Scientists from Ghana, Nigeria, and the United
States have published groundbreaking research in the New England Journal of
Medicine, identifying a significant genetic factor contributing to kidney
disease among West African populations. The study, conducted through the Human
Health and Heredity in Africa (H3Africa) Kidney Disease Research Network,
examined 8,355 people from Ghana and Nigeria, with Ghanaians comprising
36.7percent of participants.
This extensive research effort represented one
of the largest genetic studies focused on kidney disease in African populations
to date. The research revealed that
variants in the Apolipoprotein L1 (APOL1) gene, which originally protected
African ancestors from sleeping sickness (Trypanosomiasis), now increases the risk
of chronic kidney disease.
According to Dr. Dwomoa Adu, lead researcher
from the University of Ghana Medical School, "Almost a third of
Ghanaians studied had two copies of the gene (29.7percent) and 43.7percent had
one copy of the gene. Compared with patients with no gene, one copy of the gene
increased the risk of kidney failure by 18percent almost by a fifth, and two
copies of the APOL1 gene increased the risk of kidney disease by a quarter
(25percent),” he added.
The collaborative research which was
spearheaded by Dr. Dwomoa Adu, Professors Ojo and Salako received significant
contributions from a team of doctors and scientists from Ghana and Nigeria.
In Ghana, the research team included scientists
from three major institutions. The University of Ghana Medical School was
represented by Dr. Charlotte Osafo, and Professor Vincent Boima. From the Kwame
Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Professor Sampson Antwi
and the late Professor Jacob Plange-Rhule contributed their expertise as did
Professor Alexander Nyarko and Professor Anita Ghansah from the Noguchi
Memorial Institute of Medical Research.
The gene variants' impact mirrors other
evolutionary adaptations found in African populations. As Dr. Adu explained, "In
this way the gene is like the sickle cell gene that protected people against
malaria but can cause crises."
This evolutionary trade-off highlights the
complex relationship between genetic adaptation and modern health challenges in
African populations. The research team's findings suggest that what once served
as a protective mechanism against a deadly disease has become a significant contributing
factor for kidney disease in contemporary times. The implications of this research extend far beyond West Africa,
potentially benefiting populations of African descent worldwide, Dr. Adu noted.
The identification of this genetic link opens
new avenues for understanding kidney disease progression and could lead to more
targeted treatment approaches. These findings represent a significant step
forward in addressing the high incidence of kidney disease in African
populations and their descendants globally.
The research received substantial support
through core funding from the National Human Genome Research Institute (U54
HG006939), the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
(U54 DK116913 and U01 DK107131), and the Office of the Director at the National
Institutes of Health, USA (1ZI AHG200362).
