Hhv-8 :: essays research papers

Human Herpes Virus-8 (HHV-8) and Kaposis Sarcoma (KS)Human herpes virus (HHV-8) poses a challenging task for researchers determine its role in Kaposis sarcoma (KS). People with KS ar distinguished by their placement in four categories. The first category consists of elderly males of Mediterranean or Eastern European Jewish descent. The second category consists of individuals of all ages from Africa. Neither one of these categories is associated with resistive deficiency or known environmental factors. The last two categories are associated with organ transplants or HIV-1. In all forms of KS males are predominantly affected.Kaposis Sarcomas are known to harbor cells known as spindle influence cells (SC). The spindle shaped cells are associated with unnatural blood vessel development and blood leakage. Although, the SC is the most frequently encountered cell in KS tumors it is undetermined if they are neoplastic cells or hyperproliferating cells or an altered cell induced by cyto kines (INF-&61543).Although, it is easy to believe that all cells in a tumor are neoplastic, evidence suggests otherwise. There are three characteristics that are present in all KS cells whether they are neoplastic or not. The first is absence of a histologically decided neoplastic cell. The second is the lack of usual chromosomal abnormalities. The last is a combination of three features angiogenesis, inflammation, and proliferation.The one factor that brings the four categories of people infected with KS is HHV-8 plunge in KS tissues. Although, HHV-8 is thought to be connected to KS, HHV-8 itself has very low risk factor for KS development. Most reports on KS indicate a 2% to 10% preponderance of HHV-8 in the world, but in the U.S. there is thought to be a 5% prevalence among men according to a 1970s baseline relative incidence of KS. In relation to HIV-1 incidence of KS increases by a factor of 20,000 to 50,000 times with the presence of HHV-8.It is postulated that HIV-1 infe ctions promote HHV-8 replication indirectly by suppression of host immune systems. KS is thought to begin with micro-vascular lesions mediated by different environmental factors for each of the four categories of KS. One of these factors is abnormal cytokine production in HIV-1 associated KS, this includes an increase in unhealthy cytokines, such as IFN &61543, TNF &61537, and IL-7 that are enhanced by Tat of HIV-1. Tat which is essential for HIV-1 replication is released and taken up by other cells, where it inhibits T-cell proliferation and promotes abnormal cytokine production, adhesion, and growth.