Study Discovers Genetic Causes of Kidney Disease in West Africa

In a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, scientists from Ghana, Nigeria, and the United States have identified a crucial genetic factor contributing to kidney disease among West African populations. The research, part of the Human Health and Heredity in Africa (H3Africa) Kidney Disease Research Network, involved 8,355 participants from Ghana and Nigeria, with Ghanaians representing 36.7% of the sample.

This extensive study, one of the largest focused on kidney disease in African populations, discovered that variants in the Apolipoprotein L1 (APOL1) gene—once protective against sleeping sickness (Trypanosomiasis)—now heighten the risk of chronic kidney disease. Lead researcher Dr. Dwomoa Adu from the University of Ghana Medical School highlighted that almost a third of Ghanaians studied had two copies of the APOL1 gene, with 43.7% having one copy. Those with one copy faced an 18% increased risk of kidney failure, while two copies raised the risk by 25%.

This collaborative effort, led by Dr. Adu and Professors Ojo and Salako, included significant contributions from doctors and scientists across Ghana and Nigeria. Key contributors from Ghana included Dr. Charlotte Osafo and Professor Vincent Boima from the University of Ghana Medical School, Professor Sampson Antwi and the late Professor Jacob Plange-Rhule from KNUST, and Professors Alexander Nyarko and Anita Ghansah from the Noguchi Memorial Institute of Medical Research.

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The study’s findings underscore the complex relationship between genetic adaptations and modern health challenges. Dr. Adu likened the APOL1 gene's impact to that of the sickle cell gene, which, while providing protection against malaria, can cause severe health issues.

This evolutionary trade-off is now a significant factor in the prevalence of kidney disease among contemporary African populations. The research offers hope for better understanding and targeted treatments, potentially benefiting populations of African descent worldwide.

The study received substantial support from the National Human Genome Research Institute, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, and the National Institutes of Health, USA.

About H3Africa Kidney Disease Research Network

The H3Africa initiative, co-funded by the NIH and the Wellcome Trust since 2010, aims to advance genomics research in Africa, empowering scientists to study genetic and environmental factors in diseases like malaria, tuberculosis, sleeping sickness, bilharzia, and hearing impairment.