Transcripts of the human herpesvirus 8 genome in skin lesions and peripheral blood mononuclear cells of a patient with classic Kaposi's sarcoma.
We report a 75-year-old Japanese woman with classic Kaposi's sarcoma. PCR amplified human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) DNA sequences from her skin lesions and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), but not her plasma, saliva or urine. An antibody test against HHV-8 lytic antigens was positive. Immunohistochemical staining detected latent antigen. There was no evidence of HHV-8 infection in her husband, sister or daughter. Genes coding for HHV-8-encoded viral interleukin-6, viral macrophage inflammatory protein I, viral G protein-coupled receptor, viral cyclin D and viral Bcl-2 were expressed to the same degree in both her skin lesion and PBMC. Latency-associated T0.7 mRNA and HHV-8-encoded viral tegument protein genes were expressed in her PBMC at levels lower than in the skin lesions. Based on the gene expression profile, we concluded that lytic HHV-8 infection was present in her skin lesions and PBMC.
Yoshii
N
N
Department of Drematology, Center for Chronic Viral Diseases, Kagoshima University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima, Japan. yoshii@kagoderma.com
Kanekura
T
T
Eizuru
Y
Y
Setoyama
M
M
Kanzaki
T
T
Yamanishi
K
K
D000368:Aged; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D018023:HIV Seronegativity; D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000821:virology*; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000821:virology*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000235:genetics
D000956:Antigens, Viral; D004279:DNA, Viral