The beneficial effect of adding belimumab in severe and refractory IgA nephropathy: a case report

Youying Mao; Chenxing Zhang; Jing Xu; Chong Liu; Song Guo Zheng; Lei Yin

doi:10.1007/s00467-024-06620-1

The beneficial effect of adding belimumab in severe and refractory IgA nephropathy: a case report

Pediatr Nephrol. 2025 Jan 8. doi: 10.1007/s00467-024-06620-1. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Youying Mao^#^{1

2}, Chenxing Zhang^#¹, Jing Xu³, Chong Liu², Song Guo Zheng⁴, Lei Yin⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Nephrology, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
² Department of Pediatrics, Songjiang Hospital Affiliated to the Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
³ Department of Nephrology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
⁴ Department of Immunology, School of Cell and Gene Therapy, Songjiang Research Institute, Songjiang Hospital Affiliated to the Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China. [email protected].
⁵ Department of Nephrology, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China. [email protected].

^# Contributed equally.

PMID: 39779507
DOI: 10.1007/s00467-024-06620-1

Abstract

IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is one of the most common primary glomerular diseases worldwide and is the most common cause of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in China. It lacks recommended treatment in refractory IgAN after conventional therapy. Belimumab, a recombinant human IgG-1λ monoclonal antibody that inhibits the B lymphocyte stimulator, is recommended to treat active lupus nephritis. This report presents a case of a child with severe and refractory IgAN who showed kidney response after belimumab addition combined with conventional therapy. The therapy result was accompanied by decreased plasma cells in peripheral blood. It is the first case showing the benefits of adding belimumab to other immunosuppressive regimens.

Keywords: Belimumab; Case report; IgA nephropathy.