Mj. Ross et al., Microcyst formation and HIV-1 gene expression occur in multiple nephron segments in HIV-associated nephropathy, J AM S NEPH, 12(12), 2001, pp. 2645-2651
Tubular microcyst formation is a prominent histopathologic feature of HIV-a
ssociated nephropathy (HIVAN), but its pathogenesis is unknown. HIV-1 has r
ecently been shown to infect renal tubular epithelial cells in patients wit
h HIVAN. In addition, HIV-1 gene expression in renal epithelial cells has b
een shown to cause a renal disease that is identical to HIVAN in HIV-1 tran
sgenic mice. In these studies, immunohistochemistry for tubular segment-spe
cific markers and mRNA in situ hybridization for HIV-1 was used to determin
e which tubular segments develop microcysts and which segments express HIV-
1 in the kidneys of transgenic mice and patients with HIVAN. It was found t
hat microcysts involve multiple nephron segments in both patients with HIVA
N and HIV-1 transgenic mice. Furthermore, HIV-1 infection in HIVAN and HIV-
1 transgene expression also occurs in multiple segments of the nephron. The
se data support a direct role for HIV-1 infection of renal epithelial cells
in the pathogenesis of microcyst formation in patients with HIVAN.