first-line treatment in patients who are high risk. However, concerns about the cumulative toxicity of oral cyclophosphamide persist. In the last 30 years, a protocol based on low-dose intravenous cyclophosphamide plus steroids has been used to treat membranous nephropathy in Uruguay. We aimed to assess the efficacy of this regimen to induce clinical remission in patients with membranous nephropathy.MethodsIn this retrospective, observational cohort study, we analyzed the outcome of 55 patients with membranous nephropathy treated between 1990 and 2017 with a 6-month course of alternating steroids (months 1, 3, and 5) plus intravenous cyclophosphamide (single dose of 15 mg/kg on the first day of months 2, 4, and 6).ResultsAt 24 months, 39 (71%) patients achieved clinical response with complete remission observed in 23 patients (42%) and partial remission in 16 (29%). Median time to achieve partial and complete remission was 5.9 and 11.5 months, respectively. Absence of response was observed in 16 patients (29%), five of whom started chronic RRT after a median follow-up of 3.5 years. Clinical relapse occurred in nine of 33 (27%) patients at a median of 34 months after treatment discontinuation.ConclusionsReplacement of oral cyclophosphamide with a single intravenous pulse on months 2, 4, and 6 of the modified Ponticelli regimen can be an effective and safe alternative for treatment of membranous nephropathy.PodcastThis article contains a podcast at https://www.asn-online.org/media/podcast/K360/2020_09_24_KID0002802020.mp3
Collapse
|
13
|
Cantarelli C, Jarque M, Angeletti A, Manrique J, Hartzell S, O'Donnell T, Merritt E, Laserson U, Perin L, Donadei C, Anderson L, Fischman C, Chan E, Draibe J, Fulladosa X, Torras J, Riella LV, La Manna G, Fiaccadori E, Maggiore U, Bestard O, Cravedi P. A Comprehensive Phenotypic and Functional Immune Analysis Unravels Circulating Anti-Phospholipase A2 Receptor Antibody Secreting Cells in Membranous Nephropathy Patients. Kidney Int Rep 2020; 5:1764-1776. [PMID: 33102969 PMCID: PMC7569696 DOI: 10.1016/j.ekir.2020.07.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Revised: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Primary membranous nephropathy (MN) is characterized by the presence of antipodocyte antibodies, but studies describing phenotypic and functional abnormalities in circulating lymphocytes are limited. Methods We analyzed 68 different B- and T-cell subsets using flow cytometry in 30 MN patients (before initiating immunosuppression) compared with 31 patients with non–immune-mediated chronic kidney disease (CKD) and 12 healthy individuals. We also measured 19 serum cytokines in MN patients and in healthy controls. Lastly, we quantified the ex vivo production of phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R)-specific IgG by plasmablasts (measuring antibodies in culture supernatants and by the newly developed FluoroSpot assay [AutoImmun Diagnostika, Strasberg, Germany]) and assessed the circulating antibody repertoire by phage immunoprecipitation sequencing (PhIP-Seq). Results After adjusting for multiple testing, plasma cells and regulatory B cells (BREG) were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in MN patients compared with both control groups. The percentages of circulating plasma cells correlated with serum anti-PLA2R antibody levels (P = 0.042) and were associated with disease activity. Ex vivo–expanded PLA2R-specific IgG-producing plasmablasts generated from circulating PLA2R-specific memory B cells (mBCs) correlated with serum anti-PLA2R IgG antibodies (P < 0.001) in MN patients. Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) was the only significantly increased cytokine in MN patients (P < 0.05), whereas there was no significant difference across study groups in the autoantibody and antiviral antibody repertoire. Conclusion This extensive phenotypic and functional immune characterization shows that autoreactive plasma cells are present in the circulation of MN patients, providing a new therapeutic target and a candidate biomarker of disease activity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Cantarelli
- Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA.,Dipartimento di Medicina e Chirurgia Università di Parma, Unita' Operativa Nefrologia, Azienda Ospedaliera-Universitaria Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Marta Jarque
- Kidney Transplant Unit, Nephrology Department, Bellvitge University Hospital, Barcelona University, Biomedical Research Institute of Bellvitge, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Andrea Angeletti
- Dipartimento di Medicina Specialistica, Diagnostica e Sperimentale, Policlinico Sant'Orsola-Malpighi, Bologna, Italy
| | - Joaquin Manrique
- Nephrology Service, Complejo Hospitalario de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Susan Hartzell
- Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Timothy O'Donnell
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Elliot Merritt
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Uri Laserson
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Laura Perin
- Department of Urology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Chiara Donadei
- Dipartimento di Medicina Specialistica, Diagnostica e Sperimentale, Policlinico Sant'Orsola-Malpighi, Bologna, Italy
| | - Lisa Anderson
- Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Clara Fischman
- Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Emilie Chan
- Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Juliana Draibe
- Kidney Transplant Unit, Nephrology Department, Bellvitge University Hospital, Barcelona University, Biomedical Research Institute of Bellvitge, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Xavier Fulladosa
- Kidney Transplant Unit, Nephrology Department, Bellvitge University Hospital, Barcelona University, Biomedical Research Institute of Bellvitge, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Joan Torras
- Kidney Transplant Unit, Nephrology Department, Bellvitge University Hospital, Barcelona University, Biomedical Research Institute of Bellvitge, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Leonardo V Riella
- Division of Nephrology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Center for Transplantation Sciences, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Gaetano La Manna
