Genome-wide Association Studies of Diabetic Kidney Disease in East Asians With Type 2 Diabetes: Achievements and Future Perspectives

Diabetic kidney disease is a devastating diabetic complication, affecting up to half of people suffering from diabetes. The global burden of diabetic kidney disease is steadily increasing worldwide along with the growing prevalence of type 2 diabetes. The epidemic rise of type 2 diabetes is primarily observed in Asia, including the East Asian regions. It is generally accepted that heredity is one of the main determinants in the pathogenesis of diabetic kidney disease. Since the advent of genome-wide association studies, numerous studies have been published to identify the genetic loci susceptible to diabetic kidney disease among diverse populations. Although genome-wide association studies exploring diabetic kidney disease susceptibility loci have focused primarily on populations of European descent, a number of novel genetic variants associated with diabetic kidney disease have also been successfully revealed among East Asians. A comprehensive analysis of the genetic architecture and pathophysiological pathways of diabetic kidney disease may allow the identification of new potential therapeutic targets. This review aimed to summarize genome-wide association studies examining genetic variants associated with diabetic kidney disease in the populations of East Asian ancestry with type 2 diabetes and presented our perspective on the future of this field.