免疫印迹法分析抗SPIM抗体与临床应用

采用聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳和免疫印迹法分析不育症病人抗精浆免疫抑制物抗体（ＳＰＩＭ－Ａｂ）对特异抗原的免疫反应，并与ＥＬＩＳＡ法进行比较。结果表明，免疫印迹法检测血清、清浆ＳＰＩＭ－Ａｂ阳性率分别为３０．３％（３２／１０７）和２９．０％（３６／１２４），ＥＬＩＳＡ法检测分别为３３．６％（３６／１０７）和３１．５％（３９／１２４），Ｘ２＝１２９．５８，Ｐ＜０．０１．免疫印迹法分析的６８份不育症病人的血清、精浆ＳＰＩＭ－Ａｂ阳性样本中，４９份（７２．１％）与特异抗原的分子量１１００００和（或）９４０００区带发生免疫反应，１９份（２７．９％）与分子量５２０００区带反应，１３份（１９．１％）与分子量３６０００区带反应。提示大分子量ＳＰＩＭ抗原可能更容易诱导高效价ＳＰＩＭ－Ａｂ产生，并形成抗原抗体免疫复合物干扰生育。     

Incidence and outcome of antiglomerular basement membrane disease in Chinese

Background: Antiglomerular basement membrane (anti‐GBM) disease is an uncommon disease, especially among Asian population. Many reports and studies on this condition in the Caucasian population are available, but little information exists on anti‐GBM disease in Asians. To study the incidence and clinical characteristics of anti‐GBM disease among Chinese patients, we reviewed our experience of anti‐GBM disease in our hospital (Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong) from 1992 to 2003. Methods: All patients who were admitted for acute renal impairment, which was caused by crescentic glomerulonephritis associated with linear immunoglobulin G (IgG) staining on immunofluorescence, were included in the analysis. Serum anti‐GBM antibodies were detected by either enzyme‐linked immunofluorescence or indirect immunofluorescence. Ten patients were treated for anti‐GBM disease during this 11‐year period, yielding an incidence of approximately 0.6 cases per million population per year. Results: In this cohort, anti‐GBM disease predominantly affected older patients (mean age: 58.6 ± 21.7 years). Eight patients were aged between 60 and 80 years and there was a female preponderance (M:F = 2:8). The 1‐year renal and patient survival was 15% (95% CI 0–40%) and 70% (95% CI 42–98%), respectively. Most patients presented with non‐specific symptoms as well as impaired renal function. Detection of anti‐GBM antibody provided a good screening test for the disease. Antiglomerular basement membrane antibodies were not detected in two patients. All but two patients received steroid, cyclophosphamide and intensive plasmapheresis therapy. Haemoptysis occurred in four patients (40%), and usually lagged behind the renal presentation and commencement of treatment. Six patients required long‐term dialysis after the acute disease. Three patients died from the disease, two died from pulmonary complications and one died suddenly after a partial recovery of renal function. Conclusion: Antiglomerular basement membrane disease is uncommon among the Chinese population. It predominantly affects older patients, and prognosis is poor. Long‐term preservation of renal function after the initial attack is unusual.     

Anti-glomerular basement membrane antibody disease: a case report and a review of Japanese patients with and without alveolar hemorrhage

