title: The number of CD10-positive glomerular epithelial cells reflects renal prognosis in IgA nephropathy patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The glomerular epithelial cells play an important role in glomerular filtration of the kidney. The disruption of these cells contributes to the development of glomerulosclerosis. The present study was performed to elucidate whether loss of the glomerular epithelial cells is associated with renal injury in patients with IgA nephropathy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty renal biopsy specimens from IgA nephropathy, 12 from minor glomerular abnormalities and 5 from normal controls were observed. The specimens from IgA nephropathy were divided into 2 groups: Group IgA-1, including 11 patients who had received a follow-up renal biopsy because of deterioration of renal function, and Group IgA-2, consisting of the remaining 19 patients without follow-up biopsy. Immunohistochemistry was performed using a monoclonal antibody against CD10 antigen that appears on mature epithelial cells of glomeruli.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average number of CD10-positive glomerular epithelial cells (GECs) was significantly lower in IgA nephropathy than in either minor glomerular abnormalities or the normal controls. In IgA nephropathy, there were significant correlations of the GECs with renal functions. The GECs were reduced along with the progression of histopathological damage. In group IgA-1, the GECs were significantly reduced at the second biopsy compared with the first biopsy, and significantly fewer in group IgA-1 than in group IgA-2 at the first biopsy. The GECs showed a significant correlation with renal prognosis during the follow-up period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The reduction of GECs was associated with renal dysfunction, histopathological damage and renal prognosis. The GECs may be a useful predictor of renal prognosis in IgA nephropathy.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Internal Medicine, Kochi Medical School, Nankou-city, Kochi, Japan. asasaoka@med.kochi-ms.ac.jp
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sasaoka
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nishiya
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hosokawa
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Enzan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002452:Cell Count; D005260:Female; D005922:Glomerulonephritis, IGA / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D015260:Neprilysin / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D011379:Prognosis; D019459:Urothelium / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D015260:Neprilysin