Detection of human herpesvirus 8 and human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 sequences in Kaposi sarcoma
C. Lebbe, F. Agbalika, P. de Cremoux, M. Deplanche, M. Rybojad, E. Masgrau, P. Morel and F. Calvo
Department of Dermatology, Hopital Saint-Louis, Paris, France.
BACKGROUND: Ultrastructural studies have shown retroviral particles in
Kaposi sarcoma (KS) unrelated to infection with the human immunodeficiency
virus (HIV). Recently, DNA sequences from a new herpesvirus, human
herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8), were detected in KS tissues. OBJECTIVES: To screen
for the presence of HHV-8 sequences in patients with KS not related to HIV
infection and correlate HHV-8 sequence detection and clinical staging and
to screen for the presence of human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1
(HTLV-1) sequences in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of
such patients. DESIGN: Tumor and normal skin samples and PBMCs were
investigated by polymerase chain reaction using primers for HHV-8 and
HTLV-1 pX gag, pol, and env sequences. SETTING: Ambulatory or hospitalized
patients from a university hospital associated with a research laboratory.
PATIENTS: Thirty-one patients with KS not related to HIV infection (21
classic cases, 3 endemic cases, 1 case associated with Castleman disease, 4
homosexual men, 1 post-transplantation patient, and 1 patient taking
corticosteroids). Stages involved included I (13 patients), II (8
patients), III (7 patients), and IV (3 patients). RESULTS: Human
herpesvirus 8 sequences were found in 100% of KS specimens, 70% of distant
normal skin specimens, and 42% of PBMC samples. The percentage of HHV-8
detection in PBMCs was higher in patients with KS stage III or IV than in
patients with stage I or II. Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I pX
sequences were detected in 2 of 19 patients while gag, pol, and env test
results were negative using polymerase chain reaction analysis.
CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest no significant association between HTLV-1
infection and KS. Detection of HHV-8 infected cells in normal skin samples
from the majority of KS tissues, regardless of clinical staging, can be
paralleled to the multifocal pattern of the disease. Human herpesvirus 8
detection in PBMCs could be related to the tumor burden.
