Eculizumab for paediatric patients with atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome: full dataset analysis of post-marketing surveillance in Japan.

Background: Eculizumab was approved for atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome (aHUS) in Japan in 2013. Post-marketing surveillance (PMS) was mandated by regulatory authorities to assess the safety and effectiveness of eculizumab in patients with aHUS in a real-world setting.

Methods: Paediatric patients in the PMS cohort who were <18 years of age at the first administration of eculizumab and diagnosed with aHUS [excluding Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli HUS, thrombotic thrombocytopaenic purpura and secondary thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA)] were included in the effectiveness and safety analysis.

Nephrotic syndrome relapse in a boy with COVID-19.

Clinical data on coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) in children during the management of nephrotic syndrome (NS) is lacking. Patients on prednisolone are compromised hosts at the risk of severe infections. Some infections may induce NS relapse.

Pathophysiological clinical features of an infant with hypertension secondary to multicystic dysplastic kidney: a case report.

Background: The association of hypertension with congenital renal hypoplasia has been established. We report a case of an infant who underwent nephrectomy for hypertension.

Case Presentation: Magnetic resonance imaging for the mother revealed fetal renal masses, and fetal multicystic dysplastic kidney was suspected.

Early tonsillectomy for severe immunoglobulin A nephropathy significantly reduces proteinuria.

Background: Early multiple-drug therapy for severe childhood immunoglobulin A (IgA) nephropathy prevents the progression of nephritis and improves the long-term prognosis. Recent studies have focused on the relationship between the pathophysiology of IgA nephropathy and tonsillar focal infection, and the efficacy of tonsillectomy with methylprednisolone pulse therapy in children has been demonstrated. However, no study has reported on the relationship between the period from diagnosis to tonsillectomy and the long-term prognosis of IgA nephropathy.

Role of cathepsin L in idiopathic nephrotic syndrome in children.

Nephrotic syndrome (NS) is one of the most common glomerular diseases in children. Glomerular podocyte dysfunction can result in proteinuria, the presence of a large amount of protein in the urine. Podocytes are unique epithelial cells that divide into 3 separate structural and functional segments: a cell body, major processes, and foot processes.

Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis related to a streptococcal infection in a girl with IgA deficiency: a case report.

Background: IgA deficiency associated with glomerulonephritis is rare. In particular, there is no prior report regarding the association between IgA deficiency and membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN) in children. Herein, we describe the case of a 5-year-old girl with selective IgA deficiency and MPGN.

Pathologic tonsillar findings similar to IgA nephropathy and the role of tonsillectomy in a patient with nephrotic syndrome.

Background: The pathological findings of tonsils in IgA nephropathy include the expansion of T-cell nodules around lymphoid follicles and abnormal reticulation of the crypt epithelium in contrast to chronic tonsillitis. Recently, several studies have reported that regulatory T cells play an important role in the maintenance of self-tolerance, an abnormality that is involved in the onset of nephrotic syndrome (NS). We encountered a patient of 28-year-old male with frequently relapsing nephrotic syndrome (FRNS) and chronic tonsillitis whose tonsils demonstrated pathological findings similar to those of IgA nephropathy.

An 18-Year-Old Male With X-linked Lymphoproliferative Syndrome Type 1 Who Developed Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma 6 Months After Primary Epstein-Barr Virus Infection.

X-linked lymphoproliferative syndrome type 1 (XLP1) is a rare congenital immunodeficiency disease. We report the case of an 18-year-old male who developed hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) with neurologic complications after primary Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection and subsequently developed EBV-related central nervous system lymphoma (CNSL). Given the vulnerability to EBV, he was finally diagnosed with XLP1 and treated with whole-brain irradiation along with chemotherapy and subsequent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation from a SH2D1A wild-type sibling donor.

Three patients with Schaaf-Yang syndrome exhibiting arthrogryposis and endocrinological abnormalities.

MAGEL2 is the paternally expressed gene within Prader-Willi syndrome critical region at 15q11.2. We encountered three individuals in whom truncating mutations of MAGEL2 were identified.

ErbB4 deletion accelerates renal fibrosis following renal injury.

Tubulointerstitial fibrosis (TIF) is a prominent factor in the progression of chronic kidney disease regardless of etiology. Avian erythroblastic leukemia viral oncogene homolog 4 (ErbB4) expression levels were inversely correlated to renal fibrosis in human fibrotic kidneys. In both unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) and ischemia-reperfusion injury followed by uninephrectomy (IRI/UNx) mouse models, expression levels of ErbB4 were elevated in the early stage of renal injury.

Minimal change nephrotic syndrome and prohibitin-2 gene polymorphism.

Background: Patients with minimal change nephrotic syndrome (MCNS) often also have allergic diseases. Abnormalities of Th2-derived cytokines and T-cell functions contribute to development of these diseases. On the other hand, imbalances between reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidants have been implicated in MCNS and progression of atopic dermatitis.

Heterozygous p.S811F RET gene mutation associated with renal agenesis, oligomeganephronia and total colonic aganglionosis: a case report.

Background: Several shared common gene networks participate in development of interstinal ganglia and also nephron formation; the glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor/Ret/glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor receptor gene network is particularly important.

Case Presentation: We encountered a patient with total colonic aganglionosis as well as right renal agenesis and oligomeganephronia. Gene analysis in this patient disclosed a heterozygous p.

Cyclosporine A induced histological changes of Cathepsin L and CD2AP expression in renal glomeruli and tubules.

