AEGiS-11IAC: HHV-8 and other DNA virus sequences in endemic (African), classic, iatrogenic epidemic Kaposi's sarcoma biopsies.

11th International AIDS Conference

Vancouver, British Columbia — July 7-12, 1996

HHV-8 and other DNA virus sequences in endemic (African), classic, iatrogenic epidemic Kaposi's sarcoma biopsies.

Int Conf AIDS 1996 Jul 7-12; 11:215 (abstract no. Th.A.271)
Buonaguro FM, Beth-Giraldo E, Tornesello ML, Monaco M, Downing R, Biryahwaho B, Sempala SDK, Giraldo G; Ist. Naz. Tumori "Fond. G. Pascale", Div. Virologia, Naples, Italy. Fax: +39-81-545.1276.

OBJECTIVES: To detect and determine the role of DNA viruses, particularly Herpesviruses (HHV-8, HHV-6, HCMV) and papillomaviruses (HPVs), in KS pathogenesis

METHODS: DNA extracted from 61 biopsies of classic (CKS), endemic/African (AKS), epidemic (EKS) and iatrogenic (IKS) [obtained from Greece, Italy, USA, Uganda and Kenya] has been analysed for the presence or viral sequences by Southern Blot (SB) and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). PCR has been performed using primers specific for: a) HHV-8 and HHV-6 sequences; b) the HCMV pol gene and Morphological Transforming Region I (MTRI); the HPV16 E6 transforming gene and the highly conserved, among genital and cutaneous HPVs, L1 gene. Results and

CONCLUSIONS: HHV-8 sequences have been detected by SB and PCR in 100% of all KS, in 5 out of 6 (83%) and 4 out of 7 (57%) uninvolved autologous skin biopsies from AKS and CKS patients, respectively. HCMV sequences have been detected by PCR in 4/28 (14, 2%) CKS, 4/12 (33,3%) AKS e 4/19 (21%) EKS. HPV sequences have been identified by PCR in 1/28 (3,5%) CKS (Italy, Greece and USA), 3/12 (25%) AKS (Uganda) and 5/19 (26,3%) EKS (Italy, Africa ed USA). Neither HCMV nor HPVs were detected in KS patients "normal" skin biopsies. All samples from non-KS patients were negative: 21 human biopsies from healthy individuals or patients affected by other pathologies, 5 human cell lines and 15 peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from HIV-positive subjects. Nucleotide sequence analysis of HHV-8 shows a pairwise sequence homology greater than 95% between African and Western countries strains. These results suggest that HHV-8 sequences are playing a major role in the pathogenesis of this neoplasm. Detection analysis of viral transcripts are in progress. The presence of other DNA viruses in KS lesions, absent in control tissues, suggests their role as co-factors in KS pathogenesis; it cannot be excluded, however, that KS tissues are more susceptible to opportunistic agents. Supported by Min. Sanita (Ric. Corr 1995-6), VIII Prog.AIDS (9304-69), ICSC-World Lab, Lausanne (Proj. MCD-2/7).

Keywords: AEGIS, Herpesvirus 8, Human, Sarcoma, Kaposi, Herpesviridae, Skin Neoplasms, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Polymerase Chain Reaction, Biopsy, HIV Infections, Blotting, Southern, Herpesviridae Infections, Papillomavirus, Human, HIV Seropositivity, Herpesvirus 6, Human, Disease Outbreaks, Skin, Italy, Africa, Greece, Uganda, Kenya, Human, epidemiology, ICA11

960707
ThA271