Detection of enteroviruses in renal biopsies from patients with immunoglobulin A nephropathy

Abstract

Viruses have been suspected to be one of the causes of IgA nephropathy (IgAN). Recent studies have detected viruses in renal tissues of patients with IgAN. Enteroviruses have been reported as pathogenic agents in some renal diseases. We previously reported that group B coxsackieviruses cause pathological changes in experimentally infected mouse kidney. The aim of the present study was to examine the participation of enteroviruses in the pathogenesis of renal diseases including IgAN. Renal biopsies of ten patients with IgAN (group 1) and of 19 patients with non-IgAN renal disease (group 2) were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the presence of enteroviral RNA. Positive PCR results were obtained for three patients (30%) of group 1. We confirmed by sequencing that the positive PCR products were derived from strains of enteroviruses. One of these three patients also had a positive result for lymphocytes from peripheral blood. In contrast, enteroviral RNA was detected in none of the 19 patients of group 2. The incidence of enteroviral RNA detection in patients of group 1 was higher than that in group 2 (P<0.05). Our findings suggest that enteroviral infection may have the possibility of becoming one of the factors involved in the mechanism of onset or evolution of IgAN.

The Combined Role of Galactose-Deficient IgA1 and Streptococcal IgA–Binding M Protein in Inducing IL-6 and C3 Secretion from Human Mesangial Cells: Implications for IgA Nephropathy

“…The onset and exacerbations of IgAN are commonly preceded by infections, often affecting the upper respiratory tract, and various infectious agents have been investigated as possible triggers of IgAN (13-19). In particular, interest has focused on group A streptococcus (GAS; Streptococcus pyogenes ), a common cause of respiratory-tract infections, which expresses surface-located M proteins.…”

Renal Effects of Coxsackie B4 Virus in Hyper-IgA Mice

“…Iwama et al (16) reported that Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-specific DNA in renal biopsies was detected by PCR in seven (58%) of 12 patients with IgAN, three (50%) of six patients with membranous nephropathy, none (0%) of 10 patients with minor glomerular abnormalities, and two (100%) of two patients with focal segmental lesions. We reported positive PCR for the presence of enteroviral RNA for three of 10 patients with IgAN and that enteroviral infection may play a role in the mechanism of onset or evolution of IgAN (12).…”

“…Recently, viral antigens were detected in renal tissues from patients with IgAN and viral DNA by PCR or in situ hybridization (12)(13)(14)(15)(16). Enteroviruses are established or suspected causative agents in numerous diseases.…”

Nephrotic syndrome in hand, foot and mouth disease caused by coxsackievirus A16: a case report

“…In fact, kidney disease caused by enterovirus is not unusual, and a study on 10 patients with IgA nephropathy detected enterovirus in three out of 10 biopsies. 5 To our knowledge, this is the first case report of glomerulonephritis caused by CVA16.…”