A 73-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because he had developed loss of appetite, abnormal behaviors, and consciousness disturbances that had begun in late February 1998. On admission, a renal biopsy was performed because of progressive deterioration of renal function, as evidenced by a serum urea nitrogen (UN) level of 109 mg/dl and a serum creatinine level of 16.3 mg/dl. Light microscopic examination showed severe cellular crescent formation with fibrin deposition in glomeruli and markedly degenerated Bowman's capsule. Immunofluorescence examination revealed linear deposits of IgG along glomerular basement membranes (GBM), and granular deposits of C3 on the GBM, as well as deposits of fibrinogen in Bowman's capsule. The patient was diagnosed as having anti-GBM antibody disease, based on negative results for myeloperoxidase (MPO)/proteinase-3 (PR-3)-anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA), high serum anti-GBM antibody titers, and the absence of pulmonary hemorrhage. He was treated with both combination therapy (cyclophosphamide and prednisolone) and plasmapheresis. In spite of the disappearance of anti-GBM antibody, his renal function did not improve, and he has been treated with regular hemodialysis since March 1998. We reviewed 49 cases of anti-GBM antibody disease in patients with alveolar hemorrhage (group A; Goodpasture's syndrome) and 39 cases in patients without it (group B) reported in Japan from 1975 to 1999, examining the differences between these groups, and we clarified the characteristics of these rare diseases in Japan. There was no difference in age, sex, and ANCA positivity between the two groups. The mortality rate was higher in group A (56.2%) than in group B (18.4%). About half of the patients underwent plasmapheresis, but it did not reduce the mortality rate or improve the renal prognosis. Received: November 20, 2000 / Accepted: November 19, 2001     

Detection of tumor-associated membrane proteins in prostate and bladder carcinomas by means of protein blotting

Summary Analysis of membrane proteins by Western blotting has revealed both overexpression of proteins of molecular weight 10–200 kD (in particular, of proteins of MW less than 43 kD) and increased glycosylation in a xenografted human small cell undifferentiated prostatic carcinoma, and in two xenografted human bladder tumor cell lines compared with preparations from normal human tissue. Of potential functional significance were: a) a 43 kD protein in the bladder line, UCRU-BL-13, which demonstrated increased synthesis and a marked increase in the degree of glycosylation, and b), a 28 kD ConA-binding protein in prostatic tissue which was absent in normal tissue, present in intermediate quantity in a benign hyperplasia and greatly overexpressed in small cell carcinoma. This study demonstrates the utility of the protein blotting/autoradiography technique for the investigation of tumor membrane proteins.     

Childhood thin GBM disease: review of 22 children with family studies and long-term follow-up

Thin glomerular basement membrane (GBM) disease is generally known to have a good renal prognosis, although renal insufficiency has sometimes been reported and the overlap with Alport syndrome implies that a good prognosis cannot be guaranteed. In order to shed light on long-term prognosis of thin GBM disease we have retrospectively evaluated 22 children with persistent haematuria and biopsy-proven thin GBM. Mean follow up was 7 years (range 2–17 years), mean age at onset was 7 years (range 1.5–15). Biopsies were performed a mean of 3.8 years after detection of hematuria. The light microscopy (LM) and immunofluorescence (IF) findings were essentially unremarkable in all of the children, while electron microscopy (EM) showed thinning of the GBM in all cases and no changes characteristic of Alport syndrome. The family history was positive for renal disease in 17 (77.3%) patients with hematuria in 8 (36.3%) families, and hematuria with renal failure (RF) or deafness in 9 (40.9%). It was completely negative for renal disease in 4 (18.2%) and unavailable in 1 (4.5%). Four patients (18%) showed a decline in renal function after 6, 8, 9 and 12 years of follow-up, and 1 of these also developed hearing impairment. None developed hypertension.Our study suggests that thin GBM disease is not always benign and a child with thin GBM should never be assigned such a prognosis, especially if there is a family history of renal impairment or deafness, where careful follow-up is needed due to the risk of late onset renal failure.     

