Photo Credit: Mohammed
The following is a summary of “Identification of circulating microbial DNA and its association with kidney function in patients with diabetic kidney disease,” published in the October 2024 issue of Nephrology by Linh et al.
Gut microbiota plays a key role in diabetic kidney disease (DKD), with bacterial-derived products influencing its progression. These changes can have both beneficial and harmful effects on kidney function.
Researchers conducted a retrospective study to examine the presence of the Klebsiella oxytoca (K. oxytoca) gene in the circulation of patients with DKD.
They enrolled 16 healthy participants, 17 patients with DKD, 5 patients with DKD requiring haemodialysis, and 7 patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) without diabetes. Bacterial-derived DNA, including 16S rDNA and the specific K. oxytoca gene, was detected in blood using droplet digital Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), and its relationship with clinical characteristics was analyzed.
The results showed an increase in K. oxytoca genes in the blood of patients with DKD. Blood K. oxytoca copies and the K. oxytoca/16S DNA ratio correlated with higher creatinine (P < 0.05) and BUN (P < 0.01) levels and lower eGFR (P < 0.05). K. oxytoca levels also correlated with higher neutrophil percentage (P < 0.01), lower lymphocyte frequency (P < 0.05), and increased neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) (P < 0.01).
They concluded that the K. oxytoca gene in circulation could serve as a biomarker for reduced renal function in patients with DKD.
Source: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/nep.14408
