title: Quantitative analysis of glomerular type IV collagen alpha3-5 chain expression in children with thin basement membrane disease.
abstract: Thin basement membrane disease (TBMD) and Alport syndrome, two forms of childhood nephritis, have generally been considered to be hereditary diseases. In Alport syndrome, several reports have demonstrated pathogenic mutations of the genes encoding type IV collagen alpha3, 4 and/or 5 chain [alpha3, 4 and/or 5(IV)]. Previous immunohistochemical studies indicated that these antigens were absent from the glomerular basement membrane (GBM) in Alport syndrome, whilst a normal labeling pattern was maintained in TBMD. In order to understand the role of the alpha3, 4 and/or 5(IV) antigens in TBMD, we used confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) to examine cryosections of renal biopsies from 12 children with TBMD and 11 control children with IgA nephropathy (IgAN) without proteinuria. All tissue sections were stained with a mixture of FITC-conjugated rat monoclonal antibodies directed against human alpha3(IV), alpha4(IV) or alpha5(IV) and a Texas red-conjugated rat monoclonal antibody raised against human alpha2(IV). CLSM was performed and quantitative analysis of the ratio of the staining signal for alpha3(IV), alpha4(IV) or alpha5(IV) to alpha2(IV) [alpha3(IV), alpha4(IV) or alpha5(IV)/alpha2(IV)] along the GBM was determined. The average number of pixels for alpha3(IV), alpha4(IV) or alpha5(IV)/alpha2(IV) was 3.52 +/- 1.49, 3.54 +/- 1.25 and 1.09 +/- 0.49 in TBMD and 3.62 +/- 1.46, 3.99 +/- 1.53 and 1.77 +/- 0.47 in control subjects, respectively. Statistical analysis indicated that alpha5(IV)/alpha2(IV) ratio was significantly lower (p < 0.01) in children with TBMD compared to controls. These findings raise the possibility that TBMD might be caused by an abnormality of the alpha5(IV) antigen along the GBM.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Nara Medical University, 840 Shijo-cho, Kashihara City, Nara 634-8522, Japan.
authors.forename: Taku
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ueda
authors.forename: Mitsuru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakajima
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Akazawa
authors.forename: Yoshiyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Maruhashi
authors.forename: Hironobu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shimoyama
authors.forename: Yoshitugu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sakagami
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takagawa
authors.forename: Hidekazu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kamitsuji
authors.forename: Ichiro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Naito
authors.forename: Yoshikazu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sado
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yoshioka
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D001485:Basement Membrane / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D024141:Collagen Type IV / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006417:Hematuria / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D009154:Mutation; D009394:Nephritis, Hereditary / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D010375:Pedigree
chemical_list: D001324:Autoantigens; C466620:COL4A4 protein, human; D024141:Collagen Type IV; C057112:type IV collagen alpha3 chain