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International audience; Primary membranous nephropathy (MN) is an autoimmune glomerular disease in which autoantibodies are directed against podocyte proteins. In about 80% of cases the main targeted antigen is the phospholipase A2 receptor 1 (PLA2R1). Anti-PLA2R1 antibodies are mainly immunoglobulin G type 4 (IgG4). However, the antigenic target remains to be defined in 20% of cases. MN can be associated with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, an autoimmune disease of the peripheral nervous system where a common antigenic target has yet to be identified. To ascertain a possible novel target antigen, we analyzed kidney biopsies from five patients positive for anti-contactin 1 antibodies and presenting with MN combined with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy. Eluted IgG from biopsy sections against contactin 1 and nerve tissue were screened. Western blot revealed contactin 1 expression in normal kidney glomeruli. Confocal microscopic analysis showed the presence and colocalization of contactin 1 and IgG4 on the glomerular basement membrane of these patients. Glomerular contactin 1 was absent in patients with anti-PLA2R1-associated MN or membranous lupus nephritis or a healthy control. The eluted IgG from contactin 1-positive biopsy sections but not the IgG eluted from patients with PLA2R1 MN bound conactin 1 with the main eluted subclass IgG4. Eluted IgG could bind paranodal tissue (myelinated axon) and colocalized with commercial anti-conactin 1 antibody. Thus, contactin 1 is a novel common antigenic target in MN associated with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy. However, the precise pathophysiology remains to be elucidated.

Introduction Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are characterized by a high prevalence of associated autoimmune manifestations. Kidney involvement has been rarely reported in MDS patients. We report on the spectrum of kidney pathological findings in MDS patients. Methods We retrospectively identified MDS patients who had undergone a kidney biopsy between 2001 and 2019 in nine Swiss and French nephrology centres. Results Nineteen patients (median age 74 years [63-83]) were included. At the time of kidney biopsy, eleven (58%) patients had extra-renal auto-immune manifestations and sixteen (84%) presented with acute kidney injury. Median serum creatinine at diagnosis was 2.8 mg/dL [0.6-8.3] and median urinary protein to creatinine ratio was 1.2 g/g [0.2-11]. Acute tubulo-interstitial nephritis (TIN) was present in seven (37%) patients. Immunofluorescence study in one patient with acute TIN disclosed intense IgG deposits along the tubular basement membrane and Bowman’s capsule. Other kidney pathological features included ANCA-negative pauci-immune necrotizing and crescentic glomerulonephritis (n = 3), membranous nephropathy (n = 2), IgA nephropathy (n = 1), IgA vasculitis (n = 1), immunoglobulin-associated membrano-proliferative glomerulonephritis type I (n=1), crescentic C3 glomerulopathy (n = 1), fibrillary glomerulonephritis (n = 1) and minimal change disease (n = 1). Eleven (58%) patients received immunosuppressive treatments, among whom one developed a severe infectious complication. After a median follow-up of 7 month [1-96], nine (47%) patients had chronic kidney disease stage 3 (n = 6) or 4 (n = 3) and five (26%) progressed to end-stage kidney disease. Three patients died. Conclusions MDS are associated to several autoimmune kidney manifestations, predominantly acute TIN. MDS are to be listed among the potential causes of autoimmune TIN., Graphical abstract

Background The kidney is a major target in primary antiphospholipid syndrome. Several types of nephropathy have been reported, the most frequent being acute or chronic specific vascular nephropathies and membranous nephropathy. Case presentation A 59-year-old male presented in our unit with nephrotic syndrome. He had a history of primary antiphospholipid syndrome with lupus anticoagulant treated with vitamin K antagonist therapy. On admission, antiphospholipid (lupus anticoagulant) and anti-PLA2R antibodies were positive. Screening for secondary etiologies was negative. In the context of primary antiphospholipid syndrome treated with vitamin K antagonist therapy, we did not perform a biopsy and we treated the patient with angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitor. No remission was observed at 6 months with persistent anti-PLA2R antibodies while antiphospholipid antibody level became negative. Consequently, kidney biopsy was performed showing both membranous nephropathy with PLA2R in deposits on immunohistochemistry with IgG4 dominance and antiphospholipid syndrome chronic vascular nephropathy. Following that, treatment with rituximab was started with secondarily a decrease in serum PLA2R antibody levels and partial remission. Conclusion We report the first association between primary antiphospholipid syndrome and membranous nephropathy with anti-PLA2R antibodies. Our observations could suggest a causal link between primary antiphospholipid syndrome and PLA2R-related membranous nephropathy. Consequently, it would be interesting to screen for anti-PLA2R antibodies for further cases of nephrotic syndrome in patients with primary antiphospholipid syndrome and to search antiphospholipid antibodies in all membranous nephropathies.

