Nephritis articles from across Nature Portfolio

Butyrophilin 2A2 is a member of the B7 costimulatory family that is expressed on antigen presenting cells and is linked to the regulation of T cells. Here the authors implicate butyrophilin 2A2 in enhancement of CD45 phosphatase activity within the immunological synapse during T cell activation, leading to expansion of regulatory T cells and reduction of proinflammatory Th17 CD4 T cells.

IgA nephropathy (IgA-N) involves mesangial cell proliferation. This study identifies glomerular endothelial (GE) cell clusters and inflammation-related molecules in mild IgA-N, showing GE cells trigger early inflammation

New studies in autoimmune kidney disease demonstrate the complex interplay between immune and non-immune cells that underlies kidney inflammation and fibrosis. Differences between these autoimmune responses and those observed in kidney allograft rejection, as well as insights from clinical responses to immunotherapy, provide further clues on key pathways driving kidney inflammation.

The diagnosis of glomerular disease relies largely on meticulous histological and laboratory investigations that continue to improve with technological advances. However, low-income countries such as Uganda lack this investigatory armamentarium and patients are often treated on the basis of suboptimal evidence.

The AURORA 1 study reports that low-dose voclosporin added to standard immunosuppressive treatment improved rate of remission in patients with lupus nephritis. Further studies are needed to investigate the long-term efficacy and tolerability of voclosporin and to compare the effects of this treatment with those of low doses of tacrolimus or ciclosporin.