Gene protects some from renal failure

News Date: 01/10/2007 Outlet: Washington Times - Online Contact:

U.S. and German researchers have proven that a gene protects some people with diabetes from developing severe kidney failure or 'end-stage renal disease.' Diabetes is the leading cause of end-stage kidney disease worldwide, an illness that requires either kidney dialysis treatments or a kidney transplant for survival.

Researchers at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center and the University of Heidelberg say the carnosinase 1 gene, located on human chromosome 18, produces the protective factor. 'This is a major gene that appears to be associated with development of severe diabetic kidney disease,' says Dr. Barry I. Freedman.

The research team evaluated 858 subjects, including diabetic patients with end-stage kidney failure on dialysis, diabetic patients with normal kidney function, and healthy non-diabetic individuals.

The research team confirmed that a protective form of the carnosinase 1 gene was present in greater frequency among both healthy individuals and diabetic subjects without kidney disease, compared to the diabetic patients on dialysis who more commonly had forms of the gene that were not protective.

The findings are published in Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation online.

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