Functional enrichment showed that significant pathways included those pathways in cancer; nicotinate and nicotinamide metabolism; thyroid cancer; renal cell carcinoma; parathyroid hormone synthesis, secretion, and action; thyroid hormone signalling pathway; apelin signalling pathway; fluid shear stress; and atherosclerosis (P < 0.05). Here, APLN is linked to hereditary clear cell renal cell carcinoma.