International Journal of Molecular Sciences (Jun 2022)

Human Gammaherpesvirus 8 Oncogenes Associated with Kaposi’s Sarcoma

  • Amanda de Oliveira Lopes,
  • Pedro do Nascimento Marinho,
  • Letícia d’Ambrosio de Souza Medeiros,
  • Vanessa Salete de Paula

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23137203
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 23, no. 13
p. 7203

Abstract

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Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), also known as human gammaherpesvirus 8 (HHV-8), contains oncogenes and proteins that modulate various cellular functions, including proliferation, differentiation, survival, and apoptosis, and is integral to KSHV infection and oncogenicity. In this review, we describe the most important KSHV genes [ORF 73 (LANA), ORF 72 (vCyclin), ORF 71 or ORFK13 (vFLIP), ORF 74 (vGPCR), ORF 16 (vBcl-2), ORF K2 (vIL-6), ORF K9 (vIRF 1)/ORF K10.5, ORF K10.6 (vIRF 3), ORF K1 (K1), ORF K15 (K15), and ORF 36 (vPK)] that have the potential to induce malignant phenotypic characteristics of Kaposi’s sarcoma. These oncogenes can be explored in prospective studies as future therapeutic targets of Kaposi’s sarcoma.

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