Citation: De La Flor, J.C.; Monroy-
Condori, M.; Apaza-Chavez, J.;
Arenas-Moncaleano, I.; Díaz, F.;
Guerra-Torres, X.E.;
Morales-Montoya, J.L.;
Lerma-Verdejo, A.; Sandoval, E.; Villa,
D.; et al. Monoclonal Gammopathy
of Renal Significance with Deposits
of Infrequent Morphology: Two Case
Reports of Light and Heavy Chain
Deposition Disease with Atypical
Presentation and Literature Review.
Medicines 2023, 10, 55. https://
doi.org/10.3390/medicines10100055
Academic Editor: Guy Rostoker
Received: 21 July 2023
Revised: 2 September 2023
Accepted: 26 September 2023
Published: 4 October 2023
Copyright: © 2023 by the authors.
Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
This article is an open access article
distributed under the terms and
conditions of the Creative Commons
Attribution (CC BY) license (https://
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/
4.0/).
medicines
Case Report
Monoclonal Gammopathy of Renal Significance with Deposits
of Infrequent Morphology: Two Case Reports of Light and
Heavy Chain Deposition Disease with Atypical Presentation
and Literature Review
José C. De La Flor
1,
* , Maribel Monroy-Condori
2
, Jacqueline Apaza-Chavez
3
, Iván Arenas-Moncaleano
2
,
Francisco Díaz
4
, Xavier E. Guerra-Torres
2
, Jorge L. Morales-Montoya
2
, Ana Lerma-Verdejo
5
, Edna Sandoval
6
,
Daniel Villa
7
and Coca-Mihaela Vieru
4
1
Department of Nephrology, Hospital Central de la Defensa, 28046 Madrid, Spain
2
Section of Nephrology and Hypertension, Hospital General Universitario Nuestra Señora del Prado,
45600 Talavera de la Reina, Spain; mmonroy@sescam.jccm.es (M.M.-C.); igarenas@sescam.jccm.es (I.A.-M.);
xguerra@sescam.jccm.es (X.E.G.-T.); jmmontoya@sescam.jccm.es (J.L.M.-M.)
3
Department of Nephrology, Hospital Fuensanta, 28027 Madrid, Spain; japaza77@gmail.com
4
Department of Anatomic Pathology, Hospital Gregorio Marañón, 28007 Madrid, Spain;
fdiazc@salud.madrid.org (F.D.); vieru.mihaela26@gmail.com (C.-M.V.)
5
Department of Hematology, Hospital General Nuestra Señora del Prado, 45600 Talavera de la Reina, Spain;
analermaverdejo@gmail.com
6
Department of Hematology, Hospital Central de la Defensa, 28046 Madrid, Spain; esanba5@mde.es
7
Department of Nephrology, Hospital Clínica Universiad Navarra, 31009 Pamplona, Spain;
daniel.villa.hurtado@gmail.com
* Correspondence: jflomer@mde.es or josedelaflor81@yahoo.com
Abstract: Background: Monoclonal immunoglobulin deposition disease (MIDD) includes three
entities: light chain deposition disease (LCDD), heavy chain deposition disease (HCDD) and light and
heavy chain deposition disease (LHCDD). The renal presentation can manifest with varying degrees of
proteinuria and/or nephrotic syndrome, microhematuria, and often leads to end-stage renal disease.
Given the rarity of LHCDD, therapeutic approaches for this condition remain inconclusive, as clinical
trials are limited. Case presentation: We report two male patients with underlying monoclonal
gammopathy of renal significance (MGRS) associated with LHCDD lesions. Both cases had non-
nephrotic proteinuria, moderately impaired renal function, and normal levels of C3 and C4. Light
microscopy of the renal biopsies in both patients did not show lesions of nodular glomerulosclerosis.
Immunofluorescence showed a staining pattern with interrupted linear IgA-κ in patient #1 and IgA-λ
in patient #2 only along the glomerular basement membrane (GBM). Electron microscopy of patient
#1 revealed electrodense deposits in the subendothelial and mesangial areas only along the GBM.
Discussion: In this case series, we discuss the clinical, analytical, and histopathological findings
of two rare cases of LHCDD. Both patients exhibited IgA monoclonality and were diagnosed with
monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) by the hematology department
at the time of renal biopsy. Treatment with steroids and cytotoxic agents targeting the clone cells
responsible for the deposition disease resulted in a favorable renal and hematologic response.
Keywords: monoclonal gammopathy of renal significance; monoclonal immunoglobulin deposits
disease; light and heavy chain deposition disease
1. Introduction
Monoclonal gammopathy of renal significance (MGRS) is a hematologic disorder
characterized by the proliferation of B lymphocyte or small plasma cell clones that produce
and release a monoclonal immunoglobulin (MIg) or its components (light or heavy chains)
in patients who do not meet the diagnostic criteria for multiple myeloma (MM) or other
Medicines 2023, 10, 55. https://doi.org/10.3390/medicines10100055 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/medicines