Lack of serologic association of human herpesvirus-8 (KSHV) in patients with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance with and without progression to multiple myeloma

Because human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8) DNA has been found in multiple myeloma (MM) patients by polymerase chain reaction, it was suggested that HHV-8 may play a role in the transformation of monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) to MM. Therefore, 362 MGUS sera with and without progr ession to MM were tested for IgG antibody to HHV-8. Only 7.8% of the MGUS s era contained HHV-8 antibody to lytic proteins, and IgG antibody to HHV-8 l atent antigen was even lower than lytic antibody (2.9%). No differences wer e observed in the distribution of antibody to HHV-8 in sera from MGUS patie nts who progressed to MM, The seroprevalences of HHV-8 in MGUS (7.8%), MM ( 5.4%), and healthy donors (5.9%) were similar, thus arguing for the lack of epidemiologic evidence of HHV-8 participation in the pathogenesis of MM, M GUS patients were immune competent in response to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection be cause 97% contained antibody to EBV virus capsid antigen. (Blo od, 2000;96:2304-2306) (C) 2000 by The American Society of Hematology.