title: Angiogenesis, Kaposi's Sarcoma and Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus.
abstract: Tumor angiogenesis is the uncontrolled growth of blood vessels in tumors, serving to supply nutrients and oxygen, and remove metabolic wastes. Kaposi's sarcoma (KS), a multifocal angioproliferative disorder characterized by spindle cell proliferation, neo-angiogenesis, inflammation, and edema, is associated with infection by Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV). Recent studies indicate that KSHV infection directly promotes angiogenesis and inflammation through an autocrine and paracrine mechanism by inducing pro-angiogenic and pro-inflammatory cytokines. Many of these cytokines are also expressed in KS lesions, implicating a direct role of KSHV in the pathogenesis of this malignancy. Several KSHV genes are involved in KSHV-induced angiogenesis. These studies have provided insights into the pathogenesis of KS, and identified potential therapeutic targets for this malignancy.
authors.affiliation: Tumor Virology Group, State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China;
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Feng-Chun
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: Shou-Jiang
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Lin-Ding
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Wang