International audience; One third of operated breast cancers are clinically occult.1 Nonpalpable breast cancers (NPBC) require accurate intraoperative guidance to achieve complete tumor removal.1 Incomplete removal of lesions increases the rate of reexcision, worsening patient's discomfort, and cosmetic outcomes.1 Localization techniques suffer from various limitations. Indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence is commonly used for intraoperative identification of sentinel lymph nodes (SLN).2 Its pertinence for NPBC is still underestimated. Darkness required in surgery room with available cameras has been a limitation for its use. We evaluated ICG method for NPBC localization, guided by a probe in ambient light, inspired by radioguided occult lesion localization (ROLL).

Background Essure is an effective method for hysteroscopic sterilization. Reports of adverse effects, the underlying mechanisms of which are unknown, have increased in recent years. Objective The aim of the study was to determine whether there is a relationship between adverse events attributed to Essure and nickel sensitization. Methods Patients presenting alleged adverse reactions to Essure were referred for nickel patch testing before removal. Data regarding medical history of nickel sensitization and symptoms attributed to Essure were collected. Dimethylglyoxime spot tests were performed on the explanted Essure. There was a follow-up at 3 months to evaluate whether there is improvement of the symptoms after Essure removal. Conclusions Nickel sensitization via the classic delayed hypersensitivity pathway did not seem to be responsible for adverse events attributed to Essure. Among systemic symptoms reported, extracutaneous symptoms had the highest prevalence. Systemic contact dermatitis to nickel could not be ruled out in one case.

International audience; Mastitis frequently affects women of childbearing age. Of all the pathological breast conditions requiring specific management, autoimmune mastitis is in the third position after infection and breast cancer. The aim of this literature review was to make a comprehensive description of autoimmune diseases targeting the mammary gland. Four main histological patterns of autoimmune mastitis are described: (i) lymphocytic infiltrates; (ii) ductal ectasia; (iii) granulomatous mastitis; and (iv) vasculitis. Our literature search found that all types of autoimmune disease may target the mammary gland: organ-specific diseases (diabetes, thyroiditis); connective tissue diseases (such as systemic erythematosus lupus or Sjögren’s syndrome); vasculitides (granulomatosis with polyangiitis, eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis, giant cell arteritis, polyarteritis nodosa, Behçet’s disease); granulomatous diseases (sarcoidosis, Crohn’s disease); and IgG4-related disease. Cases of breast-specific autoimmune diseases have also been reported, including idiopathic granulomatous mastitis. These breast-limited inflammatory diseases are sometimes the first symptom of a systemic autoimmune disease. Although autoimmune mastitis is rare, it is probably underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed. Early diagnosis may allow us to detect systemic diseases at an earlier stage, which could help to initiate a prompt, appropriate therapeutic strategy. In case of suspected autoimmune mastitis, we hereby propose a diagnostic pathway and discuss the potential pathophysiological pathways leading to autoimmune breast damage.

International audience; A 33-year-old woman presented with left breast chronic wound. Her past medical history was unremarkable, except tobacco use (

