Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Nephropathy Associated with Chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease without Extrarenal Involvement

A 30-year-old woman with myelodysplastic syndrome underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) derived from her HLA-matched sister six years previously. She received preconditioning total body irradiation with renal shielding and was subsequently administered cyclosporin A (CyA) as prophylaxis against graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Four months after HSCT, asymptomatic proteinuria and glomerular hematuria developed during CyA tapering without obvious extrarenal involvements of GVHD, and persisted for six years. A renal biopsy revealed endothelial injury in the glomeruli, and the deposition of C4d was detected diffusely on glomerular capillaries and focally on peritubular capillaries, suggesting that nephropathy involved antibody- or complement-associated immune reactions.