- Dipartimento di Medicina Specialistica, Diagnostica e Sperimentale, Policlinico Sant'Orsola-Malpighi, Bologna, Italy
| | - Enrico Fiaccadori
- Dipartimento di Medicina e Chirurgia Università di Parma, Unita' Operativa Nefrologia, Azienda Ospedaliera-Universitaria Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Umberto Maggiore
- Dipartimento di Medicina e Chirurgia Università di Parma, Unita' Operativa Nefrologia, Azienda Ospedaliera-Universitaria Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Oriol Bestard
- Kidney Transplant Unit, Nephrology Department, Bellvitge University Hospital, Barcelona University, Biomedical Research Institute of Bellvitge, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Paolo Cravedi
- Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Weng Q, Zhou Q, Tong J, Jin Y, Liu Y, Yu X, Pan X, Ren H, Wang W, Xie J, Chen N. New risk score for predicting steroid resistance in patients with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis or minimal change disease. Clin Proteomics 2020; 17:18. [PMID: 32514258 PMCID: PMC7257237 DOI: 10.1186/s12014-020-09282-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2019] [Accepted: 05/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Glucocorticosteroid is used for patients with primary nephrotic syndrome. This study aims to identify and validate that biomarkers can be used to predict steroid resistance. Methods Our study contained two stages, discovery and validation stage. In discovery stage, we enrolled 51 minimal change disease (MCD) or focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) patients treated with full dose steroid. Five urinary biomarkers including β2-microglobulin (β2-MG) and α1-microglobulin (α1-MG) were tested and candidates’ biomarkers were selected based on their associations with steroid response. In validation stage, candidates’ biomarkers were validated in two prospectively enrolled cohorts. Validation cohort A included 157 FSGS/MCD patients. Validation cohort B included 59 membranous nephropathy (MN) patients. Patients were classified into response group (RG) or non-response group (NRG) based on their responses to steroid treatment. Results In discovery stage, higher urinary β2-MG was independently associated with response to corticosteroid treatment in MCD/FSGS patients [OR = 1.89, 95% CI 1.02–3.53] after adjusted by age and gender. In validation cohort A, patients in NRG had a significant higher urinary β2-MG [Ln (β2-MG/uCr): 4.6 ± 1.7 vs 3.2 ± 1.5] compared to patients in RG. We then developed a 3-variable risk score in predicting steroid resistance in FSGS/MCD patients based on the best predictive model including Ln(β2-MG/uCr) [OR = 1.76, 95% CI 1.30–2.37], age [OR = 1.005, 95% CI 0.98–1.03] and pathology [MCD vs FSGS, OR = 0.20, 95% CI 0.09–0.46]. The area under the ROC curves of the risk score in predicting steroid response was 0.80 (95% CI 0.65–0.85). However, no such association was found in MN patients. Conclusions Our study identified a 3-variable risk score in predicting steroid resistance in patients with FSGS or MCD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qinjie Weng
- Department of Nephrology, Institute of Nephrology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Qiongxiu Zhou
- Department of Nephrology, Institute of Nephrology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Department of Nephrology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Jun Tong
- Department of Nephrology, Institute of Nephrology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuanmeng Jin
- Department of Nephrology, Institute of Nephrology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yunzi Liu
- Department of Nephrology, Institute of Nephrology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xialian Yu
- Department of Nephrology, Institute of Nephrology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaoxia Pan
- Department of Nephrology, Institute of Nephrology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Hong Ren
- Department of Nephrology, Institute of Nephrology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Weiming Wang
- Department of Nephrology, Institute of Nephrology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jingyuan Xie
- Department of Nephrology, Institute of Nephrology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Nan Chen
- Department of Nephrology, Institute of Nephrology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Cravedi P, Jarque M, Angeletti A, Favà À, Cantarelli C, Bestard O. Immune-Monitoring Disease Activity in Primary Membranous Nephropathy. Front Med (Lausanne) 2019; 6:241. [PMID: 31788474 PMCID: PMC6856075 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2019.00241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2019] [Accepted: 10/14/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Primary membranous nephropathy (MN) is a glomerular disease mediated by autoreactive antibodies, being the main cause of nephrotic syndrome among adult patients. While the pathogenesis of MN is still controversial, the detection of autoantibodies against two specific glomerular antigens, phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R) and thrombospondin type 1 domain containing 7A (THSD7A), together with the beneficial effect of therapies targeting B cells, have highlighted the main role of autoreactive B cells driving this renal disease. In fact, the detection of PLA2R-specific IgG4 antibodies has resulted in a paradigm shift regarding the diagnosis as well as a better prediction of the progression and recurrence of primary MN. Nevertheless, some patients do not show remission of the nephrotic syndrome or do rapidly recur after immunosuppression withdrawal, regardless the absence of detectable anti-PLA2R antibodies, thus highlighting the need of other immune biomarkers for MN risk-stratification. Notably, the exclusive evaluation of circulating antibodies may significantly underestimate the magnitude of the global humoral memory immune response since it may exclude the role of antigen-specific memory B cells. Therefore, the assessment of PLA2R-specific B-cell immune responses using novel technologies in a functional manner may provide novel insight on the pathogenic mechanisms of B cells triggering MN as well as refine current immune-risk stratification solely based on circulating autoantibodies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Cravedi
- Renal Division, Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Marta Jarque
