Human herpesvirus type 8 variants circulating in Europe, Africa and North America in classic, endemic and epidemic Kaposi's sarcoma lesions during pre-AIDS and AIDS era

• Published in: Virology (New York, N.Y.) N.Y.), 2010-03, Vol.398 (2), p.280-289
• Main Authors: Tornesello, Maria Lina, Biryahwaho, Benon, Downing, Robert, Hatzakis, Angelo, Alessi, Elvio, Cusini, Marco, Ruocco, Vincenzo, Katongole-Mbidde, Edward, Loquercio, Giovanna, Buonaguro, Luigi, Buonaguro, Franco M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - complications; Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - epidemiology; Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - virology; Adult; Africa - epidemiology; Aged; Europe - epidemiology; Female; Genes, Viral - genetics; Genetic Variation - genetics; Genotype; Herpesviridae Infections - epidemiology; Herpesviridae Infections - virology; Herpesvirus 8, Human - genetics; HHV-8 ORF 26; HHV-8 ORF K1; Human herpes virus type 8 (HHV-8); Humans; Infectious Disease; Kaposi's sarcoma; Male; Middle Aged; North America - epidemiology; Point Mutation - genetics; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Polymorphism, Genetic - genetics; Sarcoma, Kaposi - epidemiology; Sarcoma, Kaposi - virology
• ISSN: 0042-6822; 1096-0341
• DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2009.12.005

Abstract Human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8) variants have been found heterogeneously distributed among human populations living in diverse geographic regions, but their differential pathogenicity in Kaposi's sarcoma development remains controversial. In the present study, HHV-8 variant distribution has been analyzed in classic, iatrogenic, endemic as well as epidemic Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) during pre-AIDS and AIDS period (1971–2008) in countries with different KS incidence rate. DNA samples from cutaneous KS lesions of 68 patients living in Africa ( n = 23, Cameroon, Kenya and Uganda), Europe ( n = 34, Greece and Italy) and North America ( n = 11) have been subjected to PCR amplification of HHV-8 ORF 26, T0.7, K1 and K14.1/15, followed by direct nucleotide sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. Among the 23 African samples, the majority of HHV-8 ORF 26 variants clustered with the subtype R ( n = 12) and B ( n = 5). Conversely, the viral sequences obtained from 45 European and North European tumors belonged mainly to subtype A/C ( n = 36). In general, HHV-8 and K1 variant clustering paralleled that of ORF 26 and T0.7. Genotyping of the K14.1/15 loci revealed a large predominance of P subtype in all tumors. In conclusion, comparison of the HHV-8 sequences from classic or endemic versus AIDS-associated KS showed a strong linkage of the HHV-8 variants with specific populations, which has not changed during AIDS epidemic.