Pathogenesis of Polycystic Kidney Disease

Polycystic Kidney Disease is a kind of hereditary Kidney Disease that many cysts grow in renal cortex and renal medulla, with characteristic of familial aggregation. So many reasons can cause Polycystic Kidney Disease, including congenital hereditary factors and acquired factors.

Ⅰ. Congenital factors of Polycystic Kidney Disease:

Firstly, congenital dysplasia is one of the causes of Polycystic Kidney Disease. Congenital dysplasia can cause many diseases. As for cystic Kidney Disease, it may cause sponge kidney, dysplasia Polycystic Kidney Disease and other Kidney Diseases. Gene of congenital dysplasia patients is generally normal. So it is different from gene inheritance and gene mutation.

Secondly, gene mutation: as for Polycystic Kidney Disease, most patients are inherited this disease from their parents gene, divided into Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease and Autosomal Recessive Polycystic Kidney Disease. However, some patients get PKD neither from inheritance nor from congenital dysplasia. They get the disease due to gene mutation in embryo forming stage. During this stage, due to various factors, gene mutation happens, causing Polycystic Kidney Disease. Through this condition seldom happens, it still has the possibility. Therefore, some PKD patients may not have hereditary history.

Ⅱ. Acquired factors of Polycystic Kidney Disease

Firstly, various infections: infections can cause abnormal change to organ internal environment, which is beneficial for cystic gene mutation to happen. Then activity of cysts internal factors increases, promoting cysts formation. Besides, infections on any part of body can get into kidney with blood, affecting cysts growth. If cysts were infected, besides clinical symptoms aggravation, it can speed up cysts growing rate and damage renal function further. Common infections include upper respiratory tract infection, urinary tract infection, gastrointestinal infection, skin infection, trauma infection and apparatus infection, etc. it means that both bacterial infection and virus infection can affect cysts greatly.

Secondly, toxin: toxin accumulated in body can damage various cellular organic tissue, resulting in disease happening or even threat to life. Besides, toxin is also one of the main reasons of gene mutation and congenital dysplasia. Some common toxins include agricultural chemicals, some chemical agents, radiation as well as pollution and so on. In addition, some medicines are nephrotoxic. These medicines can cause renal injury if they are used improperly.


Because Polycystic Kidney Disease is the interaction of congenital and acquired factors, we can control acquired factors actively on the condition that congenital factors can not be changed. Patients should pay more attention on daily living regulation and diet in order to prevent Polycystic Kidney Disease happening.