Background: Cyclosporine A (CsA) is used globally as an immunosuppressant for the treatment of immune-mediated nephrotic syndrome (NS). However, its long-term use causes nephrotoxicity characterized by tubulointerstitial injury and glomerulosclerosis. The present study aimed to investigate the associations between histomorphological findings and immunohistological expression of Cathepsin L (CatL) and CD2-associated protein (CD2AP) in patients with NS mediated with CsA.

Clinical and genetic characteristics of Japanese nephronophthisis patients.

Background: Nephronophthisis (NPH) accounts for 4-5 % of end-stage renal disease occurring in childhood.

Method: We investigated the clinical context and characteristics of renal and extrarenal symptoms, as well as the NPHP genes, in 35 Japanese patients with clinical and histologic features suggesting NPH.

Results: NPH occurred fairly uniformly throughout Japan irrespective of region or gender.

Tubulointerstitial nephritis complicating IVIG therapy for X-linked agammaglobulinemia.

Background: Patients with X-linked agammaglobulinemia (XLA) develop immune-complex induced diseases such as nephropathy only rarely, presumably because their immunoglobulin (Ig) G concentration is low. We encountered a patient with XLA who developed tubulointerstitial nephritis during treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG).

Case Presentation: A 20-year-old man was diagnosed with XLA 3 months after birth and subsequently received periodic γ-globulin replacement therapy.

Childhood Cogan syndrome with aortitis and anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated glomerulonephritis.

Cogan syndrome is a systemic disease manifesting interstitial keratitis, sensorineural hearing loss, tinnitus, and rotatory vertigo. Renal complications of this syndrome are very rare. We encountered an adolescent with Cogan syndrome complicated by aortitis and anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated glomerulonephritis.

Deletion of ErbB4 accelerates polycystic kidney disease progression in cpk mice.

ErbB4 is highly expressed in the cystic kidneys with polycystic kidney diseases. To investigate its potential role in cystogenesis, cpk mice carrying a heart-rescued ErbB4 deletion were generated. Accelerated cyst progression and renal function deterioration were noted as early as 10 days postnatally in cpk mice with ErbB4 deletion compared to cpk mice, as indicated by increased cystic index, higher kidney weight to body weight ratios, and elevated BUN levels.

A novel OCRL1 mutation in a patient with the mild phenotype of Lowe syndrome.

Oculocerebrorenal syndrome of Lowe (OCRL, OMIM 309000), also known as Lowe syndrome, is a rare X-linked multisystem disorder characterized by congenital cataracts, mental retardation, and Fanconi syndrome of the kidney proximal tubules. Lowe syndrome is caused by mutations in the gene encoding a member of the inositol polyphosphate-5-phosphatase protein family (OCRL1) on chromosome Xq26.1.

Cyclosporin A may cause injury to undifferentiated glomeruli persisting in patients with Alport syndrome.

Background/aims: Alport syndrome (AS) is a renal disorder caused by a genetic abnormality of type IV collagen α3 and α4, or α5 genes and shows a poor prognosis. Since the defect of type IV collagen synthesis disturbs the maturation process of the glomerular capillary loop, residual immature glomeruli persist after birth. The therapeutic efficacy of cyclosporin A (CyA) for AS patients seems to be controversial.

Low nitric oxide bioavailability upregulates renal heparin binding EGF-like growth factor expression.

Decreased nitric oxide bioavailability has an important role in the initiation and progression of diabetic nephropathy, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we found that heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor (HB-EGF) expression levels increased in the kidneys of both endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS)-knockout and eNOS-knockout diabetic (Lepr(db/db)) mice as early as at 8 weeks of age. Further increases in expression were only seen in eNOS-knockout diabetic mice and paralleled the progression of glomerulopathy.

Pediatric left renal vein entrapment syndrome diagnosed by 99mTc-albumin-conjugate scintigraphy.

Background/aims: Procedures for diagnosis of left renal vein entrapment syndrome (LRVES) in children have been either invasive or limited in accuracy. We examined scintigraphy with (99m)Tc-diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid-conjugated human serum albumin ((99m)Tc-HSA-D) scintigraphy in childhood LRVES, demonstrating selective left renal nuclides excretion. We also measured peak velocity using pulse Doppler ultrasonography, calculating pressure differences between inferior vena cava and left renal vein using a simplified Bernoulli equation.

Cure of relapsing nephrosis by an allogeneic marrow graft for chronic myelogenous leukemia.

Background: Minimal-change nephrotic syndrome has recently been attributed to an immature, dysfunctional T-cell population.

Case-diagnosis/treatment: A woman, now 23 years old, developed nephrotic syndrome when she was 6 years old. Despite treatment with steroids and immunosuppressants such as cyclosporine, mizoribine, mycophenolate mofetil, and tacrolimus, the patient relapsed 14 times.

CSF-1 signaling mediates recovery from acute kidney injury.

Renal tubule epithelia represent the primary site of damage in acute kidney injury (AKI), a process initiated and propagated by the infiltration of macrophages. Here we investigated the role of resident renal macrophages and dendritic cells in recovery from AKI after ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury or a novel diphtheria toxin-induced (DT-induced) model of selective proximal tubule injury in mice. DT-induced AKI was characterized by marked renal proximal tubular cell apoptosis.

Periodic fever, aphthous stomatitis, pharyngitis, and adenitis (PFAPA) syndrome and IgA nephropathy.

Background: A syndrome of periodic fever, aphthous stomatitis, pharyngitis, and adenitis (PFAPA), as well as immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN), may be caused by autoimmune reactivity nephropathy.

Case-diagnosis/treatment: A 10-year-old boy presented with periodic fever, exudative tonsillitis, oral aphthous ulcer, and cervical lymph node inflammation. These conditions had occurred at intervals of about 2-6 weeks since the age of 3 years.