Idiopathic membranous nephropathy in identical twins

Familial idiopathic membranous nephropathy is rarely reported, despite the striking immunogenetic association of the disease with certain HLA antigens. This report describes a pair of identical male twins who contemporaneously developed idiopathic membranous nephropathy. HLA typing was carried out in the twins and in almost all members of their family. Interestingly, HLA antigens that have been reported to be associated with idiopathic membranous nephropathy, especially DR3, were found not only in the twins, but in the other family members as well. Due to similarities between Heymann nephritis and human membranous nephropathy, we performed a search for anti-brush border and antipodocyte antibodies. The inability to detect these antibodies suggests that they were probably not involved in the pathogenesis of these cases.