A new mouse model of anti-GBM disease sheds light on maternal transfer of alloantibodies in glomerular disease.

Abstract

Membranous nephropathy and anti-glomerular basement membrane glomerulonephritis are characterized by the deposition of antibodies that recognize specific glomerular epitopes. These antibodies may develop in autoimmune diseases, after exposure to new antigens or after passive maternal transfer, such as in neonatal membranous nephropathy secondary to in utero transfer of anti-neutral endopeptidase protein Igs. In this issue of Kidney International, Abrahamson et al. reported a murine model of passive anti-glomerular basement membrane disease caused by antibody transfer from pregnant mice to their offspring.