Absence of herpesvirus DNA sequences in the 5T murine model of human multiple myeloma

Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV, also known as HHV-8) has bee n found in patients with multiple myeloma (MM) and postulated to be aetiolo gically associated with the development of this common plasma cell malignan cy. A murine model of MM was previously established in which intravenous tr ansfer of 5T myeloma cells into C57BL/KaLwRij mice resulted in characterist ic features of human MM. In the present study, we sought to identify herpes virus DNA sequences in this murine model of MM through polymerase chain rea ction (PCR) analysis using primers specific for KSHV murine herpesvirus 68 (MHV68) and murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) as well as consensus primers desi gned from the highly conserved DNA polymerase genes of the Herpesviridae fa mily. None of the DNA samples from whole bone marrow (n = 6) or dendritic c ells enriched by long-term culture (n = 8) of 5T myeloma-bearing mice as we ll as the 5T myeloma cell lines (n = 3) maintained in long-term culture yie lded specific amplification products in any of the PCR assays. Two KSHV-spe cific serological assays measuring antibodies to KSHV latent and lytic anti gens also failed to detect the presence of anti-KSHV antibodies in mice tha t developed MM. These results suggest that the development of 5T murine MM is unlikely to be involved with KSHV or a KSHV-like murine herpesvirus.