- Experimental Nephrology Laboratory, Biomedical Research Institute of Bellvitge (IDIBELL), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Andrea Angeletti
- Nephrology, Dialysis and Renal Transplant Unit, Department of Experimental Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), St. Orsola Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Àlex Favà
- Experimental Nephrology Laboratory, Biomedical Research Institute of Bellvitge (IDIBELL), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Chiara Cantarelli
- UO Nefrologia, Dipartimento di Medicina e Chirurgia, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Oriol Bestard
- Experimental Nephrology Laboratory, Biomedical Research Institute of Bellvitge (IDIBELL), Barcelona, Spain.,Kidney Transplant Unit, Nephrology Department, Bellvitge University Hospital, Barcelona University, Biomedical Research Institute of Bellvitge (IDIBELL), Barcelona, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Wan N, Li D, Zhou Z, Shao Y, Zheng S, Wang S. Comprehensive RNA-Sequencing Analysis in Peripheral Blood Cells Reveals Differential Expression Signatures with Biomarker Potential for Idiopathic Membranous Nephropathy. DNA Cell Biol 2019; 38:1223-1232. [PMID: 31566423 DOI: 10.1089/dna.2019.4701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
To date, the clinical course of idiopathic membranous nephropathy (iMN) remains unclear and lacks direct and effective diagnostic methods. To better understand the host gene expression changes involved in the iMN process and identify the potential signatures for clinical diagnosis, we performed a whole genome-wide transcriptome profile of peripheral blood cells (PBC) from patients with iMN and healthy controls (HCs). A total of 188 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected in patients with iMN versus HCs. Gene ontology (GO) functional enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis showed that these DEGs were mainly correlated with protein targeting, ion homeostasis GO terms, and ribosome and phagosome pathways. The top 10 differentially expressed protein-coding genes with >2-fold changes and high expression levels were validated using quantitative real-time PCR, and showed high consistency with the high-throughput sequencing results. HLA-C, S100A8, and FTH1 genes were selected for further validation and showed the most significant difference between the iMN and HC group, indicating that they could be used as potential clinical diagnostic biomarkers. Our results provide novel potential diagnostic signatures for iMN and have important implications for better understanding the pathogenesis of iMN.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nan Wan
- Department of Biotechnology, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Department of Laboratory Medical Center, General Hospital of Northern Theater Command, Shenyang, People's Republic of China
| | - Dingchen Li
- Department of Laboratory Medical Center, General Hospital of Northern Theater Command, Shenyang, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhe Zhou
- Department of Biotechnology, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Yong Shao
- Department of Biotechnology, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Sihan Zheng
- Department of Laboratory Medical Center, General Hospital of Northern Theater Command, Shenyang, People's Republic of China
| | - Shengqi Wang
- Department of Biotechnology, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
A comparison of cyclophosphamide versus tacrolimus in terms of treatment effect for idiopathic membranous nephropathy: A meta-analysis. Nefrologia 2019; 39:269-276. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nefro.2018.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2018] [Revised: 10/04/2018] [Accepted: 10/07/2018] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
|
18
|
Bazzi C, Usui T, Rizza V, Casellato D, Gallieni M, Nangaku M. Urinary N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase and estimated Glomerular filtration rate may identify patients to be treated with immuno-suppression at diagnosis in idiopathic membranous nephropathy. Nephrology (Carlton) 2018; 23:175-182. [PMID: 27764902 DOI: 10.1111/nep.12952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2016] [Revised: 10/17/2016] [Accepted: 10/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
AIM The clinical course of idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN) varies from spontaneous remission of nephrotic syndrome (NS) to end-stage renal disease (ESRD). The aim of the study was baseline identification of patients with high risk of progression for which immunosuppressive therapy is mandatory. METHODS Eighty-six IMN subjects were followed for a median of 69 months (range 6-253). Receiver operating characteristic curve and Cox proportional hazards model were used to evaluate prognostic factors for progression, defined as ESRD or estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) reduction ≥50% of baseline. RESULTS Among all, 24 subjects had progression. Area under the ROC curve of N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase/creatinine ratio (NAG/C) were significantly higher than proteinuria/24 h (0.770 and 0.637 respectively, P = 0.018). In Cox proportional hazards regression analysis, NAG/C and eGFR were independent predictors of progression. Compared to lowest tertile of NAG/C (<9.4 UI/gC) or highest tertile of eGFR (≥88 mL/min per 1.73m2 ), the multivariable-adjusted hazard ratio of highest tertile of NAG/C (≥19.2) was 18.97 (95%CI, 1.70-211.86) and lowest tertile of eGFR (<59) was 11.58 (95%CI, 2.02-66.29). Subjects with high NAG/C or low eGFR (high-risk, n = 43) had greater progression rate compared to moderate to low NAG/C and high eGFR (low-risk, n = 43) with or without NS at baseline (Log-rank test P = 0.001 and 0.006, respectively). In NS subjects (n = 65), high-risk group progression rate was significantly higher (91% vs. 29%, P = 0.003) and remission rate significantly lower (0% vs. 42%, p < 0.001) in non-immunosuppressed compared to steroids and cyclophosphamide treated patients; no significant differences were observed in low-risk group. CONCLUSION Idiopathic membranous nephropathy subjects with high NAG/C and low eGFR have greater risk of progression, and immunosuppressive treatment is suggested at diagnosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Claudio Bazzi
