OBJECTIVETo study the expression and significance of nestin (a type of cytoskeletal protein) in normal and diseased human kidneys.

METHODSDiseased kidney tissues were obtained from needle biopsies in 32 patients with glomerulonephritis (including 8 cases of membranous glomerulopathy, 3 cases of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, 17 cases of IgA nephropathy with proteinuria and 4 cases of IgA nephropathy without proteinuria). Control kidney tissues were obtained from nephrectomy specimens for renal tumors. The expression of nestin in the control kidney tissues was studied using immunoelectronic microscopy and immunohistochemistry. The expression of nestin in the diseased kidney tissues was detected by immunohistochemistry and real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTSIn normal kidney tissues, nestin was detected at the periphery of glomerular capillary loops. Semi-quantitative morphometric analysis showed that the glomerular nestin expression level in cases of IgA nephropathy without proteinuria did not differ from that in the normal controls. However, the glomerular nestin expression levels in cases of IgA nephropathy with proteinuria, membranous glomerulopathy and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis were significantly lower than those in the normal kidneys and IgA nephropathy without proteinuria. The glomerular nestin expression levels inversely correlated with the 24-hour urine protein results.

CONCLUSIONNestin may play an important role in maintaining the normal function of podocytes in human kidney.