We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress hp
Sign In
Advertise with Us
PURITAN MEDICAL

Download Mobile App




Researchers Describe a Polygenic Risk Score that Predicts Likelihood of Developing Chronic Kidney Disease

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 20 Jun 2022

A team of nephrology researchers has developed an algorithm for diagnosis of chronic kidney disease and demonstrated that it can be used to identify at-risk individuals without regard to their ancestral origin. More...

Chronic kidney disease (CKD), which is a common but often complex condition associated with high morbidity and mortality, affected 753 million people globally in 2016: 417 million females and 336 million males. In 2015 it caused 1.2 million deaths, up from 409,000 in 1990. The causes that contributed to the greatest number of deaths were high blood pressure, followed by diabetes, and glomerulonephritis.

To aid in the early diagnosis of chronic kidney disease, investigators at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center (New York, NY, USA) combined APOL1 risk genotypes with genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of kidney function to design, optimize, and validate a genome-wide polygenic score (GPS) for CKD.

APOL1, a known CKD biomarker, is a member of a family of apolipoproteins, which also includes six other proteins and it is a member of bcl2 genes that are involved in autophagic cell death. In fact, an overabundance of APOL1 within a cell results in autophagy. Many African Americans are descendants of people of West African nations and consequently have a high prevalence of APOL1 risk alleles as well as APOL1 associated kidney diseases. The frequency of the risk alleles in African Americans is more than 30%.

The new GPS for CKD was tested in 15 independent cohorts, including three cohorts of European ancestry (n = 97,050), six cohorts of African ancestry (n = 14,544), four cohorts of Asian ancestry (n = 8,625) and two admixed Latin American cohorts (n = 3,625).

Results demonstrated that the GPS score was transferable and reproducible across all tested cohorts. Individuals in the top 2% of the GPS were found to have nearly a threefold increased risk of CKD across all ancestries. In African ancestry cohorts, the APOL1 risk genotype and polygenic component of the GPS had additive effects on the risk of CKD.

"In most populations, we cannot just look at one or two genetic variants and tell you what your risk is. Thousands of variants are likely contributing. With this polygenic method, we can identify individuals at risk decades before the onset of kidney disease, and those with high risk might adopt protective lifestyle changes to reduce that risk," said senior author Dr. Krzysztof Kiryluk, associate professor of medicine and at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center. "Individuals with APOL1 but low polygenic risk may not need specific interventions, since their risk could be comparable to that of the general population. In contrast, individuals with the highest genetic risk—those with APOL1 and a high polygenic risk—may benefit the most from lifestyle changes or drug treatment."

The CKD-risk algorithm study was published in the June 16, 2022, online edition of the journal Nature Medicine.

Related Links:
Columbia University Irving Medical Center 

 


Gold Member
Veterinary Hematology Analyzer
Exigo H400
Serological Pipet Controller
PIPETBOY GENIUS
New
Chlamydia Trachomatis Test
Aptima Chlamydia Trachomatis Assay
New
Gold Member
Quality Control Material
iPLEX Pro Exome QC Panel
Read the full article by registering today, it's FREE! It's Free!
Register now for FREE to LabMedica.com and get access to news and events that shape the world of Clinical Laboratory Medicine.
  • Free digital version edition of LabMedica International sent by email on regular basis
  • Free print version of LabMedica International magazine (available only outside USA and Canada).
  • Free and unlimited access to back issues of LabMedica International in digital format
  • Free LabMedica International Newsletter sent every week containing the latest news
  • Free breaking news sent via email
  • Free access to Events Calendar
  • Free access to LinkXpress new product services
  • REGISTRATION IS FREE AND EASY!
Click here to Register








DIASOURCE (A Biovendor Company)

Channels

Hematology

view channel
Image: CitoCBC is the world first cartridge-based CBC to be granted CLIA Waived status by FDA (Photo courtesy of CytoChip)

Disposable Cartridge-Based Test Delivers Rapid and Accurate CBC Results

Complete Blood Count (CBC) is one of the most commonly ordered lab tests, crucial for diagnosing diseases, monitoring therapies, and conducting routine health screenings. However, more than 90% of physician... Read more

Immunology

view channel
Image: CellLENS enables the potential precision therapy strategies against specific immune cell populations in the tissue environment (Photo courtesy of MIT)

New AI System Uncovers Hidden Cell Subtypes to Advance Cancer Immunotherapy

To produce effective targeted therapies for cancer, scientists need to isolate the genetic and phenotypic characteristics of cancer cells, both within and across different tumors. These differences significantly... Read more

Pathology

view channel
Image: Micrograph showing the distribution of misfolded proteins in myeloma cells (Photo courtesy of Helmholtz Munich)

Novel Method Tracks Cancer Treatment in Cells Without Dyes or Labels

Multiple myeloma is a blood cancer that affects plasma cells in the bone marrow, leading to abnormal protein production, weakened immunity, and organ damage. Traditional methods for evaluating myeloma... Read more

Technology

view channel
Image: Researchers Dr. Lee Eun Sook and Dr. Lee Jinhyung examine the imprinting equipment used for nanodisk synthesis (Photo courtesy of KRISS)

Multifunctional Nanomaterial Simultaneously Performs Cancer Diagnosis, Treatment, and Immune Activation

Cancer treatments, including surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy, have significant limitations. These treatments not only target cancerous areas but also damage healthy tissues, causing side effects... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2025 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.