- D'Amico Foundation for Renal Disease Research, San Carlo Borromeo Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Tomoko Usui
- Division of Nephrology and Endocrinology, the University of Tokyo School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Virginia Rizza
- Biochemical Laboratory, San Carlo Borromeo Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Daniela Casellato
- Nephrology and Dialysis Unit, San Carlo Borromeo Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Maurizio Gallieni
- Nephrology and Dialysis Unit, San Carlo Borromeo Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Masaomi Nangaku
- Division of Nephrology and Endocrinology, the University of Tokyo School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Tedjaseputra A, McLornan D, McCormick J, Raj K, de Lavallade H, Potter V, Kenyon M, Pagliuca A, Marsh J, Mufti G. Anti-type M phospholipase A2 receptor antibody-positive membranous nephropathy as a part of multi-system autoimmune syndrome post-allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Intern Med J 2018; 48:481-483. [PMID: 29623981 DOI: 10.1111/imj.13762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2017] [Revised: 10/19/2017] [Accepted: 12/27/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Aditya Tedjaseputra
- Department of Clinical Haematology, Monash Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Haematological Medicine, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Donal McLornan
- Department of Haematological Medicine, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Jill McCormick
- Department of Haematological Medicine, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Kavita Raj
- Department of Haematological Medicine, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Hugues de Lavallade
- Department of Haematological Medicine, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Victoria Potter
- Department of Haematological Medicine, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Michelle Kenyon
- Department of Haematological Medicine, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Antonio Pagliuca
- Department of Haematological Medicine, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Judith Marsh
- Department of Haematological Medicine, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Ghulam Mufti
- Department of Haematological Medicine, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Cost analysis on the use of rituximab and calcineurin inhibitors in children and adolescents with steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome. Pediatr Nephrol 2018; 33:261-267. [PMID: 28864927 DOI: 10.1007/s00467-017-3789-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2017] [Revised: 08/14/2017] [Accepted: 08/16/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Rituximab (RTX) is increasingly being used in place of calcineurin inhibitors (CNI) in pediatric patients with steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome (SDNS). However, despite its favorable safety profile, its unit cost is prohibitive. We therefore compared the healthcare costs associated with the use of both agents in a retrospective cohort. METHODS This study was a retrospective analysis of data retrieved from the medical charts and electronic databases of pediatric patients (age range 2-18 years) with SDNS who were treated with either CNI or RTX from January 2008 to December 2012 at Children's Hospital of New Orleans, Louisiana. The minimum follow-up period was 12 months. RESULTS Of the 18 patients whose medical data were analyzed, ten received RTX and eight were treated with CNI. The annualized healthcare cost for the rituximab group was $197,031 versus $189,857 (all values in US dollars) for the CNI group (p > 0.05). At the 12-month follow-up, more patients in the RTX group were in remission (40 vs. 25%). Duration of freedom from steroid use was longer in the RTX group, while body mass index was higher in the CNI arm (p > 0.05). No significant adverse events occurred in either group. CONCLUSION The expenditure for the RTX and CNI groups was comparable, but there were fewer clinical encounters in the former group, potentially reducing the burden of healthcare on the patient's family.
Collapse
|
21
|
Membranous Nephropathy and Anti-Podocytes Antibodies: Implications for the Diagnostic Workup and Disease Management. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2018; 2018:6281054. [PMID: 29511687 PMCID: PMC5817285 DOI: 10.1155/2018/6281054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2017] [Revised: 08/31/2017] [Accepted: 10/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The discovery of circulating antibodies specific for native podocyte antigens has transformed the diagnostic workup and greatly improved management of idiopathic membranous nephropathy (iMN). In addition, their identification has clearly characterized iMN as a largely autoimmune disorder. Anti-PLA2R1 antibodies are detected in approximately 70% to 80% and anti-THSD7A antibodies in only 2% of adult patients with iMN. The presence of anti-THSD7A antibodies is associated with increased risk of malignancy. The assessment of PLA2R1 and THSD7A antigen expression in glomerular immune deposits has a better sensitivity than measurement of the corresponding autoantibodies. Therefore, in the presence of circulating anti-podocytes autoantibodies and/or enhanced expression of PLA2R1 and THSD7A antigens MN should be considered as primary MN (pMN). Anti-PLA2R1 or anti-THSD7A autoantibodies have been proposed as biomarkers of autoimmune disease activity and their blood levels should be regularly monitored in pMN to evaluate disease activity and predict outcomes. We propose a revised clinical workup flow for patients with MN that recommends assessment of kidney biopsy for PLA2R1 and THSD7A antigen expression, screening for circulating anti-podocytes antibodies, and assessment for secondary causes, especially cancer, in patients with THSD7A antibodies. Persistence of anti-podocyte antibodies for 6 months or their increase in association with nephrotic proteinuria should lead to the introduction of immunosuppressive therapies. Recent data have reported the efficacy and safety of new specific therapies targeting B cells (anti-CD20 antibodies, inhibitors of proteasome) in pMN which should lead to an update of currently outdated treatment guidelines.
