Genetics of diabetic nephropathy in type 2 DM: candidate gene analysis for the pathogenic role of inflammation

SUMMARY:   Hypertension, poor glycemic control and albuminuria are well known risk factors for diabetic nephropathy, but these factors do not explain all of the inter-individual variabilities in the rate of progression to kidney failure. Recent evidence showed that genetic predisposition affected the hyperglycemia-induced nephrotoxicity in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). We reviewed the present state of knowledge concerning the relationship between genetics and diabetic nephropathy in type 2 DM. However, the results are inconclusive and the genetic determinants of diabetic nephropathy are not fully understood. In addition, genetic background of nephropathy in type 2 DM was thought to be more complex than in type 1 DM. Recent studies suggested that the inflammation would be an essential component of type 2 DM and its complications. We postulated that increased systemic and/or intrarenal inflammation in high glucose milieu is important in the pathogenesis of nephropathy in patients with type 2 DM. To investigate the impact of inflammation on diabetic nephropathy, we studied several polymorphisms in genes encoding inflammatory cytokine and chemokine in patients with type 2 DM. Among them, −511 C/T in interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tandem repeat in IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra), −308 G/A in tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were significantly associated with an increased risk of kidney failure. In addition, some of them were remarkably different from those previously reported in the NCBI or literature based on the western population.
Our results suggest that inflammation could play a pathogenic role in diabetic nephropathy in type 2 DM. A better understanding of genetic factors predisposing to diabetic nephropathy would not only help to identify diabetic patients at risk, but also be helpful to unveil the pathogenesis of DN.