Characterization of the peripheral retinopathy in X-linked and autosomal recessive Alport syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Alport syndrome is an inherited disease resulting in kidney failure, hearing loss and ocular abnormalities. Alport syndrome is however often unrecognized, and the aim of this study was to characterize the associated but rarely described peripheral retinopathy and determine whether its demonstration was diagnostically helpful. METHODS: Index cases were diagnosed with Alport syndrome on renal biopsy in themselves or a family member. Inheritance and affected status were determined using microsatellite markers at the COL4A5 and COL4A3/COL4A4 loci, respectively. Participants' eyes were dilated, and examined with direct and indirect ophthalmoscopy, and slit lamp biomicroscopy by an expert ophthalmologist who was unaware of the patients' disease status. RESULTS: Ten males and nine females with X-linked Alport syndrome and seven with autosomal recessive disease were studied. Of the 26 patients, 16 had central retinopathy (62%), and 19 patients had peripheral retinopathy (74%). The peripheral changes occurred in both males and females with X-linked and autosomal recessive Alport syndrome, and were more common when renal failure, hearing loss, lenticonus and the central changes were present, but were also noted in 3 X-linked carriers with normal renal function. CONCLUSIONS: The peripheral retinopathy occurs in X-linked and autosomal recessive Alport syndrome even when the central retinopathy is absent. Careful retinal examination and photography that includes the periphery is a safe and inexpensive method that may help in the diagnosis of Alport syndrome especially in carriers of X-linked disease.     

New insights into the molecular biology of the glomerular filtration barrier and associated disease

The glomerular filtration barrier of the kidney can no longer be considered as an inert and adynamic structure, viewed by electron microscopy. Molecular biology, medical genetics and protein chemistry have enabled us to further understand the complex structure and function of this highly specialized barrier of the kidney. Minor aberrations of physiology can lead to fatal disease. Recent advances in the understanding of the physiology of endothelial cells, glomerular epithelial cells and the glomerular basement membrane and its components, and how these relate to disease, will be considered systematically.     

Unusual glomerulopathy with atypical thickening of the glomerular basement membrane and intramembranous microparticles

A 57-year-old Japanese female was admitted because of edema, hypoproteinemia and proteinuria. Her histopathological findings of renal biopsy specimen were quite unique. Light microscopic findings suggested membranous glomerulonephritis, but no significant deposition of immunoglobulins or complements was detected in glomeruli by immunofluorescence. Electron microscopic examination revealed irregular thickening of the glomerular basement membrane (GBM). The GBM had no electron-dense deposits, but numerous microparticles varying in shape and size were present in all the thickened GBM and occasionally in the mesangium. The microparticles were round or oval in shape, and the size varied widely, measuring 25–290 nm (mostly 40–120 nm). The cytoplasmic infolding into the GBM by podocytes was seen. The large-sized particles had microgranules, mimicking free ribosomes seen in podocytes or endothelial cells. We conclude that cytoplasmic infolding and subsequent degradation may, partly, contribute to the formation of microparticles in the GBM.     

IgA肾病合并肾小球基底膜弥漫性变薄的临床特点及COL4A3/COL4A4的基因连锁分析

目的 对IgA肾病合并肾小球基底膜弥漫性变薄(TGBM-IgAN)患者的临床病理情况进行系统研究；并在TGBM-IgAN患者的家系中，初步探讨同薄基底膜肾病(TGBMD)相关基因COL4A3/COL4A4的关系。方法 根据透射电镜下GBM的厚度，以GBM的平均厚度小于250 nm及GBM变薄的范围至少达到50%为诊断GBM变薄的标准，明确GBM弥漫性变薄在散发性IgA肾病患者及肾脏病家族史阳性的患者中所占的比例。将234例IgA肾病患者分成合并GBM弥漫性变薄组(n=30)及正常GBM厚度组(n=204)，比较两组患者的临床和病理特点。应用2号染色体长臂分别与COL4A3/COL4A4基因连锁的微卫星体PAX3及HaeⅢ-酶切限制性多态性片段(RFLP)位点作为多态性遗传标记，对其中3个TGBM-IgAN的家系进行COL4A3/COL4A4基因连锁分析。结果 本研究中IgA肾病GBM正常厚度为(352.43±32.11) nm，TGBM-IgAN的GBM厚度为(205.56±23.48) nm。(1)在家族性IgA肾病患者中，TGBM-IgAN患者所占比例为31.8%(21/66)，明显高于其在散发性IgA肾病中所占比例11%(24/219)；(2)30例TGBM-IgAN患者临床特点:女性为主(20/30)，合并肾脏病家族史比例高，均有血尿，尿蛋白量少，预后较好；(3)3个TGBM-IgAN家系中，2个家系与COL4A3/COL4A4的连锁分析提示与COL4A3/COL4A4基因连锁，LOD值为1.53(θ=0)。结论 家族性TGBM-IgAN明显高于散发性患者，合并GBM弥漫变薄的呈家族聚集性发病的IgA肾病患者家系可能为薄基底膜肾病家系，建议在家族性IgA肾病的定义中应强调电镜下GBM形态和厚度的观察。     