Introduction En dehors du contexte d’hepatites virales, les atteintes hepatiques liees aux vascularites cryoglobulinemiques restent une eventualite rare. Observation Un homme de 65 ans aux antecedents d’accident vasculaire cerebral ischemique, consulte pour une dyspnee progressive, une alteration de l’etat general en lien avec un syndrome inflammatoire. Les premieres explorations revelent des opacites pulmonaires migratrices, quelques adenopathies mediastinales et une hepato-splenomegalie. Les hypotheses infectieuses sont ecartees. Apres quelques mois d’evolution, il est hospitalise. On note une elevation persistante de la CRP a 115 mg/l, une anemie mixte inflammatoire et ferriprive, une hypergammaglobulinemie polyclonale, une glomerulonephrite caracterisee par une majoration progressive de la creatinemie de 90 a 120 μmo/L avec ratio proteine/creatine urinaire a 121 mg/mmoL en presence d’une hematurie microscopique. Le scanner montre une regression spontanee des opacites pulmonaires en faveur d’une pneumonie organisee cryptogenique, alors que la bronchoscopie avec lavage bronchiolo-alveolaire revele une hemorragie intra-alveolaire (score de Golde a 274). Le bilan immunologique decele des anticorps anti-nucleaires positifs a 1/320, avec anti ADN a 41 UI/mL, une consommation des fractions C3 et C4 du complement, un test de Coombs positif sans hemolyse. Il n’y a par ailleurs pas d’ANCA, pas d’anti-MBG, pas de facteur rhumatoide, la recherche d’antiphospholipides est negative. On detecte la presence d’une cryoglobulinemie de type II sur 3 prelevements. Les serologies des hepatites virales sont negatives. Par ailleurs, le syndrome sec est confirme au test de Schirmer et il existe une sialadenite lymphocytaire avec un focus score a 1 sur la biopsie des glandes salivaires accessoires. L’histologie renale montre une glomerulonephrite necrosante focale a depots d’IgM, C1q et C3, compatible avec une atteinte de la cryoglobuline. L’histologie hepatique revele un aspect de syndrome d’obstruction sinusoidale avec depots d’IgM, C1q et C3 similaires a ceux observes au niveau renal, orientant vers une atteinte specifique de la cryoglobulinemie. Par ailleurs, l’ensemble de prelevements, incluant la biopsie osteomedullaire, ecartent un syndrome lympho-proliferatif associe. Nous concluons a une vascularite cryoglobulinemique pulmonaire, hepatique et renale, compliquant un lupus avec Sjogren secondaire. Le traitement par corticotherapie a 1 mg/kg associe au RITUXIMAB 375 mg/m2 hebdomadaire permet une rapide amelioration clinique et paraclinique. Discussion La presentation initiale d’une vascularite systemique avec syndrome pneumo-renal chez un sujet masculin d’âge mur nous a d’abord fait evoquer une vascularite a ANCA. Toutefois, la confrontation du tableau clinique aux resultats immunologiques et a l’histologie a finalement conforte l’hypothese d’une vascularite cryoglobulinemique. L’organomegalie et le terrain pouvaient faire craindre une hemopathie sous-jacente, qui a ete ecartee. Finalement, malgre les atypies, le diagnostic de lupus systemique associe a un syndrome de Sjogren secondaire a ete retenu. L’hemorragie intra-alveolaire est une atteinte rare mais decrite dans le cadre d’une cryoglobulinemie et d’un lupus [1] , [2] , [3] . Par ailleurs, les atteintes hepatiques liees aux cryoglobulinemies ont ete decrites, mais le plus souvent en lien avec une hepatite virale, et rarement documentees. Nous apportons ici une documentation histologique originale d’une atteinte specifique de la cryoglobulinemie au niveau hepatique et renal. Conclusion La survenue d’une vascularite cryoglobulinemique a tropisme pulmonaire, renal et hepatique en association a un lupus et un syndrome de Sjogren reste une eventualite rare chez un sujet masculin d’âge mur, justifiant la recherche de diagnostics alternatifs, et imposant une confrontation anatomo-immuno-clinique.

International audience; Since 1973, a few cases of concomitant inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy and nephrotic syndrome have been reported. The neuropathy was either an acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (AIDP) or a chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), and the nephrotic syndrome was related to either a focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) or a membranous glomerulonephritis (MGN).Time course, severity, and response to treatment were heterogeneous, and evolution of neuropathy and nephropathy could be independent. This suggests that common epitopes are targeted by autoantibodies within the peripheral nerve and the glomerular filtration barrier. However, the antigenic targets are unknown. Here, we report a patient who developed CIDP associated with anti-contactin-1 immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4) antibodies and nephrotic syndrome.

International audience; C4d deposition in peritubular capillaries (PTC) reflects complement activation in antibody-mediated rejection (ABMR) of kidney allograft. However, its association with allograft survival is controversial. We hypothesized that capillary deposition of C5b9-indicative of complement-mediated injury-is a severity marker of ABMR. This pilot study aimed to determine the frequency, location and prognostic impact of these deposits in ABMR. We retrospectively selected patients diagnosed with ABMR in two French transplantation centers from January 2005 to December 2014 and performed C4d and C5b9 staining by immunohistochemistry. Fifty-four patients were included. Median follow-up was 52.5 (34.25-73.5) months. Thirteen patients (24%) had C5b9 deposits along glomerular capillaries (GC). Among these, seven (54%) had a global and diffuse staining pattern. Twelve of the C5b9+ patients also had deposition of C4d in GC and PTC. C4d deposits along GC and PTC were not associated with death-censored allograft survival (p = 0.42 and 0.69, respectively). However, death-censored allograft survival was significantly lower in patients with global and diffuse deposition of C5b9 in GC than those with a segmental pattern or no deposition (median survival after ABMR diagnosis, 6 months, 40.5 months and 44 months, respectively; p = 0.015). Double contour of glomerular basement membrane was diagnosed earlier after transplantation in C5b9+ ABMR than in C5b9- ABMR (median time after transplantation, 28 vs. 85 months; p = 0.058). In conclusion, we identified a new pattern of C5b9+ ABMR, associated with early onset of glomerular basement membrane duplication and poor allograft survival. Complement inhibitors might be a therapeutic option for this subgroup of patients.

