An attempt to extend the donor criteria for successful living-related kidney transplantation from a donor with membranous nephropathy

Background Marginally appropriate donors may be considered to extend the donor criteria for renal transplantation because of the donor shortage. We have reported a successful outcome after kidney transplantation from a living-related donor diagnosed with membranous nephropathy. Case Report A 38-year-old man began continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) at the age of 37. His 63-year-old father showed mild proteinuria, diagnosed as membranous nephropathy by needle biopsy. However, the father had normal renal function on preoperative examination, except for mild proteinuria. After adequate informed consent, we transplanted a kidney from the father who was diagnosed with membranous nephropathy into his son using a cyclosporine (CsA)-based immunosuppressive regimen. The postoperative course was good in both the recipient and the donor without rejection or infection. At 57 months after transplantation, the serum creatinine level was 1.7 mg/dL in the recipient and 1.2 mg/dL in the donor. An allograft needle biopsy at 39 months after transplantation showed mild spike formation with partial thickening of the glomerular basement membrane (GBM). Electron microscopy showed decreased electron-dense deposits and electron-lucent washout lesions with thickening of the GBM. This was diagnosed as stage IV membranous nephropathy, resulting from clearance of immune complexes and histological repair of the GBM. Conclusions For the present donor, graft donation did not affect his residual renal function. Preexisting membranous nephropathy itself may show remission after transplantation into the recipient to achieve successful results, however, long-term careful observation of both the donor and recipient is required.