APOL1-mediated kidney disease: a narrative review of the lessons learnt from the past 15 years

Fifteen years have elapsed since the publication of the seminal work establishing the association between risk variants in the Apolipoprotein L1 (APOL1) gene and kidney disease in individuals of African ancestry. During this period, substantial advancements have been achieved in elucidating the pathophysiology of APOL1-mediated kidney disease, leading to the development of promising therapeutic strategies. In this review, we summarize the key molecular mechanisms driving this disease, including modifiers of onset and progression, and explore relevant disease models. Furthermore, we discuss current therapeutic approaches and outline future research directions.