A current multicentre study shows that anti-nephrin autoantibodies can be a reliable biomarker for idiopathic nephrotic syndrome, which occurs in diseases such as minimal change disease (MCD). These antibodies were much more frequent in patients with the respective diseases than in those with other kidney diseases or in healthy persons. The antibody level also correlates with the disease activity.
Furthermore, the authors could show in a mouse model that anti-nephrin antibodies cause direct damage to podocytes, leading to nephrotic syndrome with a clinical picture similar to MCD. The results of the study suggest that anti-nephrin autoantibodies may significantly contribute to diagnostics, progression monitoring and potentially even the development of therapeutic approaches in the future.
Read the complete study here: Hengel FE, et al. Autoantibodies Targeting Nephrin in Podocytopathies. N Engl J Med. 391(5):422-433 (2024).
Further information on anti-nephrin autoantibodies can be found here.
