Contribution of genetics and epigenetics to progression of kidney fibrosis

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) which can lead to end-stage renal failure remains a principal challenge in Nephrology. While mechanistic studies provided extensive insights into the common pathways of fibrogenesis which underlie the progression of CKD, these pre-clinical studies fail to fully explain the vastly different progression slopes of individual patients. Recent studies provide evidence that genetic polymorphisms and epigenetic variations determine the individual susceptibility of patients to develop chronic progressive kidney disease. Here, we review recent insights that were provided by genome-wide association studies (GWASs), gene-linkage studies and epigenome analysis.