Transplantation in mesangiocapillary glomerulonephritis with intramembranous dense "deposits": recurrence of disease

Six patients with mesangiocapillary glomerulonephritis and intramembranous dense "deposits" developed terminal renal failure and were transplanted, three from living and three from cadaver donors. Eight renal biopsy specimens were obtained from five of the grafts, from 1 to 26 months following transplantation. All six biopsy specimens taken later than seven months following the graft showed recurrence of dense intramembranous "deposits" in the basement membranes of glomeruli, and of Bowman's capsule and tubular basement in five. Recurrence of "deposits" was associated with deposition of C3 on immunofluorescent study in all but one specimen; in addition, IgM was found in two specimens, but IgG and early complement components were absent. Only two patients, however, showed glomerular proliferation associated with profuse proteinuria. In the other subjects the recurrence of the "deposit" was not associated with clinical findings. Graft loss, which occurred in two patients, was predominantly from rejection.