Primary Research: Short Communication: Evidence Supporting Rare AIDS-Kaposi's Sarcoma Metastasis In Keeping With Their Vascular Endothelial Evolution

Abstract

Abstract Background It is postulated that the unusual manifestations of Kaposis's sarcoma cells in nonendothelial brain tissues and on eyeballs in advanced acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) cases are metastasized AIDS-Kaposi's sarcoma cells arising from vascular endothelial cells. Methods Experiments were performed to explore the above hypothesis by testing for intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (CD54 antigens) on cutaneous AIDS-Kaposi's sarcoma cells as well as on AIDS-Kaposi's sarcoma cells isolated from eyeballs as studies have illustrated that, unlike localized Kaposi's sarcoma cells of primary lesions, proliferating Kaposi's sarcoma cells in proximity to primary lesions express a negative or diminished phenotype when evaluated for identical surface antigens. Parallel CD54 antigen tests were done on vascular endothelial cells and monocytes/macrophages as endothelial cells are considered evolutionarily related to Kaposi's sarcoma cells and monocytes/macrophages are ideal CD54 antigen positive controls. Results Our data showed that only AIDS-Kaposi's sarcoma cells of the eyes did not express CD54 antigens. Conclusions We therefore report that our findings support the postulation suggesting AIDS-Kaposi's sarcoma dissemination in advanced AIDS patients in keeping with their vascular endothelial heredity.