ETIOLOGY OF KAPOSI'S SARCOMA: IMMUNODEFICIENCY NLM AIDSLINE Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1989. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

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ETIOLOGY OF KAPOSI'S SARCOMA: IMMUNODEFICIENCY

Kaposi's Sarcoma: Pathophysiology and Clinical Management. Ziegler JL, Dorfman RF, eds. New York, Marcel Dekker, p. 129-50, 1988.. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE ICDB/89650413
Penn I; Dept. of Surgery, Univ. of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati,; OH

Abstract: The role of immunodeficiency in Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is considered in four categories of patients (pts): (1) individuals with AIDS who have epidemic KS; (2) African pts with endemic KS; (3) organ transplant recipients with KS; and (4) immunosuppressed non-organ transplant pts with KS. Immunosuppression, as determined by depressed lymphocyte blastogenic responses to various mitogens in vitro, in vivo cutaneous anergy, or depressed Ig response to various antigens, has been described in all four groups of pts. Although depressed immunity alone may not cause KS, it may facilitate the development of KS by interfering with the immunosurveillance system, impairing cellular or hormonal feedback mechanisms, repeated exposure to foreign antigens, or activation of oncogenic viruses. Multiple factors probably play a role in the causation of any individual case of KS. Of these, genetic predisposition and chronic immunosuppression appear to be of major importance. Repeated or continuous antigenic stimulation produced by organ allografts or chronic or repeated infections also appears to play a role. Heavy and persistent cytomegalovirus infections, with frequent reactivations also may be important. Only a small percentage of persons at risk for KS actually develop the disease, probably because a genetic predisposition also is required. (50 Refs)
Keywords: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/COMPLICATIONS Africa Human Immune Tolerance Immunosuppressive Agents/ADVERSE EFFECTS Kidney/TRANSPLANTATION Kidney Transplantation Risk Factors Sarcoma, Kaposi's/*IMMUNOLOGY Skin Neoplasms/*IMMUNOLOGY Transplantation Immunology MONOGRAPH REVIEW REVIEW, TUTORIAL

KWDacquiredimmunodeficiencysyndrome/complicationsafricahumanimmunetoleranceimmunosuppressiveagents/adverseeffectskidney/transplantationkidneytransplantationriskfactorssarcoma,kaposi's/KWDimmunologyskinneoplasms/KWDimmunologytransplantationimmunologymonographreviewreview,tutorial
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Copyright © 1989 - National Library of Medicine. Reproduced under license with the National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD.

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