title: Lack of serologic association of human herpesvirus-8 (KSHV) in patients with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance with and without progression to multiple myeloma.
abstract: Because human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8) DNA has been found in multiple myeloma (MM) patients by polymerase chain reaction, it was suggested that HHV-8 may play a role in the transformation of monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) to MM. Therefore, 362 MGUS sera with and without progression to MM were tested for IgG antibody to HHV-8. Only 7.8% of the MGUS sera contained HHV-8 antibody to lytic proteins, and IgG antibody to HHV-8 latent antigen was even lower than lytic antibody (2.9%). No differences were observed in the distribution of antibody to HHV-8 in sera from MGUS patients who progressed to MM. The seroprevalences of HHV-8 in MGUS (7.8%), MM (5.4%), and healthy donors (5.9%) were similar, thus arguing for the lack of epidemiologic evidence of HHV-8 participation in the pathogenesis of MM. MGUS patients were immune competent in response to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection because 97% contained antibody to EBV virus capsid antigen.
authors.affiliation: Advanced Biotechnologies Inc, Columbia, MD 21046-2701, USA. dablashi@abionline.com
authors.forename: D V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Ablashi
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chatlynne
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bourboulia
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Rettig
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Vescio
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Viza
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gill
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Kyle
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Berenson
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Whitman
mesh_terms: D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human; D006801:Humans; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000821:virology*; D010265:Paraproteinemias / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000821:virology*