Association of Retinoid X Receptor Alpha Gene Polymorphism with Clinical Course of Chronic Glomerulonephritis

BACKGROUND Vitamin D (VD), VD binding protein, VD receptor (VDR), and retinoids are involved in pathogenesis of chronic glomerulonephritis (ChGN). We aimed to compare distribution of VD pathway gene polymorphisms in ChGN patients showing glomerular filtration rate (GFR) category 1-3, GFR category 5D, and healthy controls in order to elucidate the role of VD-related polymorphisms in the course of ChGN. MATERIAL AND METHODS GFR category 1-3 ChGN patients (n=195), GFR category 5D ChGN patients (n=178), and controls (n=751) underwent testing for polymorphisms of genes encoding VD binding protein (GC, rs2298849, rs7041, rs1155563), VDR (VDR, rs2228570, rs1544410), and retinoid X receptor alpha (RXRA, rs10776909, rs10881578, rs749759). RESULTS Among GFR 1-3 subjects possessing TT genotype of RXRA rs10776909, 75% of patients had nephrotic syndrome, and 37.5% had glomerular hyperfiltration defined as GFR >140 ml/min/1.73 m2, and, consequently, serum creatinine was lower in these patients compared to the remaining subjects (0.67±0.26 vs. 0.94±0.34, P=0.014). In GFR category 5D ChGN patients, frequencies of RXRA rs10776909 allele T (25% vs. 19%) and CT+TT (46% vs. 34%) were higher compared to frequencies of respective variants in controls (Ptrend=0.004, Pgenotype=0.008). CONCLUSIONS RXRA rs10776909 allele T is specifically involved in the pathogenesis of ChGN. This risk allele may be also associated with worse clinical course of ChGN.