Expression of HHV-8 latency-associated T0.7 RNA in spindle cells and endothelial cells of AIDS-associated, classical and African Kaposi's sarcoma.
Analysis by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and serological studies have demonstrated a close association between the novel human herpes virus, Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpes virus (KSHV) or human herpes virus-8 (HHV-8) and the development of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS). To clarify the role of HHV-8 in KS pathogenesis, we investigated at the cellular level by in situ hybridization the expression of a recently described 0.7-kb HHV-8-encoded mRNA (T0.7 mRNA) in KS tissues of different epidemiological origin (AIDS-KS, African endemic KS and classical KS). The T0.7 mRNA likely encodes a small membrane protein, supposedly expressed in latently HHV-8-infected cells. Indeed, we detected T0.7 mRNA in virtually all cells of the cell line BCBL-1 established from a body cavity-based lymphoma (BCBL) and latently infected with HHV-8. In all KS biopsies examined, independent of their epidemiological type, the late-stage (nodular) KS tissues showed a high level of T0.7 mRNA expression in typical KS spindle cells but also in endothelial cells lining blood vessels, indicating latent HHV-8 infection of these cells. The presence of T0.7-expressing cells was restricted to KS tumor tissue and therefore appears to indicate an important role of latent HHV-8 infection in KS pathogenesis.
Stürzl
M
M
Abteilung Virusforschung, Max-Planck-Institut für Biochemie, Martinsried, Germany. STUERZL@Biochem.mpg.de
Blasig
C
C
Schreier
A
A
Neipel
F
F
Hohenadl
C
C
Cornali
E
E
Ascherl
G
G
Esser
S
S
Brockmeyer
N H
NH
Ekman
M
M
Kaaya
E E
EE
Tschachler
E
E
Biberfeld
P
P
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D000349:Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D001706:Biopsy; D004848:Epithelium / Q000821:virology; D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000821:virology*; D017735:Virus Latency
D012367:RNA, Viral