Background: The mitochondrial displacement loop (D-loop) is known to accumulate mutations and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at a higher frequency than other regions of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA).
Methods: This is a case-control study. We sequenced SNPs in the D-loop of mtDNA and investigated their association with the risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD).
Results: A total of 144 SNPs referring to the positions of the Revised Cambridge Reference Sequence (rCRS) for mitochondrial genome were identified in a case-control study. The minor alleles of nucleotides 73G, 146C, 150T, 194T, 195C and 310C were associated with an increased risk for CKD patients.
Conclusion: Analysis of genetic polymorphisms in the mitochondrial D-loop can help identify the people who are at a high risk of developing chronic kidney disease. These SNPs can be considered as potential predictors for CKD.
Keywords: Chronic kidney disease; D-loop; SNP; mtDNA.