The role of human herpesvirus-8 in the pathogenesis of multiple myeloma

Human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8), a new gammaherpesvirus, was recently detected in long-term stromal cultures derived from fresh bone marrow aspirates from myeloma patients. The association between HHV-8 and multiple myeloma and the question whether HHV-8 is of pathophysiologic significance in myeloma, remains controversial. Evidence supporting an association between this virus and multiple myeloma is, however, accumulating. It seems that the strain of HHV-8 found in myeloma harbors sequence variations within ORF65 unique to myeloma. HHV-8 encodes several genes homologous to eukaryotic genes involved in cellular proliferation, apoptosis, cell migration, and intercellular signaling, through which it may induce abnormal cellular proliferation and tumor formation in its hosts.