Kidney disease links to clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP) genetics

What is Clonal Hematopoiesis of Indeterminate Potential (CHIP)?

CHIP is a disease that affects the way our blood cells grow and divide. This can happen when people get older. The blood cells grow and behave differently than healthy blood cells and this can lead to health problems. The cause of CHIP is not known and has little to no symptoms. But people with CHIP might have a higher chance of getting certain diseases, like blood cancers and kidney problems. There isn’t a cure for CHIP, but doctors can help manage it by checking the number of blood cells and looking for signs of serious diseases.  If they find any problems, they can treat them as soon as possible to help keep people healthy.

How is the research done? 

The study team wants to explore why those who have CHIP develop more serious health problems. The team wants to specifically look for a link between CHIP and kidney diseases. The study team believes that people with CHIP might be more likely to have kidney problems. The team will use BioVU resources to study those with CHIP and a kidney disorder. They will look for large amounts of abnormal blood cells or changes. This may help the team find if CHIP’s clinical features lead to kidney diseases or problems. Lastly, the team will study if genes play a role in how much CHIP affects the kidney. They believe different genes may change the severity in the health problems that result from CHIP.  The team hopes to figure out if these health problems are connected and find new ways to help people manage the complications of CHIP. 

What is the importance of this study? 

CHIP is a serious condition that can lead to kidney complications or more. This study can help provide more information about CHIP and diseases that result from it. Additionally, this could be impactful for helping learn more about how kidney diseases develop.  This can help treat problems quicker and improve treatment plans.