Abstract: Membranous nephropathy (MN) is a glomerular disease closely associated with immune system dysregulation. The pathogenic cornerstone of MN lies in the generation of autoantibodies targeting specific antigens located on podocytes, culminating in the formation of immune complexes. Recent advancements in high-resolution liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS／MS), laser microdissection-mass spectrometry (LMD-MS), immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescence microscopy have enabled the identification and validation of a series of target antigens from complex biological samples. In addition, the levels of certain proteins, metabolites and ncRNA in urine and blood samples of MN were different from those in healthy controls, and these molecular biomarkers were of significant significance in the diagnosis, disease monitoring and prognosis assessment of MN.

Key words: membranous nephropathy, target antigen, molecular biomarker