Hyderabad: Study finds gene linking obesity to kidney failure

Hyderabad: If you are obese, you are definitely at risk of developing chronic kidney disease, which can lead to kidney failure. A study by a group of researchers from Hyderabad has indicated that the WT1 gene, which is associated with making proteins required for the development of kidneys and gonads, is also a major cause of kidney failure in obese people. It is a known fact that WT1 (Wilms Tumor 1) plays a vital role in kidney development in the embryonic stage. However, the same gene is also associated with a variety of kidney problems, which eventually lead to end-stage kidney failure in individuals. The research group from Hyderabad-based National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) and University of Hyderabad (UoH) said in the study, “Our study has discovered high expression of WT1 in the pathogenesis of obesity-related glomerulopathy and kidney dysfunction.” However, the study published in the International Journal of Obesity, Nature Press Journal (March, 2024) said that the exact mechanism of WT1 induction and its involvement needs further investigation. Essentially, the researchers used two obese rodent models with high fat content (40 per cent) and uncovered the cellular and molecular basis for obesity-related kidney disease (glomerulopathy). The team found that “WT1 expression is increased in podocytes (highly specialised cells in the kidney) in obese conditions. The role of WT1 in kidney disease was confirmed by expressing WT1 in HEK293 cells. The researchers, including senior NIN scientists Dr G Bhanu Prakash Reddy and Dr P Anil Kumar from UoH, said, “This study indicated a novel role of WT1 in the pathogenesis of obesity-related chronic kidney diseases. Big data analysis from patients with CKD revealed increased expression of WT1 on podocytes and their precursors.”