NDT Advance Access originally published online on August 12, 2008
Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation 2009 24(1):149-155; doi:10.1093/ndt/gfn459
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Proteomic analysis of mononuclear cells of patients with minimal-change nephrotic syndrome of childhood
1 Pediatric Nephrology Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital, Geneva 2 Pediatric Nephrology Unit, Kinderspital, Zurich, Switzerland
Elsa González, Pediatric Nephrology Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital, 6 rue Willy-Donzé, 1211 Geneva 14, Switzerland. Tel: +41-22-382-46-03; Fax: +41-22-382-45-05; E-mail: ElsaGonzalez{at}mednet.ucla.edu
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Abstract |
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Background/Aims. Recently, peripheral blood mononuclear cell transcriptome analysis has identified genes that are upregulated in relapsing minimal-change nephrotic syndrome (MCNS). In order to investigate protein expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from relapsing MCNS patients, we performed proteomic comparisons of PBMC from patients with MCNS in relapse and controls.
Methods. PBMC from a total of 20 patients were analysed. PBMC were taken from five patients with relapsing MCNS, four in remission, five patients with other glomerular diseases and six controls. Two dimensional electrophoresis was performed and proteome patterns were compared.
Results. Automatic heuristic clustering analysis allowed us to pool correctly the gels from the MCNS patients in the relapse and in the control groups. Using hierarchical population matching, nine spots were found to be increased in PBMC from MCNS patients in relapse. Four spots were identified by mass spectrometry. Three of the four proteins identified (L-plastin, 
-tropomyosin and annexin III) were cytoskeletal-associated proteins. Using western blot and immunochemistry, L-plastin and -tropomyosin 3 concentrations were found to be enhanced in PBMC from MCNS patients in relapse.
Conclusions. These data indicate that a specific proteomic profile characterizes PBMC from MCNS patients in relapse. Proteins involved in PBMC cytoskeletal rearrangement are increased in relapsing MCNS. We hypothesize that T-cell cytoskeletal rearrangement may play a role in the pathogenesis of MCNS by altering the expression of cell surface receptors and by modifying the interaction of these cells with glomerular cells.
Keywords: cytoskeleton; L-plastin; minimal-change nephrotic syndrome; mononuclear cells
Received for publication: 15. 8.07
Accepted in revised form: 17. 7.08