Chronic kidney disease (CKD) now affects a growing number of adults in the United States; researchers estimate about 36 million people have the condition. Many cases are not noticed early: as study author Alejandro Chade says, "as many as nine in 10 adults have the disease but don't realize it." Left unchecked, CKD can progress to dialysis or kidney transplantation.
CKD damages the kidney structure and reduces its ability to remove waste. Typical organ changes include loss of small blood vessels, inflammation, and fibrosis, which is excess scar tissue replacing normal kidney tissue. To understand how these changes arise, Chade's team at the University of Missouri used animal models to study interactions between proteins and cells and to identify genes and molecular pathways involved in the disease.
The researchers found several genes that could serve as potential treatment targets. In the models, silencing one identified gene led to reduced fibrotic activity, suggesting a role in scar formation and kidney function. The next steps are to map where these genes are active in the body and to test what happens when their activity is moderated, while checking for unintended effects in other tissues. The research appears in Kidney360.
Difficult words
- chronic — A long-lasting medical condition over time
- dialysis — Medical treatment that cleans the blood
- transplantation — Surgical transfer of an organ to another body
- fibrosis — Formation of excess scar tissue in an organ
- inflammation — Body reaction that often causes redness and swelling
- gene — Part of DNA that gives instructions for cellsgenes
- silence — To stop activity or expression of somethingsilencing
- pathway — Series of biological steps or processes in cellspathways
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Discussion questions
- How could finding genes that affect fibrosis help people with chronic kidney disease?
- Why is it important to check for unintended effects in other tissues before changing gene activity?
- What are some reasons researchers use animal models to study diseases like CKD?
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