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J. Virol., 01 1996, 549-558, Vol 70, No. 1
PS Moore, SJ Gao, G Dominguez, E Cesarman, O Lungu, DM Knowles, R Garber, PE Pellett, DJ McGeoch and Y Chang
Detection of novel DNA sequences in Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) and AIDS- related
body cavity-based, non-Hodgkin's lymphomas suggests that these neoplasms
are caused by a previously unidentified human herpesvirus. We have
characterized this agent using a continuously infected B- lymphocyte cell
line derived from an AIDS-related lymphoma and a genomic library made from
a KS lesion. In this cell line, the agent has a large episomal genome with
an electrophoretic mobility similar to that of 270-kb linear DNA markers
during clamped homogeneous electric field gel electrophoresis. A 20.7-kb
region of the genome has been completely sequenced, and within this region,
17 partial and complete open reading frames are present; all except one
have sequence and positional homology to known gammaherpesvirus genes,
including the major capsid protein and thymidine kinase genes. Phylogenetic
analyses using both single genes and combined gene sets demonstrated that
the agent is a gamma-2 herpesvirus (genus Rhadinovirus) and is the first
member of this genus known to infect humans. Evidence for transient viral
transmission from infected to uninfected cells is presented, but
replication-competent virions have not been identified in infected cell
lines. Sera from patients with KS have specific antibodies directed against
antigens of infected cell lines, and these antibodies are generally absent
in sera from patients with AIDS without KS. These studies define the agent
as a new human herpesvirus provisionally assigned the descriptive name
KS-associated herpesvirus; its formal designation is likely to be human
herpesvirus 8.
Copyright © 1996, American Society for Microbiology
Primary characterization of a herpesvirus agent associated with Kaposi's sarcomae [published erratum appears in J Virol 1996 Dec;70(12):9083]
Division of Epidemiology, Columbia University, New York, New York 10032, USA.
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