High levels of retroperitoneal fibromatosis (RF)-associated herpesvirus in RF lesions in macaques are associated with ORF73 LANA expression in spindleoid tumour cells.
Two distinct lineages of rhadinoviruses related to Kaposi's sarcoma (KS)-associated herpesvirus (KSHV; Human herpesvirus 8), the causative agent of KS, have been identified. In macaques, the RV1 lineage is represented by retroperitoneal fibromatosis (RF) herpesvirus (RFHV), the homologue of KSHV, whilst the RV2 lineage is represented by rhesus rhadinovirus (RRV), a more distantly related virus. Real-time quantitative PCR was used to estimate the loads of RV1 and RV2 rhadinoviruses in simian acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-associated RF (SAIDS-RF), a neoplasm of macaques with similarities to AIDS-associated KS. Both RV1 and RV2 rhadinoviruses were detected in macaques with RF. The RV1 loads were 220- to 4300-fold higher in RF tumours than in spleen, showing a strong tumour association (mean loads of 1 800 000 vs 2900 copies per 10(6) cells in tumours and spleen, respectively). In contrast, RV2 loads in the RF tumours were 100-fold lower than RV1 loads and showed similar levels in tumours and spleen (mean loads of 16 000 vs 24 000 copies per 10(6) cells, respectively). Immunostaining with antibodies reactive against RFHV ORF73 latency-associated nuclear antigen (LANA) showed intense nuclear staining of the spindleoid RF tumour cells. Correlation of viral load and the number of LANA-positive cells indicated that RF tumour cells contained multiple copies of the RFHV genome per cell. This pattern of infectivity is similar to that seen in KS tumours latently infected with KSHV. Our study demonstrates similarities in the biology of KSHV and RFHV and supports a role for RFHV in the aetiology of SAIDS-RF.
Bruce
A Gregory
AG
Department of Pathobiology, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
Bakke
Angela M
AM
Department of Pathobiology, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
Bielefeldt-Ohmann
Helle
H
Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.
Ryan
Jonathan T
JT
Department of Pathobiology, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
Thouless
Margaret E
ME
Department of Pathobiology, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
Tsai
Che-Chung
CC
Washington National Primate Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
Rose
Timothy M
TM
Department of Pathobiology, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
D000818:Animals; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000821:virology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D008254:Macaca nemestrina; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012186:Retroperitoneal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D018144:Rhadinovirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D016097:Simian Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D013154:Spleen / Q000821:virology; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000821:virology*
D000956:Antigens, Viral; D004279:DNA, Viral; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; C109540:latency-associated nuclear antigen