A national DNA bank for glomerulonephritis
A research project jointly funded by the MRC and Kidney Research UK.
This information is posted on the Renal Association website on behalf of the Steering Committee
Glomerulonephritis is a major cause of renal failure and accounts for a large proportion of patients requiring dialysis and kidney transplantation. At present, we have limited understanding of the disease mechanisms that cause glomerulonephritis. However, we know that family members of an affected individual are about ten times more likely than the general population to develop the same condition, pointing to a genetic mechanism.
Modern methods make it possible to map the genes that predispose to complex diseases like this by using DNA samples from large numbers of patients and their relatives. The purpose of this project is to establish a national collection of DNA samples from patients with five of the most common forms of glomerulonephritis, and from their relatives. This will make it possible to hunt for genes involved in causing these diseases.
The MRC/Kidney Research UK Glomerulonephritis DNA Bank is one of thirteen established as part of the MRC DNA banking initiative. It has been collecting DNA from patients with glomerulonephritis since 2001.
The diseases we are collecting DNA for are:
Progress: by the end of November 2006 final numbers of banked DNA samples were as follows:
| Patients | 536 | 359 | 457 | 236 | 153 | 1741 |
| Controls (unrelated) | 203 | 155 | 219 | 71 | 59 | 707 |
| Relatives | 591 | 4 | 5 | 106 | 122 | 828 |
| Total participants | 1330 | 518 | 681 | 413 | 334 | 3276 |
| Trios | 222 | . | . | . | 34 | 34 |
Further funding from Kidney Research UK permitted some further extension and a test study.
| Study coordinator | Anna Zawadzka
Renal Research Unit
Henry Wellcome Building for Molecular Physiology
Roosevelt Drive
Oxford OX3 7BN
Tel: 01865 287784
Fax: 01865 287533
email annaz@well.ox.ac.uk |
| Chairman of the Steering Committee | Professor Andy Rees, Vienna
email andrew.rees@meduniwien.ac.at |
| Chairman of the Oversight Committee |
| Professor Tim Goodship, Newcastle
email t.h.j.goodship@newcastle.ac.uk |
| | Age at recruitment | Available relatives | Unrelated control | Biopsy | Other inclusions | Exclusions |
| IgA | 18-50 | Essential: none
If available: both parents | Yes - if available | Biopsy at any time: diffuse deposition of mesangial IgA | Can include HSP - evidence of vasculitic rash or arthropathy | Liver disease |
| Membranous nephropathy | >18 | Essential: none | Yes - if available | Biopsy at any time: BM thickening with immune complex deposition | | Secondary to other causes: malignancy, gold, NSAID, penicillamine, hepatitis B, SLE, hypothyroidism |
| Vasculitis | >18 | Essential: none | Yes - if available | Biopsy at any time: Histological evidence of necrotising GN with or without epithelial crescent formation and no or few immune deposits | | |
| Minimal change disease | 18-70 | Essential: none
If available, one of:
a) both parents
b) 1 parent + 2 sibs >18y | Yes - if available | If available: Compatible with clinical diagnosis. Exclusion of focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) | Steroid responsive nephrotic syndrome compatible with clinical diagnosis and normal renal function, before 7 years if no biopsy | Abnormal renal function when in remission |
| Lupus nephritis | 18-70 | Essential: none | Yes - if available | If available | Clinical and serological features as defined by ARA criteria | |
How to apply to use the bank
The Bank will accept requests to use samples for specific studies from any member of the British renal or genetics communities. The Bank will operate on the principle that it will agree to provide material for any study that is justified both scientifically and ethically. Material will only be released when funding to perform the studies is in place, but the Bank will give Agreement-in-Principle for specific studies to enable investigators to apply for funding. No charges will be made for samples for studies by academic researchers.
Requests to use samples from the Bank are considered by an oversight committee chaired by Professor Tim Goodship. Requests should be sent by email, as a Word document, to t.h.j.goodship@ncl.ac.uk. They should be no longer than one side of A4 and should cover the nature, rationale and technical aspects of the study, including the number of samples that will be analysed (from the Bank and other sources) together with the appropriate power calculation. The application should also include two relevant citations, the source of funding for the study and a demonstration that the applicants have the technical expertise to perform the studies. A short lay description should also be included. It is anticipated that decisions will be made within a month of the request being made, and often more swiftly.
More details about the Bank are available on the DNA Network website.