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Updated: Jun 16, 2026
08:48
Dynamic Monitoring of Seroconversion using a Multianalyte Immunobead Assay for Covid-19
Published on: February 16, 2022
Contactin-1-Associated Membranous Nephropathy after Multiple mRNA 1273 COVID-19 Vaccinations: A Case Report
Jonathan E Zuckerman1, Anthony Sisk1, Elliot Parham Copen2
1Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Glomerular Diseases
|June 15, 2026
Summary
A rare kidney disease, contactin-1-associated membranous nephropathy, was observed in a patient after COVID-19 vaccination. This case suggests a potential link and broadens the understanding of this condition.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Immunology
- Neurology
Background:
- Contactin-1-associated membranous nephropathy (CMN) is a rare kidney disease often linked to chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy.
- Membranous nephropathy (MN) presents with proteinuria and kidney damage, with various antigens implicated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To report a unique case of CMN potentially associated with COVID-19 vaccination.
- To investigate the target antigen in a patient with MN negative for common antibodies.
- To describe the clinical course and outcome of this rare condition.
Main Methods:
- Kidney biopsy with immunofluorescence and electron microscopy.
- Serological testing for common MN antigens (PLA2R, NELL-1, EXT-2).
- Glomerular antigen identification using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.
- Clinical assessment for secondary causes of MN and neurological symptoms.
Main Results:
- A 79-year-old man developed severe proteinuria and MN, with contactin-1 identified as the target antigen.
- Testing for PLA2R, NELL-1, and EXT-2 antibodies was negative.
- The MN onset occurred one month after the final dose of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (mRNA 1273).
- The patient experienced spontaneous remission without specific treatment and lacked typical neuropathies associated with CMN.
Conclusions:
- This case suggests a possible temporal association between mRNA COVID-19 vaccination and the development of contactin-1-associated membranous nephropathy.
- It is the first reported instance of CMN linked to mRNA 1273 vaccination.
- The findings expand the known clinical spectrum of CMN, particularly in the absence of neuropathy.
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