FREE NEJM E-TOC    HOME   |   SUBSCRIBE   |   CURRENT ISSUE   |   PAST ISSUES   |   COLLECTIONS   |   Search Term  Advanced Search

Sign in | Get NEJM's E-Mail Table of Contents — Free | Subscribe

Previous Volume 336:988-993 April 3, 1997 Number 14 Next

	Full Text PDF Letters Add to Personal Archive Add to Citation Manager Notify a Friend E-mail When Cited PubMed Citation

ABSTRACT

Background Kaposi's sarcoma has features of both hyperplastic proliferation and neoplastic growth. Multiple lesions, in which spindle cells are prominent, often arise synchronously over widely dispersed areas. We tested the hypothesis that the spindle cells in these multicentric lesions originate from a single clone of precursor cells.

Methods To determine whether Kaposi's sarcoma is a monoclonal disorder, we assessed the methylation patterns of the androgen-receptor gene (HUMARA) in multiple lesions from women with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. In polyclonal tissues, about half the copies of each HUMARA allele are methylated, whereas in cells derived from a single clone all the copies of only one allele are methylated. To minimize contamination by normal DNA, we used microdissection to isolate areas composed primarily of spindle cells, the putative tumor cells.

Results Eight patients with a total of 32 tumors were studied. Of these tumors, 28 had highly unbalanced methylation patterns (i.e., predominant methylation of one HUMARA allele). In all the tumors that had unbalanced methylation from a given patient, the same allele predominated.

Conclusions These data indicate that Kaposi's sarcoma is a disseminated monoclonal cancer and that the changes that permit the clonal outgrowth of spindle cells occur before the disease spreads.

Source Information

From the Viral Epidemiology Branch (C.S.R., R.J.B.), the Laboratory of Genetics (S.J., A.E.C.), and the Laboratory of Pathology (A.L., L.L., Z.Z.), National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Md.; and the University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia (E.M.).

Address reprint requests to Dr. Rabkin at the Viral Epidemiology Branch, National Cancer Institute, EPN/434, Bethesda, MD 20892.

Full Text of this Article

Related Letters:

Clonality in Kaposi's Sarcoma
Gill P., Tsai Y., Rao A. P., Jones P., Diaz-Cano S. J., Wolfe H. J., Rabkin C. S., Janz S., Zhuang Z.
Extract | Full Text  
N Engl J Med 1997; 337:570-572, Aug 21, 1997. Correspondence

