Nephritis articles from across Nature Portfolio

Mucosal associated invariant T (MAIT) cells reside in barrier organs, but their contribution to inflammatory processes in the kidneys is not fully known. Here authors find by single cell RNA sequencing that among the different MAIT cell subtypes found at steady state, a population with MAIT17 signature is expanded in both human crescentic glomerulonephritis and its mouse model, and these cells may play protective role in the disease.

The renoprotective effects of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ASCs) are enhanced through the transfer of EVs predominantly to M2 macrophages in the spleen, providing insights into therapeutic avenues for ASCs.

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.

T cells mediate injury in glomerulonephritis but mice devoid of T cells and B cells can also develop this disease. A new study shows that expression of the cytokine receptor common subunit γ and IL-15 in podocytes protects against crescentic glomerulonephritis, independent of B cells, T cells and natural killer cells.