Ultrastructure of Glomerular Basement Membrane in Active Heymann Nephritis Rats Revealed by Tissue-Negative Staining Method

Recently, we have developed a tissue-negative staining method, and successfully visualized fine meshwork structure of the glomerular basement membrane (GBM). To clarify the mechanism of proteinuria in active Heymann nephritis, we performed tissue-negative staining and investigated the ultrastructural alterations of the GBM. Active Heymann nephritis, the animal model of human membranous nephropathy, was induced in Lewis rats by the injection of proximal tubular brush border antigen, i.e. Fx1A. Urinary protein excretion was measured and histological studies were performed over 15 weeks following the Fx1A injection. Proteinuria developed at 10 weeks after injection (38.2 ± 7.4 mg/day) and progressively increased (160.2 ± 20.6 mg/day at 15 weeks). Capillary fine deposits of IgG and C3 were seen by immunofluorescence, and subepithelial electron dense deposits (EDD) by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Using the tissue-negative staining method, regular meshwork structure consisted of fine fibrils and pores (2.5 ± 0.7 nm in short dimension) was observed in the GBM of control rats. At 10 and 15 weeks after injection, the GBM, directly facing the endothelial side of EDD, contained enlarged pores and nephrotic tunnels. Mean values of the short dimension of enlarged pores were 2.9 ± 0.5 nm at 10 weeks and 3.1 ± 0.4 nm at 15 weeks, which were significantly larger than that of control rats (p < 0.01). The rest area of the GBM, including newly produced GBM covering the epithelial side of EDD, had no significant difference in size of the pores from control GBM and no tunnels. Although there was no significant difference in the size of enlarged pores between 10 and 15 weeks, the percentage area of GBM with impaired size barrier increased at 15 weeks (51.4 ± 8.1%) compared with 10 weeks (24.0 ± 8.3%) and related to severity of proteinuria. The density of the tunnels also increased at 15 weeks. In conclusion, immune deposits may affect the GBM biosynthesis and induce the defect of size barrier of the GBM, which is responsible for proteinuria in active Heymann nephritis.