A new clinic at WashU Nephrology will focus on helping patients with a genetic form of renal fibrosis – autosomal dominant tubulointerstitial kidney disease (ADTKD) – which ultimately leads to chronic kidney disease (CKD).
After exclusion of polycystic kidney disease and Alport syndrome, ADTKD represents as many as 25% of patients with inherited kidney disease. However, due to lack of distinctive clinical features and an absence of diagnostic tests other than genetic testing, the prevalence of ADTKD is significantly underestimated. At least four different mutated genes (UMOD, MUC1, REN and HNF1B) have been discovered to result in ADTKD.
The new clinic will be headed by Ying (Maggie) Chen, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Medicine. Dr. Chen’s lab has generated the mouse, human kidney cell and human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) models to recapitulate human ADTKD. Most importantly, her group has discovered a biotherapeutic protein MANF to treat ADTKD in mice.
“To achieve the mission of our ADTKD clinic, we will offer personalized clinical management, as well as leverage state-of-the-art molecular phenotyping technology to identify novel drug targets and validate biomarkers,” says Chen.
The ADTKD Clinic will work closely with patients, patient organizations, pharmaceutical companies and international ADTKD consortiums to find the optimal treatment for ADTKD. Please see ADTDK Clinic website for more information.
If you have ADTKD or unknown etiology of CKD with family history, please call 314-362-9096 for an appointment.