Mutations in the <i>NPHS1, NPHS2, LAMB2</i>, and the <i>WT1</i> genes are responsible for causing nephrotic syndrome (NS) in two third of the early onset cases.
The present study has been performed to screen single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the NPHS2 gene in a group of 90 Indian children suffering with NS (30 SSNS, 30 SRNS and 30 Controls) by PCR method followed by direct exon sequencing.
In conclusion, the inducible R140Q-podocin mouse model is an auspicious model of the most common genetic cause of human nephrotic syndrome, with a spontaneous disease course strongly reminiscent of the human disorder.
SRNS-causing mutations of NPHS2 and WT1 were detected in 7 of 33 patients (21%), including those with nephrotic syndrome manifesting before one year old: five of seven patients.
Of the autosomal recessive and the sporadic cases, 13 and 6%, respectively, were found to have podocin-associated nephrotic syndrome, and 56% of them were compound heterozygous for the nonneutral p.R229Q polymorphism.
Gain-of-function mutations in the transient receptor potential (TRP) cation channel subfamily C member 6 (TRPC6) gene and mutations in the NPHS2 gene encoding podocin result in nephrotic syndromes.
Of the 38 Hungarian patients screened, seven carried NPHS2 mutations on both alleles, of whom two-diagnosed with proteinuria through school screening programs at the age of 9.7 and 14 years, respectively-did not develop nephrotic syndrome in childhood.
Our results show a low prevalence of disease causing mutations in the NPHS1 (22% early onset, 5.5% overall) and NPHS2 (3.3% early onset and 3.4% overall) genes in the Pakistani NS children as compared to the European populations.
A loss of podocin and a decrease in its resynthesis can influence the outcome of renal diseases with nephrotic syndrome, such as minimal change glomerulonephritis, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) and membranous nephropathy.