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The 11 th International Workshop on KSHV & Related Agents, Birmingham, UK
Poster Session Abstract P6
KSHV infection of human placental histocultures
Di Stefano M, 1 Fiore JR 2 , Di Gangi IM, 3 Chieco-Bianchi L, 4 Greco P, 5 Gesualdo L, 1 Menu E, 6
Calabrò ML. 3
1 Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy; 2 Department of
Clinical and Occupational Health, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy; 3 Immunology and
Diagnostic Molecular Oncology, Istituto Oncologico Veneto, IRCCS, Padova, Italy;
4 Department of Oncology and Surgical Sciences, Oncology Section, University of Padova,
Padova, Italy; 5 Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy;
6 Unité de Régulation des Infections Rétrovirales, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.
Abstract
A placenta histoculture system was used to analyse the susceptibility of placental cells to
in vitro KSHV infection. KSHV quantitative detection was performed by real-time PCR in
cultured villi and supernatants, and virus expression was determined by
immunohistochemistry for latent and lytic KSHV antigens. Increasing amounts of KSHV
DNA were detected in placental tissues and culture supernatants. Immunohistochemistry
analyses showed that both cyto- and syncitiotrophoblasts, as well as endothelial cells,
expressed latent and lytic antigens. Moreover, relevant apoptotic phenomena were
observed in infected histocultures.
These data indicate that placental cells may be productively infected in vitro by KSHV,
and suggest that this phenomenon might influence vertical transmission and pregnancy
outcome in KSHV-infected women.
Presenting author Email: lcalabro@unipd.it
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