HIV-1 Infection of Renal Cells in HIV-Associated Nephropathy

Role of Podocyte Injury in Glomerulosclerosis

Finding new therapeutic targets of glomerulosclerosis treatment is an ongoing quest. Due to a living environment of various stresses and pathological stimuli, podocytes are prone to injuries; moreover, as a cell without proliferative potential, loss of podocytes is vital in the pathogenesis of glomerulosclerosis. Thus, sufficient understanding of factors and underlying mechanisms of podocyte injury facilitates the advancement of treating and prevention of glomerulosclerosis. The clinical symptom of podocyte injury is proteinuria, sometimes with loss of kidney functions progressing to glomerulosclerosis. Injury-induced changes in podocyte physiology and function are actually not a simple passive process, but a complex interaction of proteins that comprise the anatomical structure of podocytes at molecular levels. This chapter lists several aspects of podocyte injuries along with potential mechanisms, including glucose and lipid metabolism disorder, hypertension, RAS activation, micro-inflammation, immune disorder, and other factors. These aspects are not technically separated items, but intertwined with each other in the pathogenesis of podocyte injuries.

A review of renal disease in children with HIV infection

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection continues to be a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. HIV-infected individuals are now surviving for a relatively longer period and this is because of easy accessibility to antiretroviral therapy these days. As a result, chronic disease-related complications are now being recognized more often. Kidney disease in HIV-infected children can vary from glomerular to tubular-interstitial involvement. We searched the database to identify various kidney diseases seen in HIV-infected children. We describe the epidemiology, pathogenesis, pathology, clinical and laboratory manifestations, management and outcome of commonly seen kidney disease in HIV-infected children. We also provide a brief overview of toxicity of antiretroviral drugs seen in HIV-infected children. Kidney involvement in HIV-infected children may arise because of HIV infection per se, opportunistic infections, immune mediated injury and drug toxicity. HIV-associated nephropathy is perhaps the most common and most severe form of kidney disease. Proteinuria may be a cost-effective screening test in the long-term management of HIV-infected children, however, there are no definite recommendations for the same. Other important renal diseases are HIV immune complex kidney disease, thrombotic microangiopathy, interstitial nephritis and vasculitis.

HIV associated kidney diseases: Clarifying concordance between renal failure in HIV infection and histopathologic manifestations at kidney biopsy

Patients with HIV infection have a wide spectrum of renal diseases. Some are known to be the direct effect of the viral infection while others are renal diseases that also occur in uninfected populations. HIV associated nephropathy (HIVAN) is considered to be a subtype of primary focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis that is distinct in HIV infected patients. It is more frequent in the African-American population and associated with mutations of the apolipoprotein L1 (APOL1) gene. HIV associated immune complex kidney disease (HIVICD) encompasses a spectrum of HIV associated renal diseases characterized by the presence of immune complex deposition within glomeruli. Thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) is a complication of HIV infection that presents with hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, and renal failure. TMA in HIV patients is associated with very high mortality. Lastly, the multitude of antiretroviral drugs used for treatment of HIV infections can result in nephrotoxicity. Although a kidney biopsy may not be the first line study for renal disease, knowledge of the different histopathologic features of HIV-associated and unassociated diseases is of paramount importance in the treatment and subsequent outcome of renal function in HIV infected patients. In this review we will describe the histopathologic features and discuss the pathophysiology of the entities previously named.