Research team in Manchester discover that kidney genes may lead to high blood pressure and that cells found in the urine could help to diagnose kidney disease early on
In new results, published in Nature Communications, researchers at the University of Manchester, led by Professor Maciej Tomaszewski and part funded by Kidney Research UK, have found 399 kidney genes that are linked to high blood pressure and that kidney cells in urine are an important non-invasive source of information about these genes.
Studying genetic information from urine samples
Genes are sections of inherited instructions (DNA) that determine an individual's traits, such as hair colour and risk of certain medical conditions. The team at the University of Manchester measured the levels of 20,000 different genes in both human kidneys and cells harvested from urine, using a technique called transcriptomics. This approach is used by scientists to recognise which genes are turned on or off in different situations.
The project found that 399 kidney genes could be linked to increased blood pressure. Most of these genes were present in cells collected from urine and were expressed in similar ways in these cells and ones from inside the kidney.
Maciej commented: “One of the exciting findings is that cells harvested from urine have the potential to provide a non-invasive insight into activity of genes in the kidney. This could be important in identifying and diagnosing kidney diseases non-invasively."
The link between blood pressure and kidney disease
The relationship between the kidneys and blood pressure is a complex one. Not only do the kidneys play a role in controlling blood pressure, but high blood pressure increases the risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD).
The ENPEP gene
The team found that low levels of one of the kidney genes, called ENPEP, may be one of the causes of high blood pressure. This gene is responsible for production of a protein called aminopeptidase A in the kidneys, that has a role in blood pressure control and water balance.
Maciej added “Our results also show that ENPEP is a new promising target for development of new blood pressure lowering medications; this could be of importance not only for preventing kidney disease but also other conditions including heart disease and strokes”.
Dr Aisling McMahon, executive director of research at Kidney Research UK said: “Preventing progression of kidney disease is a high priority, so finding new non-invasive ways to detect it early are crucial. As we know from our 2023 Health Economics report, there are growing numbers of people who are at risk of kidney disease due to increased cases of other associated diseases such as high blood pressure. Further research into this area may lead to exciting new drug targets for lowering blood pressure which could protect people from developing chronic kidney disease in the future.”
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