Shen CR, Jia XY, Luo W, et al. - To determine if laminin-521 is a target of autoimmunity in human antiglomerular basement membrane (anti-GBM) disease, researchers undertook this retrospective analysis. From 101 patients with anti-GBM/Goodpasture’s disease and 85 controls, circulating autoantibodies were analyzed. Using a solid-phase immunoassay, experts measured IgG binding to human recombinant laminin-521 with native-like structure and activity. Experts identified circulating IgG autoantibodies binding to laminin-521 in nearly one third of patients with anti-GBM antibody GN, but neither in healthy controls nor in patients suffering from other glomerular diseases. Patients with anti-GBM GN and lung hemorrhage showed autoreactivity toward laminin-521 significantly more commonly relative to those with kidney-limited disease. Besides α345(IV) collagen (a major component of the glomerular and alveolar basement membranes), laminin-521 was identified as another major autoantigen targeted in anti-GBM disease. Autoantibodies to laminin-521 may raise the total amount of IgG bound to the alveolar basement membranes and thereby may potentially promote lung injury in anti-GBM disease.