Characterization of Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus-Related Lymphomas by DNA Microarray Analysis

Abstract

Among herpesviruses, γ-herpesviruses are supposed to have typical oncogenic activities. Two human γ-herpesviruses, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), are putative etiologic agents for Burkitt lymphoma, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, and some cases of gastric cancers, and Kaposi's sarcoma, multicentric Castleman's disease, and primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) especially in AIDS setting for the latter case, respectively. Since such two viruses mentioned above are highly species specific, it has been quite difficult to prove their oncogenic activities in animal models. Nevertheless, the viral oncogenesis is epidemiologically and/or in vitro experimentally evident. This time, we investigated gene expression profiles of KSHV-oriented lymphoma cell lines, EBV-oriented lymphoma cell lines, and T-cell leukemia cell lines. Both KSHV and EBV cause a B-cell-originated lymphoma, but the gene expression profiles were typically classified. Furthermore, KSHV could govern gene expression profiles, although PELs are usually coinfected with KSHV and EBV.

Figure 1

Genes increased or decreased in the presence of EBV [15] are picked up. The increased genes; p21^Cip1/WAF1, IL15RA, HLA-DRA, and HLA-DRB3 were checked. The decreased genes: PCNA, ETS, and MYC (represented as N-myc in our case) were checked. Data are shown as log₂ values with standard deviation. The concrete mean value of each gene expression was shown in Table 1.

Figure 2

Genes characteristic in MCD are picked up. In MCD, Igκ, PAX5, BCL6, CD138 are usually not expressed [16]. On the other hand, Igλ, OCT2, IFR4/MUM1, PRDM1/BLINP1, and Ki67 are expressed [16]. Data are shown as log₂ values with standard deviation. Characterization among PEL, BL, and TCL is shown in Table 2.

Figure 3

Highly expressing genes all in PEL, BL, and TCL are picked up. Data are shown as log₂ values with standard deviation. Data are shown as log₂ values with standard deviation. Detailed mean value of each gene is shown in Table 3.