Dent's disease is a hereditary renal tubular disorder caused by mutations of the CLCN5 gene and is clinically characterized by low molecular weight proteinuria, hypercalciuria and nephrocalcinosis.
These results demonstrated that mutation of CLCN5 in some patients with Dent disease may impair the expression of megalin, resulting in abnormal calcium metabolism, manifested as hypercalciuria and nephrocalcinosis.
These results clarified four novel mutations in the CLCN5 genes, and additionally suggested that the loss-of-function mutation of the CLCN5 does not necessarily lead to hypercalciuria and nephrocalcinosis in the early stage of the disease, and that LMWP is an early and essential manifestation of disorders of the CLC-5 chloride channel.
Idiopathic low molecular weight proteinuria associated with hypercalciuric nephrocalcinosis in Japanese children is due to mutations of the renal chloride channel (CLCN5).