NDNF in syphilis nephropathy

In this case study, researchers report the case of a 61-year-old man who developed nephrotic syndrome following secondary membranous nephropathy associated with syphilis. With antibiotic treatment of syphilis, the patient showed remission of the nephrotic syndrome. Pathologically, the target antigen of immune complexes accumulated on glomerular basement membranes in syphilis-induced secondary nephropathy was neuron-derived neurotrophic factor (NDNF). The researchers found that anti-NDNF autoantibodies in acute-phase serum disappeared in the patient's convalescent-phase serum.