New developments in combating kidney disease
As part of EU efforts to improve on the situation, nephrin, a key kidney protein, was extensively studied. Particular emphasis was placed on its potential use as an early-stage marker of kidney damage. Professor Holthoffer of the University of Helsinki headed a research project examining the role of nephrin in kidney pathology and the significance of nephrinuria as a progrnostic marker for diabetic kidney complications. A number of important tools for the study of nephrin's function were generated early on during the course of the project. These included genetic animal models and bioinformatics-enabled expression systems. The use of these tools revealed a number of genetic variations among diseased and healthy kidneys and it was further concluded that nephrin dysregulation leads to proteinuria. Specifically, it was shown that nephrin levels drop in a number of kidney diseases, suggesting a clear link between nephrin expression and kidney regulation. Results also suggested the presence of autoantibodies against nephrin in diabetic nephropathy patients. In other words, the patients' own immune systems could signal the destruction of nephrin in the kidneys leading to the onset of proteinuria. These mechanisms and hypotheses have yet to be tested. However, the current project has provided new insight into the role and function of the nephrin protein and its involvement in kidney pathology. Although analysis of research outcomes is ongoing, it is understood that nephrin's role is indeed crucial and poses viable new options for early-stage detection and treatment of kidney damage.
