DNA Biobank Developed for French Kidney Donors, Recipients

In the European Journal of Human Genetics, a team from the University of Nantes shares findings from a genetic- and clinical annotation-based analysis of the "Kidney Transplantation-Genomics Investigation of Essential clinical outcomes" (KiT-GENIE) biobank, which was developed from a clinical database on kidney donors and recipients in Nantes from 2002 to 2018. The biobank contains DNA samples, SNP genotyping profiles, and human leukocyte antigen data — coupled with extensive clinical data — for more than 1,900 kidney donors and nearly 2,300 kidney transplant recipients in France, the researchers say, making it possible to explore genetic and immune factors affecting graft survival, rejection patterns, disease recurrence, and other outcomes following kidney transplantation. "KiT-GENIE constitutes one of the largest kidney transplantation genetic cohorts worldwide to date," they write, adding that the biobank "offers a unique opportunity to explore the genetic architecture of different post-transplant outcomes in order to improve their understanding, prevention, management, prediction, and treatment."