NELL1-Positive HIV-Associated Lupus-Like Membranous Nephropathy with Spontaneous Remission

INTRODUCTION: Kidney biopsy findings in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are diverse, and optimal therapy for the various immune complex diseases in the setting of HIV is unknown. CASE PRESENTATION: A man with well-controlled HIV developed nephrotic range proteinuria, and kidney biopsy revealed lupus-like glomerulonephritis with a predominantly membranous pattern of injury. He opted for conservative therapy and experienced spontaneous and sustained remission. Subsequent testing revealed neural epidermal growth factor-like 1 (NELL1)-positive glomerular immune deposits. NELL1-positive glomerular immune deposits were identified in a total of 2 of 5 tested HIV-associated membranous nephropathy (MN), which were morphologically dissimilar and one of which weakly co-expressed phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R). DISCUSSION: This case suggests potentially different outcomes in patients with immune complex diseases in the setting of HIV based on disease etiology and histopathology. HIV-associated MN is occasionally NELL1-positive.