The Expanding Role of APOL1 Risk in Chronic Kidney Disease and Cardiovascular Disease

Variants of the APOL1 gene, found primarily in individuals of African descent, are associated with various forms of kidney disease and kidney disease progression. Recent studies evaluating the association of APOL1 with cardiovascular disease have yielded conflicting results, and the potential role in cardiovascular disease remains unclear. In this review, we summarize the observational studies linking the APOL1 risk variants with chronic kidney and cardiovascular disease among persons of African descent.