The apolipoprotein L1 gene (APOL1) contains two well-known variants, G1 and G2, which are linked to an increased risk of kidney disease. These risk variants are almost exclusively found in individuals of Sub Saharan West African descent. Initially, it was believed that a person needed to carry two risk variants along with a ‘second-hit’ to be at increased risk of kidney disease. However, recent studies from Ghana and Nigeria suggest that the risk may follow an additive pattern. This was shortly thereafter supported by a study from the United States of America involving individuals with HIV.
This study aims to validate the evidence we found for an additive risk model in the multi-ethnic HELIUS cohort from Amsterdam. We will analyse the association between APOL1 risk variants and various measures of kidney function, adjusting for traditional risk factors for kidney disease.
