title: Fetal microchimerism in kidney biopsies of lupus nephritis patients may be associated with a beneficial effect.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Microchimeric male fetal cells (MFCs) have been associated with systemic lupus erythematosus, and published studies have further correlated MFC with lupus nephritis (LN). In the present study, we evaluated the frequency of MFC in the renal tissue of patients with LN.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-seven renal biopsies were evaluated: Fourteen were from women with clinical and laboratory findings of LN, and thirteen were from controls. Genomic DNA was extracted from kidney biopsies, and the male fetal DNA was quantified using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reactions for the detection of specific Y chromosome sequences.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MFCs were detected in 9 (64%) of 14 of patients with LN, whereas no MFCs were found in the control group (P = 0.0006). No differences in pregnancy history were found between patients with LN and the control group. Significantly higher amounts of MFCs were found in patients with LN with serum creatinine ≤1.5 mg/dl. Furthermore, women with MFCs had significantly better renal function at the time of biopsy (P = 0.03). In contrast, patients with LN without MFCs presented with more severe forms of glomerulonephritis (World Health Organization class IV = 60% and class V = 40%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data indicate a high prevalence of MFCs in renal biopsy specimens from women with LN, suggesting a role for MFCs in the etiology of LN. The present report also provides some evidence that MFCs could have a beneficial effect in this disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Laboratory of Immunology and Experimental Transplantation (LITEX), Avenida Brigadeiro Faria Lima 5416, 15090-000, Sao Jose do Rio Preto, Brazil. greicianesilva@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: Greiciane M S
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Florim
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Laboratory of Immunology and Experimental Transplantation (LITEX), Avenida Brigadeiro Faria Lima 5416, 15090-000, Sao Jose do Rio Preto, Brazil. heloisa@famerp.br.
authors.forename: Heloisa C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Caldas
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Laboratory of Immunology and Experimental Transplantation (LITEX), Avenida Brigadeiro Faria Lima 5416, 15090-000, Sao Jose do Rio Preto, Brazil. juliofamerp@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Julio C R
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: de Melo
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Laboratory of Immunology and Experimental Transplantation (LITEX), Avenida Brigadeiro Faria Lima 5416, 15090-000, Sao Jose do Rio Preto, Brazil. m_alice@terra.com.br.|Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Hospital de Base, Medical School of Sao Jose do Rio Preto (FAMERP), Avenida Brigadeiro Faria Lima 5416, 15090-000, Sao Jose Rio Preto, Brazil. m_alice@terra.com.br.
authors.forename: Maria Alice S F
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Baptista
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Laboratory of Immunology and Experimental Transplantation (LITEX), Avenida Brigadeiro Faria Lima 5416, 15090-000, Sao Jose do Rio Preto, Brazil. immfc2020@gmail.com.|Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Hospital de Base, Medical School of Sao Jose do Rio Preto (FAMERP), Avenida Brigadeiro Faria Lima 5416, 15090-000, Sao Jose Rio Preto, Brazil. immfc2020@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ida M M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.affiliation: Departament of Pharmacology, Faculty of Sciences Ribeirão Preto Pharmaceutical, University of Sao Paulo (FCFRP/USP), Avenida do Café s/n, 14040-903, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil. marcelasavoldi@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: Marcela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Savoldi-Barbosa
authors.affiliation: Departament of Pharmacology, Faculty of Sciences Ribeirão Preto Pharmaceutical, University of Sao Paulo (FCFRP/USP), Avenida do Café s/n, 14040-903, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil. ggoldman@usp.br.
authors.forename: Gustavo H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Goldman
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Laboratory of Immunology and Experimental Transplantation (LITEX), Avenida Brigadeiro Faria Lima 5416, 15090-000, Sao Jose do Rio Preto, Brazil. mabbud@terra.com.br.|Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Hospital de Base, Medical School of Sao Jose do Rio Preto (FAMERP), Avenida Brigadeiro Faria Lima 5416, 15090-000, Sao Jose Rio Preto, Brazil. mabbud@terra.com.br.|Institute of Urology and Nephrology, Rua Voluntários de São Paulo, 3826, 15015-200, Sao Jose Rio Preto, Brazil. mabbud@terra.com.br.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abbud-Filho
mesh_terms: D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D046528:Chimerism / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000473:pathology; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007668:Kidney / Q000473:pathology*; D016014:Linear Models; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D008181:Lupus Nephritis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012737:Sex Factors; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D003404:Creatinine