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Efklidou, S., Bailey, R., Field, N., Noursadeghi, M., Collins, M. K. (2008). vFLIP from KSHV inhibits anoikis of primary endothelial cells. J. Cell Sci. 121: 450-457 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Duprez, R., Lacoste, V., Briere, J., Couppie, P., Frances, C., Sainte-Marie, D., Kassa-Kelembho, E., Lando, M.-J., Essame Oyono, J.-L., Nkegoum, B., Hbid, O., Mahe, A., Lebbe, C., Tortevoye, P., Huerre, M., Gessain, A. (2007). Evidence for a Multiclonal Origin of Multicentric Advanced Lesions of Kaposi Sarcoma. JNCI J Natl Cancer Inst 99: 1086-1094 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Gill, P. S. (2007). The Origin of Kaposi Sarcoma. JNCI J Natl Cancer Inst 99: 1063-1063 [Full Text]  
• Teo, C.G. (2006). Conceptual Emergence of Human Herpesvirus 8 (Kaposi's Sarcoma-associated Herpesvirus) as an Oral Herpesvirus. ADR 19: 85-90 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Langlais, C. L., Jones, J. M., Estep, R. D., Wong, S. W. (2006). Rhesus Rhadinovirus R15 Encodes a Functional Homologue of Human CD200. J. Virol. 80: 3098-3103 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Boccellino, M., Camussi, G., Giovane, A., Ferro, L., Calderaro, V., Balestrieri, C., Quagliuolo, L. (2005). Platelet-Activating Factor Regulates Cadherin-Catenin Adhesion System Expression and {beta}-Catenin Phosphorylation during Kaposi's Sarcoma Cell Motility. Am. J. Pathol. 166: 1515-1522 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Guo, H.-G., Pati, S., Sadowska, M., Charurat, M., Reitz, M. (2004). Tumorigenesis by Human Herpesvirus 8 vGPCR Is Accelerated by Human Immuodeficiency Virus Type 1 Tat. J. Virol. 78: 9336-9342 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Staudt, M. R., Kanan, Y., Jeong, J. H., Papin, J. F., Hines-Boykin, R., Dittmer, D. P. (2004). The Tumor Microenvironment Controls Primary Effusion Lymphoma Growth in Vivo. Cancer Res. 64: 4790-4799 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Buttiglieri, S., Deregibus, M. C., Bravo, S., Cassoni, P., Chiarle, R., Bussolati, B., Camussi, G. (2004). Role of Pax2 in Apoptosis Resistance and Proinvasive Phenotype of Kaposi's Sarcoma Cells. J. Biol. Chem. 279: 4136-4143 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Guo, H.-G., Sadowska, M., Reid, W., Tschachler, E., Hayward, G., Reitz, M. (2003). Kaposi's Sarcoma-Like Tumors in a Human Herpesvirus 8 ORF74 Transgenic Mouse. J. Virol. 77: 2631-2639 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• van Dijk, J. P., Heuver, L. H., van der Reijden, B. A., Raymakers, R. A., de Witte, T., Jansen, J. H. (2002). A Novel, Essential Control for Clonality Analysis with Human Androgen Receptor Gene Polymerase Chain Reaction. Am. J. Pathol. 161: 807-812 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Deregibus, M. C., Cantaluppi, V., Doublier, S., Brizzi, M. F., Deambrosis, I., Albini, A., Camussi, G. (2002). HIV-1-Tat Protein Activates Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase/ AKT-dependent Survival Pathways in Kaposi's Sarcoma Cells. J. Biol. Chem. 277: 25195-25202 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Ablashi, D. V., Chatlynne, L. G., Whitman, J. E. Jr., Cesarman, E. (2002). Spectrum of Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus, or Human Herpesvirus 8, Diseases. Clin. Microbiol. Rev. 15: 439-464 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Barillari, G., Ensoli, B. (2002). Angiogenic Effects of Extracellular Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Tat Protein and Its Role in the Pathogenesis of AIDS-Associated Kaposi's Sarcoma. Clin. Microbiol. Rev. 15: 310-326 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Cassoni, P., Sapino, A., Deaglio, S., Bussolati, B., Volante, M., Munaron, L., Albini, A., Torrisi, A., Bussolati, G. (2002). Oxytocin Is a Growth Factor for Kaposi's Sarcoma Cells: Evidence of Endocrine-Immunological Cross-Talk. Cancer Res. 62: 2406-2413 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Poole, L. J., Yu, Y., Kim, P. S., Zheng, Q.-Z., Pevsner, J., Hayward, G. S. (2002). Altered Patterns of Cellular Gene Expression in Dermal Microvascular Endothelial Cells Infected with Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus. J. Virol. 76: 3395-3420 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Davis, D. A., Rinderknecht, A. S., Zoeteweij, J. P., Aoki, Y., Read-Connole, E. L., Tosato, G., Blauvelt, A., Yarchoan, R. (2001). Hypoxia induces lytic replication of Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus. Blood 97: 3244-3250 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Foster, C. B., Lehrnbecher, T., Samuels, S., Stein, S., Mol, F., Metcalf, J. A., Wyvill, K., Steinberg, S. M., Kovacs, J., Blauvelt, A., Yarchoan, R., Chanock, S. J. (2000). An IL6 promoter polymorphism is associated with a lifetime risk of development of Kaposi sarcoma in men infected with human immunodeficiency virus. Blood 96: 2562-2567 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Little, R. F., Wyvill, K. M., Pluda, J. M., Welles, L., Marshall, V., Figg, W. D., Newcomb, F. M., Tosato, G., Feigal, E., Steinberg, S. M., Whitby, D., Goedert, J. J., Yarchoan, R. (2000). Activity of Thalidomide in AIDS-Related Kaposi's Sarcoma. JCO 18: 2593-2602 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Sgadari, C., Toschi, E., Palladino, C., Barillari, G., Carlei, D., Cereseto, A., Ciccolella, C., Yarchoan, R., Monini, P., Sturzl, M., Ensoli, B. (2000). Mechanism of Paclitaxel Activity in Kaposi's Sarcoma. J. Immunol. 