In our study, 67.2% of the DN cases showed linear IgG staining by IF, similar to that observed in previous studies [2]. Unlike other immune complex-mediated glomerular nephropathy, such as membranous nephropathy, DN with positive IgG had negative or trace complements along with GBM or TBM, and electron microscopy showed negative dense deposits along GBM/TBM. Eluates from DN kidneys do not contain anti-GBM antibody [15]. Furthermore, not only IgG but also albumin showed linear expression along GBM in DN cases, suggesting this kind of IgG deposition might occur more frequently as a consequence of renal injury [3, 4, 16].
Not all DN cases had positive expression of IgG subclass, and they showed different positive statuses among DN cases. IgG subclass is a very useful diagnostic tool for several renal diseases, including MN, heavy and light chain deposition disease, proliferative glomerulonephritis with polyclonal IgG deposition, and so on [7]. In our study, we found that IgG1 and IgG2 were major subclasses of GBM IgG expression in DN, which was consistent with another recent paper; however, researchers found no relation between the IgG subclass distribution along the GBM and clinicopathological data [17]. We also found that IgG1 was expressed along both GBM and TBM, while IgG2 was more restrictive along GBM, and IgG3 was more restrictive along TBM. The different locations of IgG subclass deposition are determined by both immunoglobulin profiles and the local environment. While the molecular size is similar among four subclasses of IgG, the cationic charge and serum concentration decreased in the order of IgG1, IgG2, IgG3, and IgG4 [6, 9, 18]. Owing to the anionic charge feature of GBM, the affinity of IgG subclass to GBM should be higher for IgG1 and IgG2 than IgG4 [19, 20]. Podocyte injury during the early stage of DN recognized the GBM matrix and induced GBM thickness [21]. The glomerular clearance of IgG4 increased, while IgG1 clearance decreased reciprocally in diabetes compared to that in the control [22]. Whether these changes of foamy GBM matrix contribute to all the different IgG subclass attractions remains unclear. For the TBM deposit of IgG, two possible mechanisms may be proposed. First, the glomeruli-filtered IgG is reabsorbed by tubular epithelial cells (TECs), and finally deposited along the TBM. TEC induces endocytosis of IgG via megalin/cubulin complex, and induces transcytosis via neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) for IgG [23]. In DN, megalin/cubulin expression is increased at early stage and decreased at late stage [24, 25]. One study showed that tubular reabsorption of IgG1 was moderately reduced and that of IgG4 remained at the same level in diabetes compared to that in controls [22]. TBM thickness is also detected in DN. Whether this kind of change contributes to the IgG deposit along TBM is unknown. We found that IgG1 and IgG3 were major subclasses for TBM deposition, potentially arising due to tubular selective reabsorption. Second, the interstitial IgG that leaks from peritubular capillary is trapped by TBM. We found that the group with IgG subclass deposition along TBM-only had a higher level of arteriosclerosis, suggesting this possibility. However, in contrast, no megalin/cubulin expression on the TBM side suggests a lower possibility of this mechanism.
Although IgG deposit is considered as a consequence rather than the cause of DN injury, several studies have indicated that IgG positivity is associated with poorer renal prognosis in DN [2, 17]. In our study, cases with both GBM and TBM IgG subclass deposition showed more proteinuria than those with TBM-only deposition, suggesting severe glomerular injury. However, the TBM-only group showed the lowest serum albumin levels, but not the highest proteinuria levels, suggesting well preserved tubular reabsorption, which was verified by less tubular KIM-1 expression. IgG subclasses are also critical for diagnosis and may correlate with progression, such as in MN [7]. In our study, IgG1 in glomeruli was associated with CD34 loss, thus indicating increased glomerular epithelial cell injury, while IgG2 in glomeruli was associated with GBM thickness, which might be due to IgG2 being the most stable antibody in terms of structure and long-term retention [26]. However, GBM thickening in DN is thought to be the result of podocyte injury, which disrupts the balance of GBM matrix synthesis and degradation [21]. Thickened GBM accompanied by glomerular endothelial cell injury prefers to trap IgG1 and IgG2, which is supported by complete overlap staining of IgG and its subclasses with collagen IV α5 [27]. Furthermore, cases with multiple IgG subclass deposition along TBM had less tubular injury, interstitial inflammation, as well as similar TBM thickness and IFTA score than those with isotype IgG subclass deposition, potentially indicating well preserved and less selective reabsorption by tubular epithelial cells in early-stage DN [22].
The limitations of this study should be noted. First, this is a descriptive study with an interesting finding, but mechanistic studies need to be performed in the future. Second, the sample size of the IgG3 positive group was limited, that resulted in difficulty of analysis of the clinicopathological features of this group, and which negatively impacted the comparison with other groups. Lastly, serum level and urine secretion of IgG subclass could not be analyzed due to the retrospective nature of the present study, and further prospective research is warranted.
In summary, IgG1 and IgG2 were major IgG subclasses deposited along GBM, while IgG1 and IgG3 were major IgG subclasses deposited along TBM in DN, which were determined by their profiles and severity of glomerular/tubular injury. IgG and its subclass deposition are not causal, but the consequence of renal injury and the positive statuses are associated with different DN injuries.