title: Molecular epidemiology of the HHV-8 K1 gene from Moroccan patients with Kaposi's sarcoma.
abstract: The genetic variability of the human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) strains circulating in the populations living in the Maghreb region, an endemic area for HHV-8 and associated Kaposi's sarcoma, remains largely unknown. We have thus analyzed the genetic variation of the complete K1 gene of HHV-8 in a series of 35 viral strains, originating from 28 Moroccan patients with classic, AIDS-associated or iatrogenic Kaposi's sarcoma lesions. All but one of the 35 strains belonged to the large C molecular subtype. Furthermore, high genetic diversity within the C subtype was observed in the 35 sequenced HHV-8 K1 genes, with strains belonging to several and distinct subgroups highly supported from a phylogenetically viewpoint (e.g., C3, C7, C'' and C5). Considering these newly identified Moroccan viral strains in the context of 189 complete K1 genes, we were able to characterized, using the Simplot program, two main groups of recombinant chimeric K1 genes, either intertypic (C5) or intratypic (C7). In addition, the genetic characterization of the host maternal gene pool, through the analyses of mtDNA variation, did not provide evidence for any association between a particular human ethno-geographic background (i.e., North African vs. sub-Saharan African vs. West Eurasian linages) and any HHV-8 strain because both C' and C'' strains were randomly distributed among the different patients' population backgrounds.
authors.affiliation: Unité d'Epidémiologie et Physiopathologie des Virus Oncogènes, Département de Virologie, Institut Pasteur, 25-28 rue du Dr. Roux, 75724, Paris, Cedex 15, France. rduprez@pasteur.fr
authors.forename: Renan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Duprez
authors.forename: Oumkaltoum
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Hbid
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Afonso
authors.forename: Hélène
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Quach
authors.forename: Lamia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Belloul
authors.forename: Noura
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fajali
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ismaili
authors.forename: Hakima
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Benomar
authors.forename: El
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hassane Tahri
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Huerre
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Quintana-Murci
authors.forename: Antoine
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gessain
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005788:Gene Pool; D005814:Genes, Viral; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D009018:Morocco / Q000453:epidemiology; D010802:Phylogeny; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011153:Population / Q000235:genetics; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; C111600:K1 protein, Human herpesvirus 8; D014764:Viral Proteins