title: In vivo and in vitro evidence for an association between the route-specific transmission of HHV-8 and the virus genotype.
abstract: The study was performed to determine if there is an association between the genotype and transmission of HHV-8 types A and C. These HHV-8 subtypes are prevalent in the area of North of Sardinia, which is an island off west Italy's mainland that has a high HHV-8 seroprevalence (35%). Blood and saliva samples from 30 patients with classic Kaposi's sarcoma who were lifetime residents of North Sardinia were analyzed to identify the HHV-8 genotype and quantitate the viral load. Genotype A, especially A1 subtype, was found more frequently (9/30 patients) and had a significantly higher viral load in saliva compared to blood (P = 0.029), where type C was found more frequently but with a viral load lower than 10(3)  copies/ml. To determine if there is a correlation between the viral genotype and cellular tropism, type A1 and C3 HHV-8 viral particles were obtained from cell lines BCBL1 and BC3 infected chronically with HHV-8 A1 and C3 genotypes respectively and used to infect HEK293 epithelial origin cells and PBMCs in vitro. The data indicate that the A1 HHV-8 genotype is tropic and replicates at higher levels in the epithelial cell lines.
authors.affiliation: Virology Unit, Pisa University Hospital (Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana), Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Matteoli
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Broccolo
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Scaccino
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cottoni
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Angeloni
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Faggioni
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ceccherini-Nelli
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D002460:Cell Line; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D057809:HEK293 Cells; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology; D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D012463:Saliva / Q000821:virology*; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D019562:Viral Load; D056189:Viral Tropism
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral