Human herpesvirus-8/Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus is a new transmissible virus that infects B cells. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • Herpesviral DNA fragments isolated from AIDS-associated Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) tissue (KSHV-DNA) share homology with two lymphotropic oncogenic gamma-herpesviruses, Epstein-Barr virus and Herpesvirus saimiri, and are present in the lesions of more than 95% of HIV and non-HIV-associated forms of KS, AIDS-related body cavity-based lymphomas, and AIDS-related multicentric Castleman's disease. Here we show that BC-1, a KSHV-DNA-positive, body cavity-based lymphoma cell line, produces infective herpesviral particles carrying a linear 270-kb genome that specifically transmits KSHV-DNA to CD19+ B cells. Transmission of KSHV-DNA is dependent upon a biologically active, replicating virus, since it is blocked by UV irradiation and foscarnet, an inhibitor of viral DNA-polymerase. This study represents the first isolation and transmission of the human herpesvirus-8/KS-associated herpesvirus.

publication date

  • May 1, 1996

Research

keywords

  • Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
  • B-Lymphocytes
  • Herpesviridae
  • Sarcoma, Kaposi

Identity

PubMed Central ID

  • PMC2192551

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 0029941602

PubMed ID

  • 8642350

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 183

issue

  • 5