Abstract: SA-PO0853
A Single-Center Study Using Cell-Based Indirect Immunofluorescence to Detect Nephrin Autoantibodies Across Subtypes of Nephrotic Syndrome in Children
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
- Yu, Sijie, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Chen, Qilin, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Ye, Xinyi, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Zhang, Gaofu, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Wang, Mo, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Yang, Haiping, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
Background
Anti-nephrin autoantibodies in the circulation are important biomarkers of disease activity in nephrotic syndrome (NS), but different detection methods have different reports on their positive detection rates. At present, there is still a lack of cell-based indirect immunofluorescence (CBA) for different clinical subtypes (SSNS, SDNS and SRNS) in Chinese children with NS research.
Methods
This study was a single-center cross-sectional observational study. A total of 106 children with primary NS aged 1-18 years in Children 's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University were included and divided into newly diagnosed NS group (n=26) and recurrent NS group (n=80). Patients in the recurrent stage were further divided into SDNS and SRNS. The CBA was used to detect circulating anti-nephrin autoantibodies. HEK293 cells stably expressing full-length human nephrin protein were used as antigen substrates.
Results
Among 26 children with newly diagnosed NS, 10 cases were positive for anti-nephrin antibody, with a positive rate of 38.5 %. Among the 80 children with recurrent NS, 31 were positive, with a positive rate of 38.8 %. The overall positive rate of the whole cohort was 38.7 % (41/106). Among the recurrent positive children, 25 cases were SDNS and 6 cases were SRNS (FSGS confirmed by biopsy). The positive rate of SRNS/FSGS subgroup was higher than that of SDNS subgroup, which was consistent with the clinical characteristics of more severe proteinuria and more severe podocyte injury in this subgroup. Compared with antibody-negative children, antibody-positive children had heavier proteinuria, lower serum albumin, and higher serum cholesterol (P<0.05). The antibody level was positively correlated with 24-hour urinary protein quantification (r=0.49, P<0.01), and negatively correlated with serum albumin (r=−0.43, P<0.01). The specificity of CBA method in the differential diagnosis of NS and non-NS glomerular diseases was more than 95%.
Conclusion
In our clinical center, the overall positive rate of anti-nephrin autoantibodies in children with primary NS was about 38.7 % by CBA method, indicating that this method can be used to screen children with positive anti-nephrin autoantibodies for precise management.