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Platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase gene mutation in Japanese nephrotic children
1Department of Pediatrics, Kobe University School of Medicine, Japan.
Background:
Platelet-activating factor (PAF) may be involved in the pathogenesis of steroid-responsive nephrotic syndrome (SRNS). PAF is degraded to inactive products by PAF acetylhydrolase. We have investigated whether PAF acetylhydrolase gene mutation is involved in SRNS in Japanese children.
Methods:
We identified a point mutation in the PAF acetylhydrolase gene (G994T) using the polymerase chain reaction in 101 Japanese children with SRNS and 100 healthy Japanese.
Results:
There was no difference in the genotype and allele frequencies between patients with SRNS and normal controls. The mean number of relapses during the first year after onset was significantly higher in the 26 patients who were heterozygous for the mutant allele (GT) than in 75 wild-type homozygotes (GG) (2.61 +/- 1.98 vs. 1.33 +/- 1.35; P = 0.0019).
Conclusions:
We conclude that analysis of the PAF acetylhydrolase gene mutation at position 994 in Japanese children with SRNS allows the identification of patients who are more likely to have a disease relapse.