Light and heavy chain deposition disease associated with CH1 deletion

Light and heavy chain deposition disease (LHCDD) is a rare complication of monoclonal gammopathy. In all documented cases, LHCDD is the association of deposits of a monoclonal light chain with a normal heavy chain, especially in the kidneys. We describe here a 78-year-old woman whose renal biopsy showed nodular glomerulosclerosis, initially diagnosed as diabetic nephropathy. Detailed kidney biopsy immunofluorescence study corrected the diagnosis to γ1-κ-LHCDD. Advanced immunoblot analysis showed deletion of CH1 in the both blood and kidney heavy chain. We report here, to our knowledge, the first case of γ1 LHCDD associated with a deletion of CH1.