Detection and characterization of human herpesvirus-8-infected cells in bone marrow biopsies of human immunodeficiency virus-positive patients.

We studied 15 bone marrow biopsy specimens from patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection for detection of Kaposi sarcoma herpesvirus (KSHV/HHV-8) DNA sequences by a very sensitive and specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay (with 3 different sets of primers). In addition, we used immunohistochemistry with antiviral interleukin-6 (vIL-6) and anti-latent nuclear antigen-1 (LNA-1) antibodies to localize the infected cells on tissue sections. Among the 15 samples, 6 had positive PCR results with the 3 sets of primers (orf26, orf72, orf75). Interestingly, in 2 of these 6 patients (both with Kaposi sarcoma) vIL-6 and LNA-1 were detected in mononuclear lymphoid cells but not in stromal cells of the bone marrow. The detection of vIL-6--positive lymphoid cells in bone marrow suggests a homing for HHV-8--infected elements in this tissue. The local release of vIL-6 may play some role in the plasmacytosis observed in bone marrow in the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. HUM PATHOL 32:288-291. Copyright 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company