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Expression of HHV‐8 latency‐associated T0.7 RNA in spindle cells and endothelial cells of AIDS‐associated, classical and African Kaposi's sarcoma
Author(s) -
Stürzl Michael,
Blasig Cornelia,
Schreier Anneliese,
Neipel Frank,
Hohenadl Christine,
Cornali Emmanuelle,
Ascherl Gudrun,
Esser Stefan,
Brockmeyer Norbert H.,
Ekman Marianne,
Kaaya Ephata E.,
Tschachler Erwin,
Biberfeld Peter
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
international journal of cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.475
H-Index - 234
eISSN - 1097-0215
pISSN - 0020-7136
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-0215(19970703)72:1<68::aid-ijc10>3.0.co;2-6
Subject(s) - pathogenesis , biology , virus , virology , messenger rna , sarcoma , in situ hybridization , herpesviridae , kaposi's sarcoma , gammaherpesvirinae , cell culture , immunology , pathology , gene , viral disease , human herpesvirus , medicine , genetics
Analysis by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and serological studies have demonstrated a close association between the novel human herpes virus, Kaposi's sarcoma‐associated herpes virus (KSHV) or human herpes virus‐8 (HHV‐8) and the development of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS). To clarify the role of HHV‐8 in KS pathogenesis, we investigated at the cellular level by in situ hybridization the expression of a recently described 0.7‐kb HHV‐8‐encoded mRNA (T0.7 mRNA) in KS tissues of different epidemiological origin (AIDS‐KS, African endemic KS and classical KS). The T0.7 mRNA likely encodes a small membrane protein, supposedly expressed in latently HHV‐8‐infected cells. Indeed, we detected T0.7 mRNA in virtually all cells of the cell line BCBL‐1 established from a body cavity‐based lymphoma (BCBL) and latently infected with HHV‐8. In all KS biopsies examined, independent of their epidemiological type, the late‐stage (nodular) KS tissues showed a high level of T0.7 mRNA expression in typical KS spindle cells but also in endothelial cells lining blood vessels, indicating latent HHV‐8 infection of these cells. The presence of T0.7‐expressing cells was restricted to KS tumor tissue and therefore appears to indicate an important role of latent HHV‐8 infection in KS pathogenesis. Int. J. Cancer 72:68–71, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss Inc.