Association of Trypanolytic ApoL1 Variants with Kidney Disease in African Americans

Abstract

Out of Africa Kidney disease is more common in African Americans than in Americans of European descent, and genetics is likely to be a major contributing factor. Genovese et al. (p. 841 , published online 15 July) now show that African Americans who carry specific sequence variants in a gene on chromosome 22 encoding apolipoprotein L-1 (APOL1) have an increased risk of developing hypertension-attributed end-stage kidney disease or focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. These variants are absent from European chromosomes. Among the functions ascribed to APOL1 is the ability to lyse and kill trypanosomes. Intriguingly, APOL1 derived from the risk alleles, but not the “wild-type” allele, killed Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense , which causes African sleeping sickness.

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Affiliated Institutions

• Brigham and Women's Hospital US
• Harvard University US
• Université Libre de Bruxelles BE
• National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases US
• Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center US
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology US
• National Cancer Institute US
• Dartmouth College US
• Center for Vascular Biology Research US
• Broad Institute US
• Wake Forest University US
• University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez PR
• Science Applications International Corporation (United States) US
• National Institutes of Health US

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