In Vitro Establishment and Characterization of Two Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - Related Lymphoma Cell Lines ( BC - l and BC - 2 ) Containing Kaposi ’ s Sarcoma - Associated Herpesvirus - Like ( KSHV ) DNA Sequences

Two unique DNA fragments were recently identified in over 90% of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-related Kaposi’s sarcoma tissues. Sequence analysis suggests that these fragments belong to a previously unidentified human herpesvirus, Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV). These fragments have also been identified in a subset of non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas in human immunodeficiency virus-positive patients; specifically, in body cavitybased lymphomas (AIDS-BCBLs). We have established two cell lines derived from AIDS-BCBLs, BC-l and BC-2, which retain the KSHV sequences, and have used them to further characterize this putative viral genome. In this report, we demonstrate that the KSHV sequences represent a portion