Potential protective effect of leptin and uncoupling protein-2 genes polymorphism in Egyptian patients with chronic kidney disease

Background: Kidney disease is a serious public health problem worldwide. It is the fifth top-ranking cause of death in Egypt, causing approximately 3.98% of all deaths. This study's objective was to examine whether an association exists between leptin (- 2548G/A) and uncoupling protein-2 45 bp I/D genes, individually and collectively, in CKD and progression to ESRD.

Methods: One hundred patients (69 males, 31 females) aged (47.1 ± 16.11 years) with ESRD, 40 patients (19 males, 21 females) aged (43.15 ± 10.00 years with CKD, and 50 healthy controls (23 males, 27 females) aged (37.84 ± 1.95 years) were enrolled. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was employed to measure variation in gene expression among the study groups. The frequency of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) genotypes were identified in controls, CKD and ESRD patients.

Results: Leptin genotypes were associated with lower CKD incidence in control versus study subjects (95% CI = (0.08-0.63), P = 0.01) with risk value equal to 0.22 < 1, G/A genotype was significantly lower in CKD than ESRD groups. There was no correlation between UCP-2 I/D genotype and CKD (P = 0.27). There was no correlation between the UCP-2 gene and the progression to ESRD.

Conclusions: This study suggests that, Leptin - 2548G/A gene may be a promising marker for early detection of ESRD in Egyptian patients. G/A genotype might inhibit the development of CKD to ESRD.