Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects an increasing number of adults in the United States; researchers estimate roughly 36 million adults have the condition. Many cases go unnoticed early on — study author Alejandro Chade notes that "as many as nine in 10 adults have the disease but don't realize it." If CKD is left unchecked, it can lead to dialysis or kidney transplantation and a marked decline in health and quality of life.
CKD causes structural and functional damage in the kidneys. Common signs observed in the organs include loss of small blood vessels, persistent inflammation, and fibrosis, the growth of excess scar tissue that replaces normal kidney tissue. To trace how these changes develop, a team led by Chade, a professor at the University of Missouri School of Medicine and a NextGen Precision Health Investigator, used animal models to examine interactions between proteins and cells and to identify genes and molecular pathways involved in the disease process.
The study identified several genes that could serve as potential therapeutic targets. Silencing one of these genes reduced fibrotic activity in the models, suggesting it contributes to scar formation and to kidney function decline. The team plans to map where else these genes are active in the body and to test the effects of moderating their activity, stressing the importance of checking for unintended effects in other tissues before any therapy reaches patients. If future work confirms safe and effective ways to change gene activity, new treatments might delay CKD progression, helping to avoid or postpone dialysis and transplantation and to preserve patients' health. The research appears in Kidney360, with additional coauthors from Mizzou and the Mayo Clinic. Source: University of Missouri.
Difficult words
- chronic — lasting a long time; long-term and persistent
- dialysis — medical treatment that filters and cleans blood
- fibrosis — growth of excess scar tissue in an organ
- silence — to stop a gene or signal from workingSilencing
- therapeutic — intended to treat disease or improve health
- pathway — series of biological steps or reactions in cellspathways
- transplantation — moving an organ or tissue to another body
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Why is early detection of CKD important for patients? Give two reasons based on the article.
- What are the risks and benefits of changing gene activity as a treatment, considering the need to check other tissues?
- How can research using animal models help develop human treatments, and what are the limitations of such studies?
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