Immunofluorescence analyses of respiratory epithelial cells aid the diagnosis of nephronophthisis

Background Nephronophthisis (NPH) comprises a heterogeneous group of inherited renal ciliopathies clinically characterized by progressive kidney failure.

So far, definite diagnosis is based on molecular testing only.

Here, we studied the feasibility of NPHP1 and NPHP4 immunostaining of nasal epithelial cells to secure and accelerate the diagnosis of NPH.

Methods Samples of 86 individuals with genetically determined renal ciliopathies were analyzed for NPHP1 localization using immunofluorescence microscopy (IF).

A sub-cohort of 35 individuals was also analyzed for NPHP4 localization.

Western blotting was performed to confirm IF results.

Results NPHP1 and NPHP4 were both absent in all individuals with disease-causing NPHP1 variants including one with a homozygous missense variant (c.1027G > A; p.Gly343Arg) formerly classified as a “variant of unknown significance.”

In individuals with an NPHP4 genotype, we observed a complete absence of NPHP4 while NPHP1 was severely reduced.

IF results were confirmed by immunoblotting.

Variants in other genes related to renal ciliopathies did not show any impact on NPHP1/NPHP4 expression.

Aberrant immunostaining in two genetically unsolved individuals gave rise for a further genetic workup resulting in a genetic diagnosis for both with disease-causing variants in NPHP1 and NPHP4 , respectively.

Conclusions IF of patient-derived respiratory epithelial cells may help to secure and accelerate the diagnosis of nephronophthisis—both by verifying inconclusive genetic results and by stratifying genetic diagnostic approaches.

Furthermore, we provide in vivo evidence for the interaction of NPHP1 and NPHP4 in a functional module.

Graphical abstract A higher-resolution version of the Graphical abstract is available as Supplementary information