AEGiS-11IAC: Simian homologues of human herpesvirus 8 (or KSHV) in retroperitoneal fibromatosis in macaques.

11th International AIDS Conference

Vancouver, British Columbia — July 7-12, 1996

Simian homologues of human herpesvirus 8 (or KSHV) in retroperitoneal fibromatosis in macaques.

Int Conf AIDS 1996 Jul 7-12; 11:216 (abstract no. Th.A.275)
Strand K, Rose T, Tsai CC, Schaefer G, Schultz E, Morton W, Bosch ML; University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA. Fax: (206) 543 3873. E-mail: marnix@u.washington.edu.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the potential presence of herpesvirus sequences in simian retroperitoneal fibromatosis (RF), a fibroproliferative disease that is similar to human Kaposi's sarcoma (KS).

METHODS: We have used a degenerate-primer based PCR approach to search for herpesvirus-like sequences in tissue samples of RF. DNA was extracted from paraffin blocks of 10 tumor lesions and 7 frozen tissue sections. This DNA was then amplified using the degenerate primers and resulting bands were cloned and sequenced. Based on the sequences new specific primers were designed to probe all of the tumor samples as well as normal macaque tissues.

RESULTS: We initially detected a fragment of a herpesvirus DNA polymerase gene in one RF sample. Specific priming revealed the presence of identical sequences in three more samples. All of these samples were obtained from pigtailed macaques (M. nemestrina). These samples also yielded a fragment of the glycoprotein B gene. Together the fragments identify a new herpesvirus, tentatively named RFHV. Comparison of the sequences of these fragments with homologous fragments of human herpesvirus-8 genes revealed that the two viruses are highly related, and members of the gamma herpesvirus family. Subsequent experiments resulted in identification of a DNA polymerase gene fragment in one of the other RF samples. This fragment is 80% identical to the RFHV fragment and identifies a variant of RFHV. Sofar this variant has been detected in one sample that was obtained from a rhesus macaque. No evidence for the presence of RFHV sequences was found in normal macaque tissue.

CONCLUSIONS: We have identified a new herpesvirus, that is related to HHV-8, in simian RF. The occurrence of related viruses in related disorders strengthens the case for these viruses being implicated in the disease etiology. Furthermore it provides for a monkey model for KS, in which viral contributions, as well as new intervention and prevention strategies can be tested.

Keywords: AEGIS, Herpesvirus 8, Human, Macaca, Sarcoma, Kaposi, Herpesviridae, Herpesviridae Infections, Macaca mulatta, DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase, Polymerase Chain Reaction, DNA Primers, Fibroma, Animal, Human, ICA11

960707
ThA275