Collapse
|
22
|
Dobronravov VA, Mayer DA, Berezhnaya OV, Lapin SV, Mazing AV, Sipovsky VG, Smirnov AV. [Membranous nephropathy in a Russian population]. TERAPEVT ARKH 2017; 89:21-29. [PMID: 28745685 DOI: 10.17116/terarkh201789621-29] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
AIM To analyze the clinical and morphological manifestations of membranous nephropathy (MN) and to evaluate the efficiency of its therapy. MATERIAL AND METHODS MN cases in 2009 to 2016 were retrospectively detected with a subsequent analysis of patients with primary MN (PMN). The titer of IgG-autoantibodies to phospholipase A2 receptor (anti-PLA2R Ab) was determined by an indirect immunofluorescence assay. Treatment outcomes, such as the time course of changes in proteinuria, nephrotic syndrome (NS), and the development of complete and partial remissions (CR and PR), were assessed. RESULTS MN was detected in 201 cases; the secondary etiology of the disease was established in 24.9%. The prevalence of MN among morphologically confirmed glomerulopathies was 14%; that of PMN was 10.4%. The median period to diagnosis PMN was 8 (5; 19) months. 150 patients with PMN (66.7% were men; age was 50±15 years) were distributed according to the following morphological stages: Stages I (23.9%), II (48.5%), III (26.1%), and IV (1.5%). Elevated anti-PLA2R Ab levels were found in 51.6% of cases; NS in the presence of proteinuria was detected in 85.6% of patients. An estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of <60 ml/min/1.73 m2 was seen in 25% of cases. Treatment outcomes were evaluated in 80 cases; the median follow-up period was 19 (8; 40) months. 68% of cases had CR (32%) or PR (36%) with a median follow-up of 26 (13; 44) months. Spontaneous CRs or PRs were observed in 7.5% of the patients. Multivariate analysis showed that the probability of CR or PR increased 3.2-fold in the use of cyclophosphamide and/or cyclosporine and decreased as eGFR dropped. CONCLUSION In Russia, PMN is a common type of glomerulopathy, the specific features of which should include the low rates of spontaneous remissions and detection of anti-PLA2R Abs. For renal protection, the majority of patients with PMN require timely diagnosis and treatment; individualization of the choice of treatment and its enhanced efficiency call for further investigations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- V A Dobronravov
- I.P. Pavlov First Saint Petersburg State Medical University, Ministry of Health of Russia, Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - D A Mayer
- I.P. Pavlov First Saint Petersburg State Medical University, Ministry of Health of Russia, Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - O V Berezhnaya
- I.P. Pavlov First Saint Petersburg State Medical University, Ministry of Health of Russia, Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - S V Lapin
- I.P. Pavlov First Saint Petersburg State Medical University, Ministry of Health of Russia, Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - A V Mazing
- I.P. Pavlov First Saint Petersburg State Medical University, Ministry of Health of Russia, Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - V G Sipovsky
- I.P. Pavlov First Saint Petersburg State Medical University, Ministry of Health of Russia, Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - A V Smirnov
- I.P. Pavlov First Saint Petersburg State Medical University, Ministry of Health of Russia, Saint Petersburg, Russia
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Abstract
In patients with membranous nephropathy, alkylating agents (cyclophosphamide or chlorambucil) alone or in combination with steroids achieve remission of nephrotic syndrome more effectively than conservative treatment or steroids alone, but can cause myelotoxicity, infections, and cancer. Calcineurin inhibitors can improve proteinuria, but are nephrotoxic. Most patients relapse after treatment withdrawal and can become treatment dependent, which increases the risk of nephrotoxicity. The discovery of nephritogenic autoantibodies against podocyte M-type phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R) and thrombospondin type-1 domain- containing protein 7A (THSD7A) antigens provides a clear pathophysiological rationale for interventions that specifically target B-cell lineages to prevent antibody production and subepithelial deposition. The anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody rituximab is safe and achieves remission of proteinuria in approximately two-thirds of patients with membranous nephropathy. In those with PLA2R-related disease, remission can be predicted by anti-PLA2R antibody depletion and relapse by antibody re-emergence into the circulation. Thus, integrated evaluation of serology and proteinuria could guide identification of affected patients and treatment with individually tailored protocols. Nonspecific and toxic immunosuppressive regimens will fall out of use. B-cell modulation by rituximab and second-generation anti-CD20 antibodies (or plasma cell-targeted therapy in anti-CD20 resistant forms of disease) will lead to a novel therapeutic paradigm for patients with membranous nephropathy.
