Anti-inflammatory gene may be key in kidney disease treatment
Researchers from the University of New South Wales (UNSW Sydney), the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, and Westmead Hospital discovered that common genetic variants of Tumor necrosis factor, alpha-induced protein 3 (TNFAIP3), which regulates inflammation in the body, can protect the kidneys from harm in the short term.
Inflammation has a role in the sudden and fast reduction in kidney function known as acute kidney injury (AKI). A frequent illness with a high global morbidity and mortality rate, AKI is a significant risk factor for developing chronic renal disease. To date, however, there are few treatment options for AKI and inadequate techniques for predicting who is most at risk of poor recovery or possible kidney failure.
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According to Professor Shane Grey, senior author of the research and Head of UNSW’s School of Biotechnology and Biological Sciences (BABS), their team wanted to see if inherited differences in how people manage inflammation could lead to better or worse kidney health outcomes. They observed that some genetic variants can be protective against inflammation, which could lead to a simple genetic test that can help patients estimate their risk of kidney disease. The researchers concentrated their efforts on the TNFAIP3 gene, which creates the protein A20, which inhibits the inflammatory process. Their findings, published in the journal Kidney International, could be used to help determine how well people will recover from kidney injury.
The researchers began by investigating how different TNFAIP3 variations affect A20 function, discovering a sequence of unusual variants that lowered A20’s anti-inflammatory activity. They next used a mouse model to see how one of these variations affected kidney injury. Results from these tests could provide crucial hints for projecting the course of renal disease.
According to Professor Natasha Rogers, Head of Transplantation at Westmead Hospital and co-author of the study, the A20 has another purpose, which is to inhibit cells from self-destructing, which can influence the outcome of kidney injury. Gaining a deeper knowledge of how TNFAIP3 gene variations affect kidney health should bring us closer to precision diagnoses and targeted treatments for AKI.
Source: https://newsroom.unsw.edu.au/news/science-tech/rare-variants-inflammation-brake-gene-may-help-reveal-outcomes-kidney-disease
Category: Education
