Influence of aldosterone synthase gene C-344T polymorphism on focal segmental glomerulosclerosis.

AIM: We evaluated the influence of C-344T polymorphism of the aldosterone synthase gene, associated with aldosterone levels and the development of arterial hypertension, on focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). METHODS: We studied 81 patients with primary FSGS followed up for 8.0 ± 12 years. Patients were classified according to their slope of reciprocal serum creatinine into group A (slow progressors, n = 57) and B (fast progressors, n = 24). One hundred healthy volunteers were analysed as controls. The biopsies of n = 50 patients were reviewed and analysed by the same pathologist. C-344T polymorphism was determined by polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: The allele frequencies differed significantly between patients (C-allele: 0.55, T-allele: 0.45) and controls (C-allele: 0.45, T-allele: 0.55; P < 0.05). Patients carrying the C-allele tended to have a higher percentage of sclerosed glomeruli (41.8 ± 30% vs 31. 2 ± 19% in TT genotype, ns) and tubulointerstitial fibrosis (22.8 ± 18% vs 16.0 ± 5%, ns). The rate of deterioration of renal function was higher in the CC/CT genotypes (-0.216 ± 0.449 dL/mg per year) compared to the TT genotype (-0.030 ± 0.041 dL/mg per year, P = 0.002). Furthermore, 36.4% of the C-allele carriers and none of the patients with the TT genotype belonged to group B (P = 0.005). C-allele carriers also had a worse kidney survival in the Kaplan-Meier analysis (P = 0.027). CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that aldosterone synthase gene C-344T polymorphism not only acts as a risk factor for the development of FSGS, but also may influence its pathologic appearance and could serve as a marker of disease progression.

Impact of aldosterone synthase gene C-344T polymorphism on IgA nephropathy.

AIM: In the past years, aldosterone has been identified as an important mediator of renal injury. In this study, we evaluated the influence of C-344T polymorphism of aldosterone synthase gene, associated with serum aldosterone levels and the development of arterial hypertension, on IgA nephropathy (IgAN). METHODS: We studied n = 143 patients with biopsy-proven IgAN followed up for 7.1 ± 6.2 years. Patients were classified according to the slope of reciprocal serum creatinine into group A (slow progressors, n = 93) and group B (fast progressors, n = 50). One hundred healthy volunteers were analyzed as controls. The biopsies of n = 79 patients were reviewed and analyzed by the same pathologist. Aldosterone synthase gene C-344T polymorphism was determined by polymerase chain reaction amplification. RESULTS: The genotype distribution was similar in patients and control subjects [not significant (ns)]. Age, initial renal function, proteinuria, and blood pressure did not differ significantly between patients with different genotypes (ns). The percentage of sclerosed glomeruli tended to be higher among patients carrying the CC/CT genotypes (29.4 ± 26.5% vs. 21.7 ± 25.2% in TT genotype; ns). C-344T polymorphism was associated with the progression of IgAN as shown by the different genotype frequencies in group Α (slow progressors, CC/CT: 60.2%, TT: 39.8%) and group B (fast progressors, CC/CT: 78.0%, TT: 22:0%; p = 0.032). CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that aldosterone synthase gene C-344T polymorphism is a risk factor for accelerated progression in Caucasian patients with IgAN.