title: Human herpesvirus-8/Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus is a new transmissible virus that infects B cells.
abstract: Herpesviral DNA fragments isolated from AIDS-associated Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) tissue (KSHV-DNA) share homology with two lymphotropic oncogenic gamma-herpesviruses, Epstein-Barr virus and Herpesvirus saimiri, and are present in the lesions of more than 95% of HIV and non-HIV-associated forms of KS, AIDS-related body cavity-based lymphomas, and AIDS-related multicentric Castleman's disease. Here we show that BC-1, a KSHV-DNA-positive, body cavity-based lymphoma cell line, produces infective herpesviral particles carrying a linear 270-kb genome that specifically transmits KSHV-DNA to CD19+ B cells. Transmission of KSHV-DNA is dependent upon a biologically active, replicating virus, since it is blocked by UV irradiation and foscarnet, an inhibitor of viral DNA-polymerase. This study represents the first isolation and transmission of the human herpesvirus-8/KS-associated herpesvirus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Cornell University Medical College, New York 10021, USA.
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Mesri
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cesarman
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Arvanitakis
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rafii
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: D N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Posnett
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Knowles
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Asch
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000821:virology*; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D002460:Cell Line; D015342:DNA Probes; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005312:Fetal Blood; D016679:Genome, Viral; D006564:Herpesviridae / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D006567:Herpesvirus 2, Saimiriine / Q000145:classification; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000145:classification; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000209:etiology / Q000821:virology*
chemical_list: D015342:DNA Probes; D004279:DNA, Viral