Long-term renal changes in the Goto-Kakizaki rat, a model of lean type 2 diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes has become the single most frequent cause of end-stage renal disease. The Goto-Kakizaki rat is currently used as a model for lean type 2 diabetes, but its renal changes have not been fully characterized. We investigated long-term functional and structural renal changes in the Goto-Kakizaki rat to evaluate if this animal model resembles the changes observed in human diabetic kidney disease. METHODS: Urinary albumin excretion, creatinine clearance and blood pressure were measured at the age of 2, 8 and 14 months in 12 female Goto-Kakizaki rats and 10 female, non-diabetic Wistar rats. To study kidney morphology, kidney weight, glomerular volume, basement membrane thickness, mesangial fraction and total mesangial volume were determined at 14 months. RESULTS: Urinary albumin excretion rose progressively over time in both groups, but was significantly higher in Goto-Kakizaki rats than in Wistar rats. Creatinine clearance decreased over time in Goto-Kakizaki rats but not in Wistar rats. Blood pressure was in the normotensive range in all animals throughout the study. Kidney weight, glomerular volume, basement membrane thickness, mesangial fraction and total mesangial volume were significantly higher in Goto-Kakizaki rats than in Wistar rats. Body weight and blood glucose levels were higher, whereas serum insulin levels were not different or lower in Goto-Kakizaki rats compared with Wistar rats. CONCLUSION: The Goto-Kakizaki rat is a lean, hyperglycaemic, euinsulinaemic, normotensive experimental model of type 2 diabetes with robust functional and structural renal changes.     

Knockout of aminopeptidase A in mice causes functional alterations and morphological glomerular basement membrane changes in the kidneys

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The clinical and immunological features of the post-extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy anti-glomerular basement membrane disease

IntroductionExtracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) is a noninvasive modality to treat urolithiasis, with complications including tissue damage and hematoma of kidney parenchyma. Anti-glomerular basement membrane (GBM) disease is suggested to be a rare complication of ESWL since it was reported in several cases to occur after ESWL. However, the clinical and immunological features of the ESWL-associated anti-GBM disease have not been fully investigated so far.Case PresentationHere, we present the clinical, pathological, and immunological characteristics of three patients with the post-ESWL anti-GBM disease in our hospital. Anti-GBM disease occurred within a median of 22 months after ESWL treatment. It presented with similar clinical features to the classic anti-GBM disease, including fever, gross hematuria, and rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis (RPGN) with poor renal prognosis. Sera from all patients recognized the α3(IV)NC1 in GBM, but with IgG2 and IgG4 as the dominant IgG subclasses.ConclusionAlthough further exploration is required to prove the causal relationship in this rare condition, our study reminds physicians that patients developing acute renal insufficiency after ESWL should lead to the suspicion of anti-GBM disease and in-time diagnosis and treatment.     

