A study comparing renal biopsies from patients with minimal change disease and patients with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), showed higher levels of Beclin 1-mediated autophagic activity in minimal change disease patients than those from FSGS patients, suggesting decreasing levels of autophagy might lead to progress to FSGS.49 This evidence concerns the gene BECN1 and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis.