Kennedy M M, Cooper K, Howells D D, Picton S, Biddolph S, Lucas S B, McGee J O, O'Leary J J
Nuffield Department of Pathology and Bacteriology, University of Oxford, UK.
Mol Pathol. 1998 Feb;51(1):14-20. doi: 10.1136/mp.51.1.14.
Kaposi's sarcoma is a vascular tumour of uncertain pathogenesis possibly caused by an infectious agent, identified in high risk groups. Accumulating solution phase polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and seroepidemiological data suggest that a previously undescribed herpes DNA virus (human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8)) is the causative agent. Using a unique cohort of early Kaposi's sarcoma, the precise cell type infected with HHV8 in such lesions was identified to elucidate further the role of HHV8 in the pathobiology of Kaposi's sarcoma.
Sixteen cases of early Kaposi's sarcoma (derived from skin and lymph node) were assessed for the presence of HHV8 using both standard solution phase PCR and TaqMan PCR to the KS330 Bam region of HHV8. In situ amplification was also performed on a selected group in an attempt to identify the candidate infected cells.
Using both conventional solution phase and TaqMan PCR, 87% of cases were positive. In addition, HHV8 amplicons were localised in situ to endothelial and spindle cell proliferations in early Kaposi's sarcoma. The HHV8 viral load varied from lesion to lesion.
The presence of HHV8 in early lesions supports a role for HHV8 in the pathogenesis of Kaposi's sarcoma. Coupled with recent seroepidemiological studies, these results suggest that HHV8 is the aetiological agent of Kaposi's sarcoma. Its precise interaction with other factors known to be involved in the development of Kaposi's sarcoma, including cytokines and anti-apoptosis genes, requires elucidation.
卡波西肉瘤是一种发病机制不明的血管肿瘤，可能由一种感染因子引起，多见于高危人群。越来越多的液相聚合酶链反应（PCR）和血清流行病学数据表明，一种以前未被描述的疱疹DNA病毒（人类疱疹病毒8型（HHV8））是病原体。通过一个独特的早期卡波西肉瘤队列，确定了此类病变中感染HHV8的精确细胞类型，以进一步阐明HHV8在卡波西肉瘤病理生物学中的作用。
使用标准液相PCR和针对HHV8的KS330 Bam区域的TaqMan PCR，对16例早期卡波西肉瘤（来源于皮肤和淋巴结）进行HHV8检测。还对一组选定的病例进行原位扩增，试图确定候选感染细胞。
使用传统液相PCR和TaqMan PCR，87%的病例呈阳性。此外，在早期卡波西肉瘤中，HHV8扩增子原位定位于内皮细胞和梭形细胞增殖部位。HHV8病毒载量因病变而异。
早期病变中存在HHV8支持其在卡波西肉瘤发病机制中的作用。结合最近的血清流行病学研究，这些结果表明HHV8是卡波西肉瘤的病原体。其与其他已知参与卡波西肉瘤发展的因素（包括细胞因子和抗凋亡基因）的确切相互作用尚待阐明。
