New Blood Test: PLA2R antibody for Membranous Glomerulonephritis
Home Blood Draw / Sample collection: 0334-2121-232
Membranous Glomerulopathy (MG) MG is a morphologic pattern of glomerulonephritis in which immune complexes deposit along the subepithelial aspect of the glomerular basement membrane. The molecular etiology of MG was recently discovered to be Podocyte Phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R) and its genetic susceptibility mutation was identified by Dr. Mohammad Saeed and colleagues (Saeed et al. 2014).
Antibodies against PLA2R are detected in 70-80% of patients with primary MG (Larsen et al. 2014). These findings are a major advance in the study of MG pathology, and has since then led to consequent developments in diagnosis and treatment of the disease.
Previously, diagnosis of autoimmune MG could only be made by kidney biopsy, histological examination or electron microscopy of the kidney tissue. These procedures were invasive, time consuming and costly. PLA2R antibody testing on blood samples using the sensitive IIFT method is safe and effective.
Ref:
Saeed M et al. (2014). Genes Immun. PMID: 25187357.
Larsen CP, et al. (2014). Am J Kidney Dis. PMID: 24731740.