The College of Pharmacy discussed the PhD dissertation entitled “Impact of Cannabinoid Receptor-1 Gene Polymorphism on Kidney Injury among Iraqi Non-obese Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients” by Raghda Hisham Khalil and the supervisors, Professor Dr. Eman Saadi Saleh and Consultant Dr. Khalaf Gatea Hussien, at the Clinical Laboratory Sciences Department. The study aimed to estimate the possible association between single nucleotide polymorphisms of cannabinoid receptor-1, evaluate serum and urine levels of KIM-1 and nephrin, and study the association of CNR-1 gene polymorphisms with these biomarkers in diabetic patients. This study concluded that certain genetic variations (polymorphisms) like rs1776966256, rs750464422, and rs1243008337 were found to be linked to the development of DN, a kidney disease associated with diabetes. However, another polymorphism, rs1776965150, was not associated with DN. Additionally, the study identified KIM-1 and nephrin as sensitive indicators of early-stage renal damage in DN.Finally, it was observed that rs1776966256 and rs1243008337 polymorphisms did not appear to affect KIM-1 and nephrin levels. However, the rs1776965150 polymorphism might affect the KIM-1 level, and the rs750464422 polymorphism might influence nephrin levels, potentially leading to podocyte destruction in Type 2 diabetes patients.
