A case of glomerulopathy showing podocytic infolding in association with Sjögren’s syndrome and primary biliary cirrhosis

• DOI: 10.1007/s10157-008-0093-y
• Publication Date: 2008-10-06T07:40:07Z
• Authors: Kentaro Koike; Yasunori Utsunomiya; Yoriko Ito; Satori Tokudome; Yoichi Miyazaki; Takahide Suzuki; Hideo Okonogi; Tetsuya Kawamura; Akio Yamada; Tatsuo Hosoya; Kensuke Joh
• Keywords: Male; 03 medical and health sciences; Sjogren's Syndrome; 0302 clinical medicine; Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary; Podocytes; Glomerular Basement Membrane; Humans; Middle Aged; Microspheres; 3. Good health

A 49-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with mild proteinuria. Prior to admission, he had been diagnosed as having Sjögren's syndrome in association with primary biliary cirrhosis. Examination of a renal biopsy under light microscopy revealed diffuse and global mesangial cell proliferation and a spike and/or bubbling formation of the glomerular basement membrane (GBM), resembling membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis. In contrast, immunofluorescent studies showed marked immunoglobulin and complement depositions in the mesangial areas; however, only faint granular IgG and IgA deposition was observed along the GBM. Interestingly, electron microscopy revealed that a microtubular structure, derived from podocytes, was present in the GBM. We present a case of glomerulopathy showing podocytic infolding in association with Sjögren's syndrome and primary biliary cirrhosis.