Distribution spectrum and clinical significance of glomerular exostosin (EXT1) deposits in PLA2R-positive membranous nephropathy.

BACKGROUND

The discovery of antigen phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R) in 2009 ushered in the antigen-based study of membranous nephropathy. The further putative antigen exostosin 1/2 (EXT1/2) was described in 2019. However, the distribution spectrum of glomerular EXT1 deposits in membranous nephropathy has not been fully elucidated.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of biopsy-proven membranous nephropathy patients. Patients with complete baseline data and adequate tissue specimens were included in this study. Tests for glomerular expression of PLA2R and EXT1 and circulating anti-PLA2R antibodies were performed. Clinicopathological and outcome data were reviewed.

RESULTS

We included 626 patients, namely, 487 (77.8%) PLA2R-positive patients and 54 (8.6%) EXT1-positive patients; 32 (5.1%) patients were dual-positive for PLA2R and EXT1 (PLA2R + /EXT1 +). A higher percentage of dual-positive patients had low C3 levels (P < 0.001) and were more likely to have autoimmune diseases (P = 0.013) than PLA2R-positive and EXT1-negative (PLA2R + /EXT1-) patients. Kidney biopsy findings revealed that there was a higher percentage of glomerular IgG1, IgG2, IgA, C4, and C1q deposits (P < 0.05), "full-house" staining (P < 0.001), and stronger intensity of C1q staining (P = 0.002) in PLA2R + /EXT1 + patients. Based on Kaplan-Meier analysis, a higher percentage of PLA2R + /EXT1 + patients exhibited partial or complete remission of proteinuria. Furthermore, EXT1-positive expression was a favourable predictor for proteinuria remission, whereas interstitial fibrosis/tubular atrophy was an unfavourable predictor. A complement C3 level  < 0.79 g/L was independently associated with EXT1 positivity in PLA2R-positive membranous nephropathy.

CONCLUSIONS

We describe a subgroup of PLA2R and EXT1 dual-positive patients. Patients in this subset exhibited more signs of autoimmunity and more frequent clinical remission. In PLA2R-positive membranous nephropathy, a complement C3 level  < 0.79 g/L was independently associated with EXT1 positivity, which was a favourable predictor for proteinuria remission.