Gene Key to Kidney Disease Identified

Lowering the expression of PVT1 gene may help reduce the kidneys ability to filter blood, leading to kidney disease, failure and death, found in a study.

Researchers at the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) found PVT1 expression levels increased up to 5-fold in response to hyperglycemia, or high blood sugar, a condition that often accompanies diabetes.

Diabetic Kidney Disease - Symptoms, Signs, Causes, Diagnosis, Stages & Treatment
Diabetic nephropathy refers to kidney damage due very high levels of blood sugar levels in diabetics.

But by knocking down or reducing the expression of the PVT1gene, they could lowered the amount of proteins associated with the excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) in glomeruli, part of the basic filtration unit of kidneys.

The accumulation of excessive ECM within the mesangial cells, which regulate blood flow in capillaries inside the kidney, is a hallmark of diabetic nephropathy, or kidney disease.

"The goal of this study was to identify possible molecular mechanisms by which PVT1 may contribute to the development and progression of diabetic nephropathy in mesangial cells," said Johanna DiStefano, the study's senior author.

Quiz on Kidney
The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs, each about the size of a fist, and are located just below the rib cage, one on each side of your spine.

Healthy kidneys filter about half a cup of blood every minute, removing wastes and extra water to make urine. The urine flows from the kidneys to the bladder through two thin tubes of muscle called ureters, one on each side of your bladder. The bladder stores urine. The kidneys, ureters, and bladder are partof the urinary tract.

kidneys remove wastes and extra fluid from your body. Kidneys also remove acid that is produced by the cells of your body and maintain a healthy balance of water, salts, and minerals-such as sodium, calcium, phosphorus and potassium-in your blood ().

Without this balance, nerves, muscles, and other tissues in the body may not work normally.

Kidneys also make hormones that help

Control your blood pressure
Make red blood cells
Keep your bones strong and healthy

The study was published in the online scientific journal Public Library of Science (PLoS) ONE.

Source-ANI

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