NPHP4 Gene

Nephronophthisis is a disorder that affects the kidneys. It is characterized by inflammation and scarring (fibrosis) that impairs kidney function. These abnormalities lead to increased urine production (polyuria), excessive thirst (polydipsia), general weakness, and extreme tiredness (fatigue). In addition, affected individuals develop fluid-filled cysts in the kidneys, usually in an area known as the corticomedullary region. Another feature of nephronophthisis is a shortage of red blood cells, a condition known as anemia.

Nephronophthisis eventually leads to end-stage renal disease (ESRD), a life-threatening failure of kidney function that occurs when the kidneys are no longer able to filter fluids and waste products from the body effectively. Nephronophthisis can be classified by the approximate age at which ESRD begins: around age 1 (infantile), around age 13 (juvenile), and around age 19 (adolescent).

About 85 percent of all cases of nephronophthisis are isolated, which means they occur without other signs and symptoms. Some people with nephronophthisis have additional features, which can include liver fibrosis, heart abnormalities, or mirror image reversal of the position of one or more organs inside the body (situs inversus).

Nephronophthisis can occur as part of separate syndromes that affect other areas of the body; these are often referred to as nephronophthisis-associated ciliopathies. For example, Senior-Løken syndrome is characterized by the combination of nephronophthisis and a breakdown of the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye (retinal degeneration); Joubert syndrome affects many parts of the body, causing neurological problems and other features, which can include nephronophthisis.

Senior-Løken syndrome is a rare disorder characterized by the combination of two specific features: a kidney condition called nephronophthisis and an eye condition known as Leber congenital amaurosis.

Nephronophthisis causes fluid-filled cysts to develop in the kidneys beginning in childhood. These cysts impair kidney function, initially causing increased urine production (polyuria), excessive thirst (polydipsia), general weakness, and extreme tiredness (fatigue). Nephronophthisis leads to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) later in childhood or in adolescence. ESRD is a life-threatening failure of kidney function that occurs when the kidneys are no longer able to filter fluids and waste products from the body effectively.

Leber congenital amaurosis primarily affects the retina, which is the specialized tissue at the back of the eye that detects light and color. This condition causes vision problems, including an increased sensitivity to light (photophobia), involuntary movements of the eyes (nystagmus), and extreme farsightedness (hyperopia). Some people with Senior-Løken syndrome develop the signs of Leber congenital amaurosis within the first few years of life, while others do not develop vision problems until later in childhood.