New Insights into Glomerulonephritis Pathogenesis and Treatment

摘要

Glomerulonephritis is the leading cause of kidney failure in China whilst in western countries Diabetic nephropathy and hypertensive disease is the major cause. This textbook edited by Nan Chen from the School of Medicine in Shanghai in China brings together a number of manuscripts by mostly Chinese authors concerning recent developments in the understanding of the molecular pathogenesis and treatment of glomerulonephritis. Dr Xie describes in detail what has been learned recently from Genome wide association studies of the genetic associations with IgA nephropathy and reports on mutations in the HLA DQA1 system with the occurrence of IgA nephropathy. However despite the enormous variations in IgA nephropathy across the world’s population genetic studies to date account for only 5% of the variation in the prevalence. The last ten years has seen a revolution in the understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of different forms of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis although familial forms of FSGS account for only a minority of cases of FSGS. Now more than six genes have been described to be associated with the occurrence of familial forms of FSGS. Dr Zhang describes the Chinese experience of more than 80 FSGS pedigrees and their identification of mutations in the ACTN4 and TRPC6 genes. The textbook also describes the Chinese experience of ANCA associated vasculitis. In summary the textbook would be of interest to Nephrologists with a particular interest in glomerulonephritis.