Sarcoma viruses containing the mos oncogene induce lesions resembling Kaposi's sarcoma

Kaposi's sarcoma is most accurately described as a multifocal angioproliferative lesion primarily involving the skin, although some studies indicated concomitant and/or exclusive visceral involvement. The mechanism(s) involved in Kaposi's sarcoma development, especially AIDS multiorgan distributed form, is not completely understood. Recent reports have identified a murine retrovirus, MoMuSV-349 that induces multiorgan disseminated angiosarcomatous tumors which resemble Kaposi's sarcoma when virus is inoculated intraperitoneally in newborn BALB/c mice. Performed time point experiment on mice infected with MoMuSV-349 indicated a two stages development of Kaposi's sarcoma-like tumors; sarcomatous and angiosarcomatous. Preliminary studies have demonstrated the pathogenesis of the disease process and the role of angiogenic growth factors released by the spindled cells in the stage development of mouse tumors. It is hypothesized that growth factors such as fibroblast growth factors released by the spindled cells stimulate the proliferation of endothelial cells and neovascularization which is an essential component of Kaposi's sarcoma-like tumors. Understanding the mechanism(s) of endothelial cells proliferation and neovascularization as a response to viral insult and microenvironmental changes will raise the possibilities of developing new therapeutic approaches to block this process.