Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus infects endothelial and spindle cells.
Kaposi's sarcoma (KS), a vascular tumour that contains characteristic spindle cells forming slit-like spaces, may have an infectious aetiology. Recently, sequences of a new human herpesvirus, KSHV/HHV-8, have been identified in both HIV-associated and classical KS. We sought to identify the target cell of this virus in KS tumour tissue. Using PCR in situ hybridization (PCR-ISH) we show that KSHV/HHV-8 is present in the flat endothelial cells lining vascular spaces of KS lesions as well as in typical KS spindle cells. These findings show that KSHV/HHV-8 is present in the cell types thought to represent neoplastic cells in these lesions.
D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001483:Base Sequence; D004727:Endothelium; D005260:Female; D006564:Herpesviridae; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D018331:Nevus, Spindle Cell / Q000821:virology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*