1. Absence of Y-chromosome sequences in tumors from African women with AIDS-related Kaposi sarcoma.
- Author
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Mbulaiteye SM, Sternberg LR, Nsubuga MM, Anver MR, Mehta M, Biryahwaho B, Kambugu F, Rabkin CS, and Biggar RJ
- Subjects
- Africa, Female, Genes, Y-Linked, Humans, Male, Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome complications, DNA, Neoplasm genetics, Disease Transmission, Infectious, Sarcoma, Kaposi genetics, Sex-Determining Region Y Protein analysis
- Abstract
Kaposi sarcoma (KS) occurs with relatively high frequency in immunosuppressed transplant recipients and in patients with AIDS. Recently, Italian investigators reported transplant-related KS tumors bearing donor-derived antigens, suggesting possible parenteral transmission of KS as whole cells, i.e., chimeric tumors. To investigate the hypothesis that KS whole cells may also be transmitted into immunocompromised persons via heterosexual acts, we tested nodular KS lesions and matched normal tissue obtained from female patients with AIDS for the presence of the Y-chromosome specific sex determining sequence (SRY). Among 25 unique tumors tested, none was positive for SRY sequence. While our results do not exclude sexual cellular transmission of whole KS cells, they suggest that if it occurs, it is rare.
- Published
- 2007
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