title: Unraveling virus-induced lymphomagenesis.
abstract: Kaposi sarcoma herpesvirus (KSHV), a human gammaherpesvirus, is the etiological agent for the endothelial-derived Kaposi sarcoma (KS) and also for certain lymphoproliferative disorders. In these lymphoproliferations, the KSHV-infected cells carry the stigmata of B lymphocytes, with plasmablastic features. The JCI has published three manuscripts addressing key questions related to B cell infection and viral latent expression in B cells. Myoung and Ganem provide evidence that CD4(+) lymphocytes suppress KSHV replication, promoting latency in B cells; Hassman and colleagues show that KSHV infection drives plasmablast differentiation in a subset of IgM(+) λ light chain-expressing cells; and Ballon and colleagues describe the in vivo transdifferentiation of B lymphocytes by KSHV-encoded viral FLICE-inhibitory protein (vFLIP).
authors.affiliation: UCL Cancer Institute, University College London, London, United Kingdom. c.boshoff@ucl.ac.uk
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Boshoff
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000821:virology*; D053446:CASP8 and FADD-Like Apoptosis Regulating Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000821:virology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism; D010950:Plasma Cells / Q000821:virology; D017735:Virus Latency / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D053446:CASP8 and FADD-Like Apoptosis Regulating Protein; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D016328:NF-kappa B