title: Human herpesvirus type 8 variants circulating in Europe, Africa and North America in classic, endemic and epidemic Kaposi's sarcoma lesions during pre-AIDS and AIDS era.
abstract: Human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8) variants have been found heterogeneously distributed among human populations living in diverse geographic regions, but their differential pathogenicity in Kaposi's sarcoma development remains controversial. In the present study, HHV-8 variant distribution has been analyzed in classic, iatrogenic, endemic as well as epidemic Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) during pre-AIDS and AIDS period (1971-2008) in countries with different KS incidence rate. DNA samples from cutaneous KS lesions of 68 patients living in Africa (n=23, Cameroon, Kenya and Uganda), Europe (n=34, Greece and Italy) and North America (n=11) have been subjected to PCR amplification of HHV-8 ORF 26, T0.7, K1 and K14.1/15, followed by direct nucleotide sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. Among the 23 African samples, the majority of HHV-8 ORF 26 variants clustered with the subtype R (n=12) and B (n=5). Conversely, the viral sequences obtained from 45 European and North European tumors belonged mainly to subtype A/C (n=36). In general, HHV-8 and K1 variant clustering paralleled that of ORF 26 and T0.7. Genotyping of the K14.1/15 loci revealed a large predominance of P subtype in all tumors. In conclusion, comparison of the HHV-8 sequences from classic or endemic versus AIDS-associated KS showed a strong linkage of the HHV-8 variants with specific populations, which has not changed during AIDS epidemic.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Biology and Viral Oncology and AIDS Reference Centre, National Cancer Institute "Fondazione Pascale", Cappella Cangiani, 80131 Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Lina
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Tornesello
authors.forename: Benon
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Biryahwaho
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Downing
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hatzakis
authors.forename: Elvio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Alessi
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cusini
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ruocco
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Katongole-Mbidde
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Loquercio
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Buonaguro
authors.forename: Franco M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Buonaguro
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D000328:Adult; D000349:Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D000368:Aged; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005814:Genes, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D014644:Genetic Variation / Q000235:genetics; D005838:Genotype; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009656:North America / Q000453:epidemiology; D017354:Point Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*