Cytomegalovirus in intraoral Kaposi's sarcoma

Intraoral Kaposi's sarcomas from five patients with AIDS were examined for the presence of cytomegalovirus (CMV) DNA by in situ hybridization using a biotin-labeled CMV DNA probe and by Southern blot analysis. CMV DNA was detected in two of the five intraoral Kaposi's sarcomas. The CMV DNA was localized to the nuclei of well-differentiated endothelial cells lining well-formed blood vessels, but was not detected in the spindle-shaped cells. Southern blot analysis confirmed the presence of CMV DNA in both lesions. These findings support the concept that CMV may be involved in the neoplastic transformation of the endothelial cells that comprise Kaposi's sarcoma.