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People living with HIV co-infected with the Kaposi sarcoma-associated Herpes Virus have a distinct HIV Tat profile and higher rates of antiretroviral virologic failure, more evident among those with Kaposi's sarcoma.
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  • Ricardo Diaz,
  • Dalila Suterio,
  • James Hunter,
  • Simone Tenore,
  • Sidnei PIMENTEL,
  • Juliana Galinskas,
  • Danilo Dias,
  • Débora BELLINI,
  • PAULO FERREIRA
Ricardo Diaz
Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo - Campus Sao Paulo

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Dalila Suterio
Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo - Campus Sao Paulo
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James Hunter
Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo - Campus Sao Paulo
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Simone Tenore
Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo - Campus Sao Paulo
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Sidnei PIMENTEL
Sao Paulo Secretaria de Estado da Saude Coordenadoria de Ciencia Tecnologia e Insumos Estrategicos de Saude
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Juliana Galinskas
Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo - Campus Sao Paulo
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Danilo Dias
Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo - Campus Sao Paulo
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Débora BELLINI
Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo - Campus Sao Paulo
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PAULO FERREIRA
Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo - Campus Sao Paulo
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Abstract

Kaposi sarcoma (KS) is a neoplasm of vascular origin that promotes angiogenesis and the growth of endothelial cells triggered by the Kaposi Sarcoma-associated Herpes Virus (KSHV). When associated with HIV, KSHV becomes more aggressive and rapidly evolves. The HIV-1 Tat protein can be essential in developing AIDS-associated KS by promoting angiogenesis and increasing KSHV replication. Therefore, we evaluated the genetic profile of the first exon of tat gene among groups of people living with HIV with (case group, n=36) or without Kaposi’s sarcoma, this later with (positive control group, n=46) and without KSHV infection (negative control group, n=24); all individuals under antiretroviral therapy. The genetic diversity, the DN/DS ratio, and the genetic entropy of the first exon of tat were higher in the case group, followed by the positive control group, which was higher than the negative control group. The number of tat codons under positive selection was seven in the case group, six in the positive control group, and one in the negative control group. The prevalence of HIV viral loads below the detection limit was equal in the Case and positive control groups, which were lower than in the negative control group. The mean CD4+ T cell counts were higher in the negative control group, followed by the positive control group, and followed by the case group. These results emphasize the negative influence of KSHV in antiretroviral treatment, as well as the HIV specific Tat profile among people living with HIV who developed KS.
27 Jun 2023Submitted to Journal of Medical Virology
29 Jun 2023Assigned to Editor
29 Jun 2023Submission Checks Completed
29 Jun 2023Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
29 Jun 2023Reviewer(s) Assigned
24 Jul 2023Editorial Decision: Revise Major