For the first time, scientists have found a gene that shows that the kidney can fight off damage on its own.

The discovery has far-reaching ramifications, particularly for Indigenous populations with kidney diseases, such as Tiwi Islanders.

Patients with autoimmune kidney disease and Tiwi Islanders with unusually high rates of renal disease were studied in the study, which was published in Cell Reports Medicine.

The researchers discovered that a mutation in the VANGL1 gene can result in kidney disease development. Further research found that the gene aids in the prevention of the immune system attacking the kidney.

“Patients with this mutation will be significantly more likely to develop kidney disease,” said lead author, Nephrologist and ANU Research Fellow, Dr Simon Jiang.

“This discovery has big implications for Tiwi Islanders. They have the highest recorded rates of kidney disease in the world.

“Their rates are four times the rates of other mainland Indigenous Australians and about 11 times that of non-Indigenous Australians.

“This mutation is highly prevalent in Tiwi Islanders who have a high rates of kidney disease.”

Dr. Jiang stated that the mutation affects roughly 15% of the population, but when combined with an inflammatory condition, it allows kidney injury.

“When you have a systemic immune or inflammatory disease, this mutation allows the immune system to attack the kidney. The natural function of this gene is to slow that inflammatory process down,” said Dr Jiang.

“People think immune diseases such as lupus happen to attack the kidneys by chance. What we have actually shown for the first time is that kidney has its own way of resisting or stopping that assault.

“The protective mechanism of this gene is inherent to the kidney and it has implications for our Indigenous populations and for patients undergoing kidney transplants.”

Source: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2021.100475

Image Credit: Getty

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