Proteome analysis of round-headed and normal spermatozoa by 2-D fluorescence difference gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry

Globozoospermia is a severe form of teratozoospermia characterized by round-headed spermatozoa with an absent acrosome, an aberrant nuclear membrane and midpiece defects. Globozoospermia is diagnosed by the presence of 100% round-headed spermatozoa on semen analysis, and patients with this condition are absolutely infertile. The objective of this study was to investigate the differences in protein expression between human round- headed and normal spermatozoa. Two-dimensional （2-D） fluorescence difference gel electrophoresis （DIGE） coupled with mass spectrometry （MS） was used in this study. Over 61 protein spots were analysed in each paired normal/round-headed comparison, using DIGE technology along with an internal standard. In total, 35 protein spots identified by tandem mass spectrometry （MS/MS） exhibited significant changes （paired t-test, P 〈 0.05） in the expression level between normal and round-headed spermatozoa. A total of nine proteins were found to be upregulated and 26 proteins were found to be downregulated in round-headed spermatozoa compared with normal spermatozoa. The differentially expressed proteins that we identified may have important roles in a variety of cellular processes and structures, including spermatogenesis, cell skeleton, metabolism and spermatozoa motility.     

一例女性Fabry病并发薄基底膜肾病及其家系调查

目的 了解具有两种遗传性疾病,即Fabry病并发薄基底膜肾病（TBMN）的临床病理和基因突变特点以及家系患病情况。 方法 总结分析本院收治的1例41岁女性Fabry病并发TBMN患者的临床病理特征和基因突变情况,同时对家系成员进行调查及相关检测。 结果 先证者呈现典型的Fabry病的肾外临床表现,包括皮疹、神经痛、眩晕、耳鸣、肥厚型心肌病等,同时亦有蛋白尿、镜下血尿及高血压等肾脏受累表现;肾活检光镜下病理改变为局灶性节段性肾小球硬化（FSGS）,部分足细胞空泡变性;电镜下肾小球脏层上皮细胞胞质内多数髓磷脂小体形成,肾小球基底膜（GBM）弥漫性变薄,厚度为（216±31） nm。家系调查及基因突变检测显示先证者女儿除有典型Fabry病肾外表现外,亦有以血尿为主的肾脏症状。先证者的1个妹妹仅表现为镜下血尿。先证者及其女儿α-半乳糖苷酶 A（α-Gal A）活性分别为33和75活性单位（正常参考值为100~500活性单位）,且2人均携带新发现的GLA基因突变——1208ins21 bp及COL4A3基因多态性——c:3627 G>A（p:M1209I）。仅表现为镜下血尿的先证者的妹妹仅携带COL4A3基因的c:3627 G>A（p:M1209I）多态性,α-Gal A活性正常,无GLA基因突变。 结论 对于Fabry肾病患者呈现血尿,尤其是表现为家族性血尿时,应考虑并认真排除并发TBMN的可能。     

Crumbs2 Is an Essential Slit Diaphragm Protein of the Renal Filtration Barrier

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Long-term anti-glomerular basement membrane disease in the rat: a model of chronic giomerulonephritis with nephrosis, hypertension and progressive renal failure

SUMMARY: Current experimental models of glomerulonephritis focus on the acute phases of renal injury. Models replicating the features of human glomerulonephritis, including hypertension, protein-uria, hyperlipidaemia, renal fibrosis and renal failure, are lacking. the aim of this experiment was to define a rat model of glomerulonephritis that replicates the features of progressive glomerulonephritis in humans. Passive accelerated antiglomerular basement membrane disease was induced in inbred Sprague-Dawley rats. Age-matched control rats received pre-immunisation, but were given saline rather than nephrotoxic serum. Groups of diseased rats ( n =4–6) were killed at 4, 6 and 7 weeks, and tissues were extracted for histological assessment. Diseased rats developed renal failure over 7 weeks (91% reduction in creatinine clearance vs controls at week 7, P < 0.001). Proteinuria reached a plateau from week 2 to week 7 (269.1 ± 107.9 mg/24h vs 1.00 ± 0.18 mg/mL for controls at week 7, P < 0.001). Diseased rats became hyperlipidaemic (108% increase in cholesterol vs control, P <0.05) and hypertensive (38% increase in systolic blood pressure vs controls, P <0.001). Histology revealed progressive renal fibrosis and scarring, with fibrocellular crescent formation (93% of glomeruli by week 7), glomerulosclerosis and tubulointerstitial damage. α-Smooth muscle actin expression and interstitial matrix (collagen III) deposition increased progressively. Urinary transforming growth factor-β excretion was increased by over eightfold versus controls. This model of passive accelerated antiglomerular basement membrane disease simulates many clinical and pathological features of chronic giomerulonephritis in humans, and may provide a good model to test new therapies.     

