Detection of human herpesvirus 8 DNA and antibodies to latent nuclear and lytic-phase antigens in serial samples from aids patients with Kaposi’s sarcoma

• Published in: Journal of clinical virology Vol. 16; no. 3; pp. 247 - 251
• Main Authors: Camera Pierrotti, Lı́gia, Masami Sumita, Laura, Santos Freire, Wilton, Hehl Caiaffa Filho, Hélio, Akico Ueda Fick de Souza, Vanda
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.05.2000; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Adult; AIDS; AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections - virology; AIDS/HIV; Anti-lytic antibodies; Antibodies, Viral - blood; Antigens, Viral - immunology; Biological and medical sciences; DNA, Viral - analysis; Herpesvirus 8, Human - genetics; Herpesvirus 8, Human - immunology; Herpesvirus 8, Human - isolation & purification; HHV-8; Human herpesvirus 8; Human viral diseases; Humans; Infectious diseases; Kaposi’s sarcoma; LANA; Leukocytes, Mononuclear - virology; Male; Medical sciences; PCR; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Sarcoma, Kaposi - virology; Viral diseases; Viral diseases of the lymphoid tissue and the blood. Aids; Viremia; Virus Latency; Kaposi’s sarcoma; Viremia; PBMC, peripheral blood mononuclear cells; KS, Kaposi’s sarcoma; HHV-8, Human Herpesvirus 8; Anti-lytic antibodies; AIDS; LANA; HAART, highly active antiretroviral therapy; LANA, latent-phase nuclear antigen; HHV-8; PCR, polymerase chain reaction; PCR; Gammaherpesvirinae; Human; Immunopathology; Skin disease; Immune response; Antibody; Herpesviridae; Malignant tumor; Immune deficiency; Herpesvirus hominis 8; Infection; Virus; Kaposi sarcoma; Follow up study; Viral disease; DNA; Serum; Detection; Humoral immunity
• ISSN: 1386-6532; 1873-5967
• DOI: 10.1016/S1386-6532(99)00078-5

Background: human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) have recently implicated in the etiology of Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS), but the pathophysiologic and immunologic interactions between HHV-8 and the human host are incompletely understood. Objective: this paper intends to present partial results of a follow-up study of KS patients, designed to investigate HHV-8 viremia and antibody response. Methods: ninety-six paired serial samples (PBMCs and sera) were obtained from 12 aids patients with KS who received HAART prior or just after entry in the study. HHV-8 DNA was detected by nested-PCR and antibodies to HHV-8 latent nuclear antigen (LANA) and lytic antigen by immunofluorescence assay (IFA). Results: HHV-8 DNA was detected in 33.3% of the first PBMC samples. Among the eight PCR negative patients, four presented positive samples during the follow-up and four remained negative. Five patients had intermittent viremia. Fifteen of the 96 PBMC samples were PCR positive (15.6%). Four of 39 samples (10.2%) from patients classified as stadio II and 11 of the 53 samples (20.7%) from patients in stadio IV were PCR positive ( P=0.2). Six patients (50%) had anti-LANA antibodies at the entry in the study. Among the six seronegative patients, two seroconverted 2 months later and four patients remained seronegative during the 5–8 months of follow-up. All patients had anti-lytic antibodies since the first sample. Conclusion: the presence of HHV-8 viremia could be related to the severity of KS and could be intermittent even under HAART. A longer follow-up is needed to confirm these results.