Collapse
|
24
|
Abstract
Membranous nephropathy (MN) is a unique glomerular lesion that is the most common cause of idiopathic nephrotic syndrome in nondiabetic white adults. About 80% of cases are renal limited (primary MN, PMN) and 20% are associated with other systemic diseases or exposures (secondary MN). This review focuses only on PMN. Most cases of PMN have circulating IgG4 autoantibody to the podocyte membrane antigen PLA2R (70%), biopsy evidence PLA2R staining indicating recent immunologic disease activity despite negative serum antibody levels (15%), or serum anti-THSD7A (3%-5%). The remaining 10% without demonstrable anti-PLA2R/THSd7A antibody or antigen likely have PMN probably secondary to a different, still unidentified, anti-podocyte antibody. Considerable clinical and experimental data now suggests these antibodies are pathogenic. Clinically, 80% of patients with PMN present with nephrotic syndrome and 20% with non-nephrotic proteinuria. Untreated, about one third undergo spontaneous remission, especially those with absent or low anti-PLA2R levels, one-third progress to ESRD over 10 years, and the remainder develop nonprogressive CKD. Proteinuria can persist for months after circulating anti-PLA2R/THSD7A antibody is no longer detectable (immunologic remission). All patients with PMN should be treated with supportive care from the time of diagnosis to minimize protein excretion. Patients with elevated anti-PLA2R/THSD7A levels and proteinuria >3.5 g/d at diagnosis, and those who fail to reduce proteinuria to <3.5 g after 6 months of supportive care or have complications of nephrotic syndrome, should be considered for immunosuppressive therapy. Accepted regimens include steroids/cyclophosphamide, calcineurin inhibitors, and B cell depletion. With proper management, only 10% or less will develop ESRD over the subsequent 10 years.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- William G Couser
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Angeletti A, Baraldi O, Chiocchini AL, Comai G, Cravedi P, La Manna G. Rituximab as First-Line Therapy in Severe Lupus Erythematosus with Neuropsychiatric and Renal Involvement: A Case-Report and Review of the Literature. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017; 7. [PMID: 29888753 PMCID: PMC5991483 DOI: 10.4172/2165-7920.10001033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Neuropsychiatric and renal involvement are common in systemic lupus erythematosus with negative impact on patient survival. Glucocorticoids, antiproliferative and cytotoxic agents represent first-line therapies, but are often ineffective and are burdened by significant toxicities. Despite the negative results of two randomized controlled trials, rituximab is still widely used as second- or third-line therapy in similar cases. No case has been reported so far where rituximab has been used as first-line therapy. We report the case of a 60-year-old cCaucasian woman with concurrent neuropsychiatric and renal lupus erythematous treated with one cycle of rituximab therapy at disease onset. Treatment was well tolerated and at 24 months the patient is in complete remission and free of immunosuppression. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of neuropsychiatric and renal lupus erythematosus successfully treated with rituximab as first-line therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Angeletti
- Department of Experimental Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), Nephrology, Dialysis and Renal Transplant Unit, St Orsola Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.,Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, USA
| | - Olga Baraldi
- Department of Experimental Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), Nephrology, Dialysis and Renal Transplant Unit, St Orsola Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Anna Laura Chiocchini
- Department of Experimental Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), Nephrology, Dialysis and Renal Transplant Unit, St Orsola Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Giorgia Comai
- Department of Experimental Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), Nephrology, Dialysis and Renal Transplant Unit, St Orsola Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Paolo Cravedi
- Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, USA
| | - Gaetano La Manna
- Department of Experimental Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), Nephrology, Dialysis and Renal Transplant Unit, St Orsola Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
|
27
|
Cravedi P. Rituximab in Membranous Nephropathy: Not All Studies Are Created Equal. Nephron Clin Pract 2016; 135:46-50. [PMID: 27676651 DOI: 10.1159/000450659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2016] [Accepted: 09/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Many prospective studies and a recent randomized controlled trial have shown that the B-cell-depleting monoclonal antibody, rituximab, safely promotes the remission of nephrotic syndrome in approximately 65% of patients with membranous nephropathy (MN). Mechanistic studies have indicated that rituximab-induced proteinuria reduction is associated with clearance of anti-podocyte antigens phospholipase 2 receptor autoantibodies and subepithelial immune complexes, the hallmarks of the disease. A recently published study reported results which, at first sight, looked less favorable and implied that, due to a publication bias against negative results, the efficacy of rituximab in MN might be overestimated. Since patients received only one or 2 rituximab administrations, the authors suggest that when rituximab is used, higher doses and longer treatments should be considered. In this study, we highlight limitations of the study and warn against an oversimplified interpretation of the data. Though information on the optimal dose of rituximab to use in MN is still limited, available data from studies with predefined rituximab administration protocols collectively support the concept of titrating rituximab to the number of circulating B-cells that are invariably depleted after the first or second administration. Additional doses may increase the risk of adverse effects and related costs without augmenting efficacy. Importantly, underpowered studies with inconclusive results should not be confused with negative studies formally proving a neutral effect of a treatment. Until data from ad hoc designed clinical trials are available, the B-cell-driven protocol should be the preferred regimen, since it is similarly effective, but safer and more cost effective than other protocols employing multiple rituximab administrations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Cravedi
