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Updated: Aug 23, 2026

An In Vitro Model for Studying Cellular Transformation by Kaposi Sarcoma Herpesvirus
Published on: August 25, 2017
Lymphatic reprogramming of blood vascular endothelium by Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus
Young-Kwon Hong1, Kimberly Foreman, Jay W Shin
1Cutaneous Biology Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Building 149, 13th Street, Charlestown, Massachusetts 02129, USA.
Abstract:
Kaposi sarcoma is considered a neoplasm of lymphatic endothelium infected with Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus. It is characterized by the expression of lymphatic lineage-specific genes by Kaposi sarcoma tumor cells. Here we show that infection of differentiated blood vascular endothelial cells with Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus leads to their lymphatic reprogramming; induction of approximately 70% of the main lymphatic lineage-specific genes, including PROX1, a master regulator of lymphatic development; and downregulation of blood vascular genes.
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