title: Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8/KSHV) and hematologic malignancies.
abstract: Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8), also defined Kaposi's sarcoma (KS)-associated herpesvirus, was identified by Chang and colleagues in 1994 using purely molecular techniques, before any serological evidence or virus isolation in cell culture could be achieved. HHV-8 is unique among herpesviruses because its prevalence in the general population is low and because it possesses the richest weaponry of viral oncogenes and tumor-promoting factors ever described. Eleven HHV-8-specific genes are homologs of cellular genes, which were hijacked from the host during a long parallel evolution, and at least five of such genes show both in vitro and in vivo transforming ability. HHV-8 is the causative agent of KS, but it has also been associated with different hematologic malignancies, including primary effusion lymphoma (PEL), multicentric Castelman's disease (MCD), MCD-related immunoblastic/plasmablastic lymphoma and various atypical lymphoproliferative disorders. Although low-level silent infection was detected in bone marrow stromal cells from patients with multiple myeloma, a role of HHV-8 in this disease is unlikely. As seen with KS, the incidence of HHV-8-associated lymphoproliferative disorders is increased in the setting of human immunodeficiency virus infection.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Human Virology (DIBIT), San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 58, 20132 Milano, Italy. malnati.mauro@hsr.it
authors.forename: Mauro S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Malnati
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dagna
authors.forename: Maurilio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ponzoni
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lusso
mesh_terms: D005871:Castleman Disease / Q000145:classification / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D002472:Cell Transformation, Viral; D005814:Genes, Viral; D019337:Hematologic Neoplasms / Q000821:virology*; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D016403:Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / Q000145:classification / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D016400:Lymphoma, Large-Cell, Immunoblastic / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D008232:Lymphoproliferative Disorders / Q000821:virology; D016366:Open Reading Frames / Q000235:genetics; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D014764:Viral Proteins