- Renal Division, Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, N.Y., USA
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Circulating (CD3(-)CD19(+)CD20(-)IgD(-)CD27(high)CD38(high)) Plasmablasts: A Promising Cellular Biomarker for Immune Activity for Anti-PLA2R1 Related Membranous Nephropathy? Mediators Inflamm 2016; 2016:7651024. [PMID: 27493452 PMCID: PMC4963584 DOI: 10.1155/2016/7651024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2016] [Revised: 04/25/2016] [Accepted: 05/08/2016] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Membranous nephropathy (MN) is a kidney specific autoimmune disease mainly mediated by anti-phospholipase A2 receptor 1 autoantibody (PLA2R1 Ab). The adequate assessment of chimeric anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, rituximab (RTX), efficacy is still needed to improve clinical outcome of patient with MN. We evaluated the modification of plasmablasts (CD3−CD19+CD20−IgD−CD27highCD38high), a useful biomarker of RTX response in other autoimmune diseases, and memory (CD3−CD19+CD20+IgD−CD27+CD38−) and naive (CD3−CD19+CD20+IgD+CD27−CD38low) B cells by fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis in PLA2R1 related MN in one patient during the 4 years of follow-up after RTX. RTX induced complete disappearance of CD19+ B cells, plasmablasts, and memory B cells as soon as day 15. Despite severe CD19+ lymphopenia, plasmablasts and memory B cells reemerged early before naive B cells (days 45, 90, and 120, resp.). During the follow-up, plasmablasts decreased more rapidly than memory B cells but still remained elevated as compared to day 0 of RTX. Concomitantly, anti-PLA2R1 Ab increased progressively. Our single case report suggests that, besides monitoring of serum anti-PLA2R1 Ab level, enumeration of circulating plasmablasts and memory B cells represents an attractive and complementary tool to assess immunological activity and efficacy of RTX induced B cells depletion in anti-PLA2R1 Ab related MN.
Collapse
|
29
|
Dahan K, Debiec H, Plaisier E, Cachanado M, Rousseau A, Wakselman L, Michel PA, Mihout F, Dussol B, Matignon M, Mousson C, Simon T, Ronco P. Rituximab for Severe Membranous Nephropathy: A 6-Month Trial with Extended Follow-Up. J Am Soc Nephrol 2016; 28:348-358. [PMID: 27352623 DOI: 10.1681/asn.2016040449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 245] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2016] [Accepted: 05/22/2016] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Randomized trials of rituximab in primary membranous nephropathy (PMN) have not been conducted. We undertook a multicenter, randomized, controlled trial at 31 French hospitals (NCT01508468). Patients with biopsy-proven PMN and nephrotic syndrome after 6 months of nonimmunosuppressive antiproteinuric treatment (NIAT) were randomly assigned to 6-month therapy with NIAT and 375 mg/m2 intravenous rituximab on days 1 and 8 (n=37) or NIAT alone (n=38). Median times to last follow-up were 17.0 (interquartile range, 12.5-24.0) months and 17.0 (interquartile range, 13.0-23.0) months in NIAT-rituximab and NIAT groups, respectively. Primary outcome was a combined end point of complete or partial remission of proteinuria at 6 months. At month 6, 13 (35.1%; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 19.7 to 50.5) patients in the NIAT-rituximab group and eight (21.1%; 95% CI, 8.1 to 34.0) patients in the NIAT group achieved remission (P=0.21). Rates of antiphospholipase A2 receptor antibody (anti-PLA2R-Ab) depletion in NIAT-rituximab and NIAT groups were 14 of 25 (56%) and one of 23 (4.3%) patients at month 3 (P<0.001) and 13 of 26 (50%) and three of 25 (12%) patients at month 6 (P=0.004), respectively. Eight serious adverse events occurred in each group. During the observational phase, remission rates before change of assigned treatment were 24 of 37 (64.9%) and 13 of 38 (34.2%) patients in NIAT-rituximab and NIAT groups, respectively (P<0.01). Positive effect of rituximab on proteinuria remission occurred after 6 months. These data suggest that PLA2R-Ab levels are early markers of rituximab effect and that addition of rituximab to NIAT does not affect safety.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Karine Dahan
- Department of Nephrology and Dialysis, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Tenon, Paris, France;
| | - Hanna Debiec
- Sorbonne Universités, Université Pierre et Marie Curie Paris 06, Paris, France.,Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Unité Mixte de Recherche 1155, Paris, France
| | - Emmanuelle Plaisier
- Department of Nephrology and Dialysis, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Tenon, Paris, France.,Sorbonne Universités, Université Pierre et Marie Curie Paris 06, Paris, France.,Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Unité Mixte de Recherche 1155, Paris, France
| | - Marine Cachanado
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Unité de Recherche Clinique, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Saint Antoine, Paris, France
| | - Alexandra Rousseau
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Unité de Recherche Clinique, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Saint Antoine, Paris, France
| | - Laura Wakselman
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Unité de Recherche Clinique, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Saint Antoine, Paris, France
| | - Pierre-Antoine Michel
- Department of Nephrology and Dialysis, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Tenon, Paris, France
| | - Fabrice Mihout
- Department of Nephrology and Dialysis, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Tenon, Paris, France
