DCLK1 and renal cell carcinoma: Moreover, we found that DCLK1 is associated with an immune excluded/desert phenotype in human RCC and that DCLK1-IN-1 regulates the expression of immune checkpoint ligand PD-L1 and can sensitize RCC to immune-mediated killing in co-culture assays both with and without anti-PD1 monoclonal antibody presence.