The latest model has just arrived! A new experimental mouse model of PLA2R1-associated membranous nephropathy

Much akin to the explosion in number of known target antigens in membranous nephropathy, there has been a rapid expansion in the availability of animal models involving the first 2 antigens discovered in adult disease, phospholipase A2 receptor and thrombospondin type 1 domain-containing 7A. In this issue, Tomas et al. describe a novel mouse model of phospholipase A2 receptor–associated membranous nephropathy that shows great promise for investigating molecular mechanisms of disease and as an experimental system for testing existing and emerging therapies. Much akin to the explosion in number of known target antigens in membranous nephropathy, there has been a rapid expansion in the availability of animal models involving the first 2 antigens discovered in adult disease, phospholipase A2 receptor and thrombospondin type 1 domain-containing 7A. In this issue, Tomas et al. describe a novel mouse model of phospholipase A2 receptor–associated membranous nephropathy that shows great promise for investigating molecular mechanisms of disease and as an experimental system for testing existing and emerging therapies. Introduction of a novel chimeric active immunization mouse model of PLA2R1-associated membranous nephropathyKidney InternationalVol. 104Issue 5PreviewThe phospholipase A2 receptor 1 (PLA2R1) is the major target antigen in patients with membranous nephropathy (MN), an antibody-mediated autoimmune glomerular disease. Investigation of MN pathogenesis has been hampered by the lack of reliable animal models. Here, we overcome this issue by generating a transgenic mouse line expressing a chimeric PLA2R1 (chPLA2R1) consisting of three human PLA2R1 domains (cysteine-rich, fibronectin type-II and CTLD1) and seven murine PLA2R1 domains (CTLD2-8) specifically in podocytes. Full-Text PDF