FSGS is a form of injury to the kidney's filtering system, which causes proteins to be lost into the urine and gradually reduces kidney function. ESKD, or end-stage kidney disease, is defined by kidney failure that has progressed to the point that the patient requires dialysis or kidney transplantation.
In 2008, it was discovered that genetic variation near the MYH9 gene on chromosome 22 was associated with increased risk of kidney disease in African-Americans. But, because genome analyses had shown a strong signal of natural selection in the region containing both the MYH9 and APOL1 genes, the authors reasoned that the location of the disease-causing genetic variants was in a broader region. They also predicted that the frequency of these variants would be markedly different between European-Americans and Africans.
In 2008, it was discovered that genetic variation near the MYH9 gene on chromosome 22 was associated with increased risk of kidney disease in African-Americans. But, because genome analyses had shown a strong signal of natural selection in the region containing both the MYH9 and APOL1 genes, the authors reasoned that the location of the disease-causing genetic variants was in a broader region. They also predicted that the frequency of these variants would be markedly different between European-Americans and Africans.
