Recurrence of light chain deposit disease after renal allograft transplantation: potential role of rituximab?

Light chain deposit disease (LCDD) is a monoclonal plasma cell disorder characterized by tissue deposition of nonamyloid immunoglobulin light chains, predominantly kappa chains, causing renal insufficiency. LCDD reoccurs almost invariably after renal grafting, leading to early graft loss, usually within a time span of months to years. We describe a female patient with LCDD who lost her first living donor graft after 1 year due to extensive recurrence of kappa chain deposition. Rituximab was administered on the seventh day after her second transplantation with a graft from a deceased donor, in order to prevent early recurrence of LCDD. The 2-year protocol biopsy - similarly to the completely normal 1-year protocol biopsy - revealed persistent absence of light chain deposition on light microscopy but immunohistochemical staining and electron microscopy showed very mild recurrence of light chain deposits. A second 4-week course of rituximab was repeated because of these electron microscopic findings. Subsequently, free kappa light chain concentration decreased from 693 to 74 mg/l and remained low 4 months after completion of therapy. Rituximab could be considered for delaying early LCDD recurrence in patients in whom treatment of the underlying bone marrow disorder failed or is contraindicated, but maintenance therapy is apparently necessary to consolidate this response.