The rate of HIV infection in the District of Columbia is alarming, with greater than 50% African American demographics, chronic kidney disease (CKD) disproportionately affecting African Americans, and twice (3%) the average of HIV-afflicted African Americans with CKD in the nation. Recent findings from our group indicate the inflammatory response and epigenetic profile are significantly different in African Americans compared to Caucasians with CKD. It is well recognized that epigenetic modifications regulate immune response and progression of CKD.
Thus, the central hypothesis is that difference in DNA methylation profile determine the difference in inflammatory response associated with HIV and predisposition to CKD. Thus, the principal aims of the study are: (i) to examine DNA methylation profile in African Americans, Caucasians and HIV positive patients with and without CKD, and (ii) relate it to the inflammatory response as measured by selected biomarkers of inflammation. We will use the 450K Illumina Infinium Human Methylation BeadChip to interrogate >450,000 methylation sites at single-nucleotide resolution. The findings will be validated by quantitative methylation specific PCR (qMSP) and pyrosequencing. The DNA will be extracted from CD4 cells, so that we are targeting the most appropriate clinically relevant cells considering the cell specificity of the epigenetic changes. We will use the preliminary data to submit a R01 grant application to NIH.