A new study has linked a gene which forms part of our body's first line of defence against infection to an increased risk of a type of kidney disease. The University of Nottingham study found that the difference in the number of copies of the alpha-defensin genes was a major genetic factor in developing the condition IgA nephropathy also known as Berger's Disease. Researcher John Armour said that the observation that variation in the gene numbers for these alpha-defensin genes is strongly correlated with risk of IgA nephropathy creates an interesting puzzle. He added that the data overwhelmingly support the
