Diagnostics for membranous nephropathy

1. An assay comprising:

a. measuring a level of antibodies that are reactive to a phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R) in a blood sample obtained from a patient who presents at least one symptom of idiopathic membranous nephropathy (MN) for determining the likelihood of idiopathic MN in the patient; and

b. comparing the level of the antibodies in the blood sample with a control data, wherein a detectable increase of at least 10% increase in the antibodies that are reactive to PLA2 in the blood sample over that of the control data indicates the likelihood of MN in the patient.

2. The assay of claim 1 , wherein the level of PLA2R antibodies is measured by the steps comprising:

a. contacting the blood sample from the patient with a PLA2R or PLA2R fragment thereof;

b. forming an antibody-protein complex between the antibody present in the blood sample with the PLA2R or PLA2R fragment thereof;

c. washing to remove any unbound antibody;

d. adding a detection antibody that is labeled and is reactive to the antibody from the blood sample;

e. washing to remove any unbound labeled detection antibody; and

f. converting the label to a detectable signal, wherein the detectable signal indicates the level of PLA2R antibodies in the blood sample of the patient.

3. The assay of claim 2 , wherein the PLA2R or PLA2R protein fragment thereof is deposited or immobilized on a solid support.

4. The assay of claim 3 , wherein the support is in the format of a dipstick, a test strip, a latex bead, a microsphere or a multi-well plate.

5. The assay of claim 4 , wherein the detection antibody is labeled by covalently linking to an enzyme, label with a fluorescent compound or metal, or label with a chemiluminescent compound.

6. The assay of claim 1 , wherein the level of PLA2R antibodies is obtained by measuring a light scattering intensity resulting from the formation of an antibody-protein complex formed by a reaction of the blood sample with a PLA2R or PLA2R protein fragment thereof, wherein the light scattering intensity of at least 10% above a control light scattering intensity indicates the likelihood of idiopathic MN or relapse of MN in the patient, and wherein the control light scattering intensity is that of PLA2R or PLA2R protein fragment in the absence of blood sample.

7. The assay of claim 1 , wherein the patient previously has been successfully treated for idiopathic MN.

8. The assay of claim 7 , wherein the level of PLA2R antibodies is obtained by measuring a light scattering intensity resulting from the formation of an antibody-protein complex formed by a reaction of the blood sample with a PLA2R or PLA2R protein fragment thereof, wherein the light scattering intensity of at least 10% above a control light scattering intensity indicates the likelihood of idiopathic MN recurring in the patient, and wherein the control light scattering intensity is that of PLA2R or PLA2R protein fragment in the absence of blood sample.

9. An assay comprising:

a. measuring a level of antibodies that are reactive to a phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R) in a blood sample obtained from a patient who previously has been successfully treated for idiopathic membranous nephropathy (MN) for determining the likelihood of relapse of idiopathic MN in the patient,

wherein the level of PLA2R antibodies is measured by the steps comprising:

contacting the blood sample from the patient with a PLA2R or PLA2R fragment thereof;

forming an antibody-protein complex between the antibody present in the blood sample with the PLA2R or PLA2R fragment thereof;

washing to remove any unbound antibody;

adding a detection antibody that is labeled and is reactive to the antibody from the blood sample;

washing to remove any unbound labeled detection antibody; and

converting the label to a detectable signal, wherein the detectable signal indicates the level of PLA2R antibodies in the blood sample; and

b. comparing the level of the antibodies in the blood sample with a control data, wherein a detectable increase of at least 10% in the antibodies that are reactive to PLA2R in the blood sample over that of the control data indicates the likelihood of relapse of idiopathic MN.

10. The assay of claim 9 , wherein the patient presents a symptom of idiopathic MN.

11. The assay of claim 9 , wherein the PLA2R or PLA2R protein fragment thereof is deposited or immobilized on a solid support.

12. The assay of claim 11 , wherein the support is in the format of a dipstick, a test strip, a latex bead, a microsphere or a multi-well plate.

13. The assay of claim 12 , wherein the detection antibody is labeled by covalently linking to an enzyme, label with a fluorescent compound or metal, or label with a chemiluminescent compound.

14. An assay comprising:

a. measuring a level of antibodies that are reactive to a phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R) in a blood sample obtained from a patient who previously has been successfully treated for idiopathic membranous nephropathy (MN) for determining the likelihood of relapse of idiopathic MN in the patient,

wherein the level of PLA2R antibodies is obtained by measuring a light scattering intensity resulting from the formation of an antibody-protein complex formed by a reaction of the blood sample with a PLA2R or PLA2R protein fragment thereof, wherein the light scattering intensity indicates the level of PLA2R antibodies in the blood sample; and

comparing the light scattering intensity with a control light scattering intensity data, wherein the light scattering intensity of at least 10% above the control light scattering intensity indicates the likelihood of idiopathic MN relapse in the patient, and wherein the control light scattering intensity is that of PLA2R or PLA2R protein fragment in the absence of blood sample.

15. The assay of claim 10 , wherein the symptom is nephrotic syndrome or proteinuria.

16. The assay of claim 1 , wherein the symptom is nephrotic syndrome or proteinuria.

17. The assay of claim 1 further comprising selecting the patient for treatment for idiopathic MN without subjecting the patient to a kidney biopsy if there is a detectable increase of at least 10% in the antibodies that are reactive to PLA2R in the blood sample over that of the control data.

18. An assay comprising:

a. measuring a level of antibodies that are reactive to a phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R) in a blood sample obtained from a patient who presents at least one symptom of idiopathic membranous nephropathy (MN) for determining the likelihood of idiopathic MN in the patient;

b. comparing the level of the antibodies in the blood sample with a control data; and

c. if there is a detectable increase of at least 10% in the antibodies that are reactive to PLA2R in the blood sample over that of a control data, then selecting the patient for treatment for idiopathic MN without subjecting the patient to a kidney biopsy.

19. The assay of claim 18 , wherein the symptom is nephrotic syndrome or proteinuria.

20. The assay of claim 19 , wherein the level of PLA2R antibodies is by measured by light scattering or an immunoassay.