SEMINAR

“ Finding the Equilibrium for the Uric acid Dynamics”

Department of Pharmacology, Ajou University School of Medicine (AUSOM)
Sung Kweon Cho, M.D., Ph.D.

Most of the natural phenomena follow the law of normal distribution. Continuous variables following normal distribution are composed of heritable and environmental factors. This can be expressed in the form of a polygenic risk score. This rule can be applied to uric acid.
Based on the serendipitous finding of hypouricemia during the clinical trials, our group investigated the epidemiologic study to finding the meaning of hypouricemia in the context of public health, we generated polygenic risk score of uric acid in the general population and then found the causative gene through WES for subjects distributed at the extreme ends of the normal distribution. This discovery of GLUT9 became the corner stone of uric acid lowering agent, a treatment for hyperuricemia, the cause of gout.
In this lecture, I will also cover clinical pharmacology prospective of uric acid dynamics to find the equilibrium for each individuals.