GENETICS ASPECTS OF DIABETIC NEPHROPATHY

Diabetic nephropathy is a clinical syndrome characterized by persistent albuminuria, a relentless decline in GFR, raised arterial blood pressure, and increased relative mortality for cardiovascular diseases. The pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy is multifactorial, with contributions from metabolic abnormalities, hemodynamic alteration, and various growth and genetic factors. The identification of the main genes would allow the detection of those individuals at high risk for diabetic nephropathy and better understanding of its pathophysiologyas well.The present review discusses the main information available in literature regarding some genetic variants (involved in the renin-angiotensin system, glucose and lipid metabolism and some cytoskeleton proteins) that reaffirms the importance of genetic factors in diabetic nephropathy