165: 509-517 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Antonescu, C. R., Elahi, A., Healey, J. H., Brennan, M. F., Lui, M. Y., Lewis, J., Jhanwar, S. C., Woodruff, J. M., Ladanyi, M. (2000). Monoclonality of Multifocal Myxoid Liposarcoma: Confirmation by Analysis of TLS-CHOP or EWS-CHOP Rearrangements. Clin. Cancer Res. 6: 2788-2793 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Weiss, R., Boshoff, C. (2000). Addressing Controversies Over Kaposi's Sarcoma. JNCI J Natl Cancer Inst 92: 677-679 [Full Text]  
• Judde, J.-G., Lacoste, V., Briere, J., Kassa-Kelembho, E., Clyti, E., Couppie, P., Buchrieser, C., Tulliez, M., Morvan, J., Gessain, A. (2000). Monoclonality or Oligoclonality of Human Herpesvirus 8 Terminal Repeat Sequences in Kaposi's Sarcoma and Other Diseases. JNCI J Natl Cancer Inst 92: 729-736 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Alexander, L., Denekamp, L., Knapp, A., Auerbach, M. R., Damania, B., Desrosiers, R. C. (2000). The Primary Sequence of Rhesus Monkey Rhadinovirus Isolate 26-95: Sequence Similarities to Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus and Rhesus Monkey Rhadinovirus Isolate 17577. J. Virol. 74: 3388-3398 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Aboulafia, D. M. (2000). The Epidemiologic, Pathologic, and Clinical Features of AIDS-Associated Pulmonary Kaposi’s Sarcoma. Chest 117: 1128-1145 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• nbecher, T. L., Foster, C. B., Zhu, S., Venzon, D., Steinberg, S. M., Wyvill, K., Metcalf, J. A., Cohen, S. S., Kovacs, J., Yarchoan, R., Blauvelt, A., Chanock, S. J. (2000). Variant genotypes of Fcgamma RIIIA influence the development of Kaposi's sarcoma in HIV-infected men. Blood 95: 2386-2390 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Biancone, L., Cantaluppi, V., Boccellino, M., Bussolati, B., Del Sorbo, L., Conaldi, P. G., Albini, A., Toniolo, A., Camussi, G. (1999). Motility Induced by Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 Tat on Kaposi’s Sarcoma Cells Requires Platelet-Activating Factor Synthesis. Am. J. Pathol. 155: 1731-1739 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Reitz, M. S. Jr., Nerurkar, L. S., Gallo, R. C. (1999). Perspective on Kaposi's Sarcoma: Facts, Concepts, and Conjectures. JNCI J Natl Cancer Inst 91: 1453-1458 [Full Text]  
• Dupin, N., Fisher, C., Kellam, P., Ariad, S., Tulliez, M., Franck, N., van Marck, E., Salmon, D., Gorin, I., Escande, J.-P., Weiss, R. A., Alitalo, K., Boshoff, C. (1999). Distribution of human herpesvirus-8 latently infected cells in Kaposi's sarcoma, multicentric Castleman's disease, and primary effusion lymphoma. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 96: 4546-4551 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Searles, R. P., Bergquam, E. P., Axthelm, M. K., Wong, S. W. (1999). Sequence and Genomic Analysis of a Rhesus Macaque Rhadinovirus with Similarity to Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus/Human Herpesvirus 8. J. Virol. 73: 3040-3053 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Friborg, J. Jr., Kong, W.-P., Flowers, C. C., Flowers, S. L., Sun, Y., Foreman, K. E., Nickoloff, B. J., Nabel, G. J. (1998). Distinct Biology of Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus from Primary Lesions and Body Cavity Lymphomas. J. Virol. 72: 10073-10082 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• TUDER, R. M., RADISAVLJEVIC, Z., SHROYER, K. R., POLAK, J. M., VOELKEL, N. F. (1998). Monoclonal Endothelial Cells in Appetite Suppressant-associated Pulmonary Hypertension. Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. 158: 1999-2001 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Gill, P. S., Tsai, Y. C., Rao, A. P., Spruck, C. H. III, Zheng, T., Harrington, W. A. Jr., Cheung, T., Nathwani, B., Jones, P. A. (1998). Evidence for multiclonality in multicentric Kaposi's sarcoma. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 95: 8257-8261 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Ganju, R. K., Munshi, N., Nair, B. C., Liu, Z.-Y., Gill, P., Groopman, J. E. (1998). Human Immunodeficiency Virus Tat Modulates the Flk-1/KDR Receptor, Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases, and Components of Focal Adhesion in Kaposi's Sarcoma Cells. J. Virol. 72: 6131-6137 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Gallo, R. C. (1998). Some Aspects of the Pathogenesis of HIV-1-Associated Kaposi's Sarcoma. J Natl Cancer Inst Monogr 1998: 55-57 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Moore, P. S., Chang, Y. (1998). Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus-Encoded Oncogenes and Oncogenesis. J Natl Cancer Inst Monogr 1998: 65-71 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Gill, P., Tsai, Y., Rao, A. P., Jones, P., Diaz-Cano, S. J., Wolfe, H. J., Rabkin, C. S., Janz, S., Zhuang, Z. (1997). Clonality in Kaposi's Sarcoma. NEJM 337: 570-572 [Full Text]