| | - Bertrand Dussol
- Department of Nephrology and Transplantation, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Marseille, Hôpital de la Timone, Marseille, France
| | - Marie Matignon
- Department of Nephrology and Transplantation, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Henri Mondor, Creteil, France; and
| | - Christiane Mousson
- Department of Nephrology and Transplantation, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, Dijon, France
| | - Tabassome Simon
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Unité de Recherche Clinique, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Saint Antoine, Paris, France
| | - Pierre Ronco
- Department of Nephrology and Dialysis, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Tenon, Paris, France; .,Sorbonne Universités, Université Pierre et Marie Curie Paris 06, Paris, France.,Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Unité Mixte de Recherche 1155, Paris, France
| | | |
Collapse
|
30
|
New insights into immune mechanisms underlying response to Rituximab in patients with membranous nephropathy: A prospective study and a review of the literature. Autoimmun Rev 2016; 15:529-38. [DOI: 10.1016/j.autrev.2016.02.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2016] [Accepted: 02/07/2016] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
|
31
|
Ramachandran R, Hn HK, Kumar V, Nada R, Yadav AK, Goyal A, Kumar V, Rathi M, Jha V, Gupta KL, Sakhuja V, Kohli HS. Tacrolimus combined with corticosteroids versus Modified Ponticelli regimen in treatment of idiopathic membranous nephropathy: Randomized control trial. Nephrology (Carlton) 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/nep.12569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Harsha Kumar Hn
- Department of Nephrology; Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research; Chandigarh India
| | - Vinod Kumar
- Department of Nephrology; Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research; Chandigarh India
| | - Ritambhra Nada
- Department of Histopathology; Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research; Chandigarh India
| | - Ashok Kumar Yadav
- Department of Nephrology; Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research; Chandigarh India
| | - Ajay Goyal
- Department of Nephrology; Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research; Chandigarh India
| | - Vivek Kumar
- Department of Nephrology; Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research; Chandigarh India
| | - Manish Rathi
- Department of Nephrology; Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research; Chandigarh India
| | - Vivekanand Jha
- Department of Nephrology; Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research; Chandigarh India
| | - Krishan Lal Gupta
- Department of Nephrology; Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research; Chandigarh India
| | - Vinay Sakhuja
- Department of Nephrology; Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research; Chandigarh India
| | - Harbir Singh Kohli
- Department of Nephrology; Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research; Chandigarh India
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Schieppati A, Remuzzi G. Pharmacotherapy options for membranous nephropathy. Expert Opin Orphan Drugs 2015. [DOI: 10.1517/21678707.2016.1125779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
|
33
|
Abstract
Membranous nephropathy is a major cause of nephrotic syndrome of non-diabetic origin in adults. It is the second or third leading cause of end-stage renal disease in patients with primary glomerulonephritis, and is the leading glomerulopathy that recurs after kidney transplantation (occurring in about 40% of patients). Treatment with costly and potentially toxic drugs remains controversial and challenging, partly because of insufficient insight into the pathogenesis of the disease and absence of sensitive biomarkers of disease activity. The disease is caused by the formation of immune deposits on the outer aspect of the glomerular basement membrane, which contain podocyte or planted antigens and circulating antibodies specific to those antigens, resulting in complement activation. In 2002, podocyte neutral endopeptidase was identified as an antigenic target of circulating antibodies in alloimmune neonatal nephropathy, and in 2009, podocyte phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R) was reported as an antigenic target in autoimmune adult membranous nephropathy. These major breakthroughs were translated to clinical practice very quickly. Measurement of anti-PLA2R antibodies in serum and detection of PLA2R antigen in glomerular deposits can now be done routinely. Anti-PLA2R antibodies have high specificity (close to 100%), sensitivity (70-80%), and predictive value. PLA2R detection in immune deposits allows for retrospective diagnosis of PLA2R-related membranous nephropathy in archival kidney biopsies. These tests already have a major effect on diagnosis and monitoring of treatment, including after transplantation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Ronco
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, UMR_S 1155, Paris, France; INSERM, UMR_S 1155, Paris, France; AP-HP, Department of Nephrology and Dialysis, Hôpital Tenon, Paris, France.
| | - Hanna Debiec
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, UMR_S 1155, Paris, France; INSERM, UMR_S 1155, Paris, France
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Remuzzi G. West Meets East. KIDNEY DISEASES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2015; 1:4-7. [PMID: 27536660 PMCID: PMC4934798 DOI: 10.1159/000382038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2015] [Accepted: 04/05/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Remuzzi
- IRCCS - Mario Negri Institute for Pharmacological Research, and Department of Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera, Ospedale Papa Giovanni XXIII, Bergamo, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Affiliation(s)
- David Jayne
- Vasculitis and Lupus Clinic, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, UK
| | | |
Collapse
|