HHV-8 (KSHV) DOES NOT ESTABLISH LATENCY IN PROSTATE-CANCER CELL-LINES

BACKGROUND. HHV-8 is a new herpesvirus found in lesions of Kaposi's sa rcoma and some lymphoproliferative diseases. More recently, a report s tated that normal prostate tissue also contains the virus. METHODS. Th e expression of HHV-8 was examined by a sensitive reverse-transcriptas e PCR for the viral genes ORF 72, ORF 73, ORF 74, and ORF 75. In cocul ture experiments we attempted to infect 3 commonly studied prostate ca ncer cell lines using induced and uninduced lymphoid cell lines harbor ing HHV-8 (KS-1, BC-1, and BC-2). For induction of viral genes, butyra te and phorbol esters were used. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS. At baseline, prostate cancer cell lines LNCaP, DU-145, and PC-3 did not express vi ral gene products. Extensive coculture experiments were also negative. In no instance could latency for the virus be established. Our result s argue against the involvement of HHV-8 in prostate cancer and for a limited tissue tropism of HHV-8. (C) 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.