Comprehensive RNA-Seq Reveals Molecular Changes in Kidney Malignancy Among People Living with HIV

Background: Malignancy of the kidney is a rapidly progressive kidney disease and a major source of morbidity and mortality among people living with HIV (PLWH). Patients with HIV-associated kidey cancer experience higher cancer-specific mortality than the general population,and its mechanism remains poorly understood. Methods: To heighten the awareness of kidney malignancy in patients with HIV infection to facilitate the early diagnosis of kidney cancer, we identified 2460 protein-coding transcripts in HIV-associated kidney cancer using comprehensive RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). Results:KISS1R, CAIX,and NPTX2 mRNA expression levels were specifically increased in HIV-associated kidney cancer, and UMOD and TMEM213 mRNA were decreased in most cases based on real-time PCR analyses. These findings were similar to those noted for the general population with renal cell carcinoma. Immunohistochemical staining analysis also showed that a total of 16 of 18 kidney malignant cases among PLWH exhibited positive staining for KISS1R and CAIX. Conclusion: The identified molecular changes in kidney malignancy may offer a helpful explanation for cancer progression and open up new therapeutic avenues that may decrease mortality after a cancer diagnosis among PLWH.