MYH9 encodes a non-muscle heavy chain type 11A Myosin protein, which plays an important role in cytokinesis, cell shape, motility and secretions. MYH9 antibodies are used in cytoskeleton studies as well as disease research. Antibody studies have shown a number of MYH9 polymorphisms, linked to macrothrombocytopenia diseases such as Epstein Syndrome, Alport syndrome and possibly May-Hegglin anomaly (MHA).
Recently, a genetic link was discovered between MYH9 and a link to progressive kidney disease in hypertensive Afro-Americans. The findings, presented at the 43rd Annual Meeting of the American Society of Nephrology in November 2010, suggested a common MYH9 gene variant could account for the high incidence of End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), which is over 13 times higher in the African American population than Caucasians.
This is not the first report of an association between MYH9 polymorphisms and renal disease. In October 2008, Kopp et al identified MYH9 as a major risk gene for glomerulosclerosis. In the same month, Kao et al used MYH9 marker antibodies in a genome-wide Admixture scanning study, identifying MYH9 as a candidate locus for non-diabetic ESRD in Afro-Americans. In 2010, Behar and associates showed a similar genetic link in the Hispanic population. However, in July 2010 S.Tzur et al published a paper linking ESRD to missense mutations in the APOL1 gene rather than MYH9.
The latest results were drawn from a larger study, the African American Study of Kidney Disease and Hypertension (AASK), which looked for MYH9 variants in patients suffering from hypertensive nephrosclerosis (kidney disease associated with high blood pressure.) Variants were expressed in over 50% of the patient group, with individual variants linked to racial and symptomatic variations. However, some were also seen in healthy controls.
Overall, there is a distinct correlation between MYH9 and ESRD. However, it was suggested that the causal gene may be APOL1, with MYH9 merely acting as a marker. MYH9 marker antibodies could prove useful in the future, but more research is needed into the APOL1/MYH9 connection.
We at Novus Biologicals have twelve MYH9 antibodies, proteins and lysates in our antibody catalog, along with eleven reagents for APOL1.