Anti-glomerular basement membrane antibodies in the diagnosis of Goodpasture syndrome: a comparison of different assays.

BACKGROUND: The role of anti-glomerular basement membrane (GBM) antibodies in the pathogenesis of Goodpasture syndrome (GPS) is firmly established. Untreated, the disease may follow a fulminating course. Early identification of patients has important implications in terms of management and prognosis. Therefore, a diagnostic test for the determination of circulating anti-GBM antibodies, of very high sensitivity and specificity, is necessary. A number of assays, using different antigenic substrates, are available, but studies comparing the 'performances' of the different tests are scarce. METHODS: The aim of our work was to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of four immunoassay-based anti-GBM antibodies kits. Thirty-four serum samples from 19 GPS patients, 41 pathological and 28 normal controls were studied retrospectively (the follow-up samples were not included in the analysis of performance data). Cut-off limits were derived from receiver operating characteristics curve analysis. RESULTS: All the assays showed a comparable good sensitivity (between 94.7 and 100.0%), whereas specificity varied considerably (from 90.9 to 100.0%). The better performance in terms of sensitivity/specificity was achieved by a fluorescence immunoassay which utilizes a recombinant antigen. CONCLUSION: All the assays have a good performance, with high sensitivity; however, the specificity may vary considerably.     

Prevalence Estimates of Predicted Pathogenic COL4A3–COL4A5 Variants in a Population Sequencing Database and Their Implications for Alport Syndrome

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Deficiency of the Planar Cell Polarity Protein Vangl2 in Podocytes Affects Glomerular Morphogenesis and Increases Susceptibility to Injury

The planar cell polarity (PCP) signaling pathway is crucial for tissue morphogenesis. Van Gogh-like protein 2 (Vangl2) is central in the PCP pathway; in mice, Vangl2 loss is embryonically lethal because of neural tube defects, and mutations in Vangl2 are associated with human neural tube defects. In the kidney, PCP signaling may be important for tubular morphogenesis and organization of glomerular epithelial cells (podocytes) along the glomerular basement membrane. Podocyte cell protrusions (foot processes) are critical for glomerular permselectivity; loss of foot process architecture results in proteinuria and FSGS. Previously, we showed a profound effect of PCP signaling on podocyte shape, actin rearrangement, cell motility, and nephrin endocytosis. To test our hypothesis that the PCP pathway is involved in glomerular development and function and circumvent lethality of the ubiquitous Vangl2 mutation in the Looptail mouse, we generated a mouse model with a podocyte-specific ablation of the Vangl2 gene. We report here that podocyte-specific deletion of Vangl2 leads to glomerular maturation defects in fetal kidneys. In adult mice, we detected significantly smaller glomeruli, but it did not affect glomerular permselectivity in aging animals. However, in the context of glomerular injury induced by injection of antiglomerular basement membrane antibody, deletion of Vangl2 resulted in exacerbation of injury and accelerated progression to chronic segmental and global glomerular sclerosis. Our results indicate that Vangl2 function in podocytes is important for glomerular development and protects against glomerular injury in adult animals.     

举办学术论坛在中西医结合传染病专业研究生教学中的实践与思考

本文通过分析当前中西医结合传染病专业研究生教学的现状,从举办研究生论坛的筹备、实施、注意事项、体会等方面论述了实践经验和体会。实践证明,以研究生论坛为平台可显著激发学生学习积极性,培养科研兴趣,进而提升教学质量。