Primary membranous nephropathy (pMN) is an autoimmune disease characterised by the accumulation of immune complexes in the renal glomeruli. It is the most common cause of nephrotic syndrome in adults.
Antibodies to the phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R) occur in 70% to 80% of patients. Less frequently (in up to 10%), antibodies against thrombospondin type-1 domain-containing 7A (THSD7A) are determined. The detection of antibodies in serum is crucial for the diagnosis of pMN and may make a kidney biopsy unnecessary. In addition, disease activity and therapy response can be monitored by the measurement of the autoantibodies.
Do you suffer from membranous nephropathy? Learn more about the disease, its diagnosis and therapy monitoring.
Are you a physician or laboratory technician? Here you will find detailed information on the disease, laboratory diagnostics and therapy monitoring.
Are you interested in further specialised information? Exciting scientific lectures and webinars on membranous nephropathy can be found here.
April
Final episode of the Autoimmune Nephrology Webinar Series
In the third part of our webinar series, Dr. Benard Collins, Technical Director of the R&D Immunopathology at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, will speak about the available tests for detection of autoantibodies in MN and describe the strategy for the discovery of novel MN antigens in renal biopsies. Join us on April 21, 11:00 AM ET (5:00 PM CET) for his presentation, “Detection of PLA2R and Other Antigens in Renal Biopsies as a Cause of Primary Membranous Nephropathy” .
Watch teaser video. March
Autoimmune nephrology webinar series enters second round
Following the successful launch of the webinar series in February, Jean Francis, MD, medical director of kidney transplantation at Boston University Medical Center (BUMC), will discuss the importance of anti-PLA2R antibodies in monitoring kidney transplant patients with MN in his presentation "The role of PLA2R testing in pre- and post-renal transplant monitoring in membranous nephropathy" on 24 March 2022, 11:00 AM ET (4:00 PM CET).
Missed the first episode? Watch Dr. Beck's presentation here. February
Webinar series starts with a talk on “The Role of PLA2R and other Biomarkers in the Diagnosis of MN” given by Dr. Laurence Beck
Our upcoming webinar series on the topic of autoimmune nephrology will start with a webinar on "The Role of PLA2R and other Biomarkers in the Diagnosis of MN" given by Laurence Beck, MD, PhD on February 17th 2022, 11:00 AM ET (5:00 PM CET). Dr. Beck from Boston University School of Medicine is one of the leading experts in the field of autoimmune nephrology and membranous nephropathy (MN). In his presentation, he will address the pathogenesis of MN and the importance of anti-PLA2R and other biomarkers in MN diagnosis and monitoring.
Program flyer15.11.2021
New guideline recognises anti-PLA2R as a significant biomarker for membranous nephropathy
In October 2021, the organisation KDIGO (Kidney Disease: Improving Clinical Outcomes) published an updated version of the clinical guideline for the management of patients with glomerulonephritis. In it, it recommends the determination of anti-PLA2R antibodies for the diagnosis of primary membranous nephropathy, as well as its prognosis and treatment monitoring.
Read more on our blog.