Kidney Week

Abstract: SA-PO0840

Development of a Prototype Bridge Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) for Detection of Nephrin Autoantibodies

Session Information

• Glomerular Diseases: Management, Evolving Strategies, and Practice-Changing Advances
  October 24, 2026 | Location: Exhibit Hall A, Convention Center
  Abstract Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Category: Glomerular Diseases

• 1402 Glomerular Diseases: Clinical, Outcomes, and Therapeutics

Authors

• Deerberg, Andrea, EUROIMMUN Medizinische Labordiagnostika AG, Lübeck, Germany

Andrea Deerberg, PhD

• Rhein, Sina, EUROIMMUN Medizinische Labordiagnostika AG, Lübeck, Germany

Sina Rhein, PhD

• Radzimski, Christiane, EUROIMMUN Medizinische Labordiagnostika AG, Lübeck, Germany

Christiane Radzimski, PhD

• Mindorf, Swantje, EUROIMMUN Medizinische Labordiagnostika AG, Lübeck, Germany

Swantje Mindorf

• Cervasio, Danielle, EUROIMMUN US Inc, Mountain Lakes, New Jersey, United States

Danielle Cervasio, PhD

• Borchardt-Lohölter, Viola, EUROIMMUN Medizinische Labordiagnostika AG, Lübeck, Germany

Viola Borchardt-Lohölter, PhD

• Hengel, Felicitas E., Universitatsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany

Felicitas E. Hengel, DrMed

• Dehde, Silke, Universitatsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany

Silke Dehde

• Tomas, Nicola M., Universitatsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany

Nicola M. Tomas, MD

• Huber, Tobias B., Universitatsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany

Tobias B. Huber, MD, FASN

Background

Anti-nephrin autoantibodies binding in the kidney leads to failure of the glomerular filtration barrier and induces podocyte dysfunction leading to nephrotic syndrome [1]. Circulating anti-nephrin autoantibodies are common in patients with podocytopathies e.g. minimal change disease (MCD), and their levels correlate with disease activity [2]. The current gold standard for anti-nephrin antibody detection is immunoprecipitation (IP) [2,3]. Here we evaluate the performance of a prototype Bridge ELISA for the detection of anti-nephrin autoantibodies.

Methods

The performance of the prototype Anti-Nephrin Bridge ELISA was evaluated using a panel (n=40) comprising 8 anti-nephrin-positive serum samples from MCD patients precharacterized by IP [2], 29 sera from blood donors, and 3 anti-nephrin IgG positive control substances. Results were compared with those obtained with an in-house Anti-Nephrin ELISA with a conventional detection principle.
From the blood donors, 9 samples were additionally tested for anti-nephrin autoantibodies using IP. Agreement of qualitative results (n=17, 8 patients + 9 blood donors) between ELISAs and IP was calculated using Cohen’s kappa (k).

Results

The accuracy of the prototype was 100%. The agreement between results of IP and the prototype were perfect (k=1), but slight (k=0) between IP and the conventional ELISA. All patient sera had higher optical densities when analyzed with the prototype Anti-Nephrin Bridge ELISA than with the conventional ELISA.

Conclusion

The Anti-Nephrin Bridge ELISA could be a valuable tool for supporting precise and sensitive detection of anti-nephrin autoantibodies. Autoantibody quantification can support treatment monitoring of glomerular diseases and enhance treatment evaluation.

References:
[1] Watts et al, 2022. Discovery of Autoantibodies Targeting Nephrin in Minimal Change Disease Supports a Novel Autoimmune Etiology. J Am Soc Nephrology.
[2] Hengel et al, 2024. Autoantibodies Targeting Nephrin in Podocytopathies. New England Journal of Medicine.
[3] Liu P et al., 2025, Evaluation of methodologies in anti-nephrin autoantibody detection, Kidney Int

Funding

• Commercial Support – Euroimmun Medizinische Labordiagnostika AG