What causes IgA nephropathy?
The IgA protein is a normal part of the body’s immune system. It is unknown what causes IgA deposits in the glomeruli; however, in more than 10 percent of affected families, IgA nephropathy is inherited by an autosomal dominant gene. Autosomal dominant inheritance means that the gene is located on one of the autosomes (chromosome pairs 1 through 22). This means that males and females are equally affected, and “dominant” means that only one gene is necessary to have the trait. When a parent has a dominant trait, there is a 50 percent chance that any child they have will also inherit the trait. IgA nephropathy is a very heterogeneous condition, which means that the presentation varies greatly between individuals and families. In fact, some persons who inherit the gene may not have any symptoms, but could pass the gene on to the next generation. Many times men are affected more often than women.
