Pseudohypoaldosterism: demystification using network medicine and proposed diagnostic panels

Pseudohypoaldosteronism (PHA) is a rare hereditary channelopathy characterized by renal tubular dysfunction that impairs sodium reabsorption and promotes excessive potassium retention. This imbalance often results in life-threatening electrolyte disturbances during infancy, although symptoms tend to improve with age. The disease has distinct genetic forms, most commonly linked to pathogenic variants in genes encoding epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) subunits, the mineralocorticoid receptor gene NR3C2, and the CUL3, WNK1, WNK4, or KLHL3 genes. More recently, cases involving digenic co-expression defects have been reported, suggesting a broader molecular pathogenic basis. The objective of this study was to investigate the underlying mechanisms of PHA and to assess whether additional genetic contributors may participate in disease pathogenesis.

A systems medicine approach was applied, combining interaction network construction with enrichment analyses.

A high confidence interactome consisting of 53 nodes was generated, with CALM3 and SCN2A identified as central hubs. Enrichment analysis highlighted biological processes and pathways related to membrane depolarization, sodium ion transport, aldosterone-regulated sodium reabsorption, and gene expression in renal tissue. Two diagnostic panels were designed, namely, PHA-X (NGS-based incorporating CNV detection and ACMG/AMP curation) and PHA-4T (disease-specific databases).

Findings support the conception of PHA as a network-level disorder rather than resulting from isolated mutations, offering new perspectives for diagnosis and therapy development.