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.
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.