Mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis after autologous stem cell transplantation

Although glomerulonephritis and renal failure have been observed after allogenic stem cell transplantation, only a few such reports were published about patients undergoing autologous stem cell transplantation. We report a case of mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis developing 4 months after autologous stem cell transplantation for chronic lymphatic leukemia. Serological test results, together with histological, immunohistochemical, and electronic microscopic findings of a kidney biopsy specimen, confirmed the diagnosis of mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis in our patient. Complement and immunoglobulin A were not present in the kidney biopsy specimen. An abnormal clone, not previously reported, with the translocation t(5;11)(q31;q13) in blood and bone marrow was observed. The reason for and whether progenitor cells in stem cell transplantations could contribute to the development of glomerulonephritis remain open questions. Kidney biopsy should be performed in patients with microscopic hematuria and/or proteinuria after autologous stem cell transplantation.