Whole genome expression in peripheral whole blood of chronic kidney disease patients having uncertain etiology (CKDu) compared to healthy controls

Chronic kidney disease of uncertain etiology (CKDu) is an increasing problem in Sri Lanka especially among the farming community. The etiologies although uncertain, have been associated with occupational and environmental factors. The expression pattern of genes in blood of these CKDu patients in an endemic region of Sri Lanka was analyzed compared to healthy individuals from a non-endemic region to see any expression changes that could be associated to environmental factors. Pattern of expression changes could lead to either strengthen or weaken current hypotheses for the causes. RNA extracted from blood of CKDu patients from a CKDu-endemic area were pooled stage-wise. Pooled RNA extracted from blood of healthy individuals of an area not endemic to CKDu were used as controls. Three technical replicates were performed for each of the pooled samples.