| Background | Human herpesvirus type 8 (HHV8) , is the proposed etiological agent of Kaposi s sarcoma (KS). It is reported that HHV8 has been demonstrated in KS tissues by immunohistochemistry, in situ PCR and also in situ hybridization. HHV8 encodes a latent nuclear antigen (LNA) which is the product of the viral gene ORF73. LNA is capable of forming a complex with retinoblastoma susceptibility gene product which may be related to its oncogenic activity. HHV8 has been reported to be expressed in multicentric Castleman s disease (MCD) and in angioimmunoblastic lymphadenopathies. The localization of HHV8 in subcapsular spindle cell proliferations, which is where early intranodal KS begins, and endothelial cells in Castleman s disease may explain the link between intranodal KS and MCD. In MCD, HHV8 is reported to be expressed in mantle zone large immunoblastic B cells. |
Information sourced from Uniprot.org