Cowden syndrome (CS) is an autosomal dominant mendelian disease related to germline pathogenic variants affecting the PTEN-gene. CS is characterized by macrocephaly, mucocutaneous lesions, and an increased risk of breast and thyroid cancers. Rare ovarian cancer cases (mostly embryonic tumors) associated with PTEN have been described in the literature, but no current CS guidelines are available for ovarian cancer risk management. We report on a woman diagnosed with ovarian clear cell carcinoma (OCCC) at 28 years of age. The patient displayed macrocephaly, trichilemmomas, oral papillomatosis, and acral keratosis. A family history of multiple cancer cases within the PTEN-related tumor spectrum was identified. In addition, PET scan and fine-needle biopsy results led to a diagnosis of thyroid follicular neoplasia. PTEN sequencing revealed that she carried a germline inherited pathogenic variant in exon 5 c.388C>T, p.(Arg130*) (NM_000314). Somatic mismatch repair immunohistochemistry analysis showed normal expression, and germline BRCA1/2 sequencing did not reveal pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants. An ovarian cell immunohistochemistry analysis reported total loss of PTEN expression, which strongly suggested the role of PTEN in the oncogenesis of this cancer. Hence, a total thyroid resection was performed instead of thyroid lobectomy and a risk-reducing bilateral mastectomy was discussed. Co-occurrence of this pathogenic germline mutation in PTEN in this patient, early development of OCCC at age 28 years, and total loss of PTEN expression in the tumor might support the involvement of PTEN in the carcinogenesis of her ovarian cancer. We describe a new ovarian cancer case with an atypical histologic type-clear cell carcinoma-in CS. This observation might be the first indication of the need to expand the PTEN-related tumor spectrum to incorporate OCCC. The CS diagnosis significantly changed the therapeutic outcome of this patient.

International audience

International audience; Sjögren's syndrome is well known to target exocrine glands, especially lacrimal and salivary glands, which share with mammary glands anatomical, histological, and immunological features. Herein, we investigated the mammary involvement in patients with Sjögren's syndrome and compared the histological findings with minor salivary gland involvement. We reviewed the charts of patients with Sjögren's syndrome (followed in Montpellier University Hospital, between January 2000 and January 2015), in whom minor salivary gland and mammary tissues were available. Two expert pathologists analysed retrospectively these tissues in order to identify inflammatory patterns. Immunohistochemical stainings were performed to precise leucocyte distribution. Sixteen Sjögren's syndrome patients with available salivary and breast tissue samples were included. All were women, with a median age of 60.1 ± 11.3 years at Sjögren's syndrome diagnosis. Mammary biopsy was conducted because of breast symptoms in 6 patients and following imaging screening strategies for breast cancer in 10 patients. Nine patients exhibited an inflammatory breast pattern (lymphocytic infiltrates or duct ectasia), close to minor salivary gland histological findings. Immunohistochemical stainings (n = 5) revealed B and T cell infiltrates within breast tissue, with a higher proportion of T CD4+ cells, but no IgG4-secreting plasma cells were found. This is the first series to describe breast inflammatory patterns in Sjögren's syndrome. Mastitis is in line with the classical involvement of exocrine glands in this disease. These findings are consistent with the literature data considering Sjögren's syndrome as an "autoimmune epithelitis".

International audience; In assisted reproduction, about 30% of embryo implantation failures are related to inadequate endometrial receptivity. To identify molecules involved in endometrial receptivity acquisition, we investigated, using a SELDI-TOF approach, the protein expression profile of early-secretory and mid-secretory endometrium samples. Among the proteins upregulated in mid-secretory endometrium, we investigated the function of S100A10 in endometrial receptivity and implantation process. S100A10 was expressed in epithelial and stromal cells of the endometrium of fertile patients during the implantation windows. Conversely, it was downregulated in the mid-secretory endometrium of infertile patients diagnosed as non-receptive. Transcriptome analysis of human endometrial epithelial and stromal cells where S100A10 was silenced by shRNA revealed the deregulation of 37 and 256 genes, respectively, related to components of the extracellular matrix and intercellular connections. Functional annotations of these deregulated genes highlighted alterations of the leukocyte extravasation signaling and angiogenesis pathways that play a crucial role during implantation. S100A10 silencing also affected the migration of primary endometrial epithelial and stromal cells, decidualization and secretory transformation of primary endometrial stromal cells and epithelial cells respectively, and promoted apoptosis in serum-starved endometrial epithelial cells. Our findings identify S100A10 as a player in endometrial receptivity acquisition.