Viral Factors Influencing Early Infection Events During Ex-Vivo KSHV Infection

<p>The enigma of Kaposi Sarcoma Herpes Virus infection, and its persistence despite a quarter century of research on the virus, has given rise to an immediate need for addressing fundamental questions about basic immunology and virology knowledge regarding this virus. Kaposi Sarcoma Herpes Virus (KSHV), also known as Human Herpesvirus 8 (HHV8), is the etiological agent of Kaposi Sarcoma (KS) and other lymphoproliferative cancers, such as Multicentric Castleman’s Disease (MCD), Primary Effusion Lymphoma (PEL), and a newly discovered rare disease called KSHV Inflammatory Cytokines Syndrome (KICS). Epidemic KS, also known as AIDS-KS, is the most common cancer in untreated HIV patients. This epidemic in western countries mostly affects the homosexual population, while in the malaria-belt, both men and women can be affected equally. All forms of diseases caused by KSHV are uniformly fatal highlighting the need for research into KSHV virology for the identification of possible druggable targets to address the public health burden and help further develop vaccines, therapies, or treatments.</p> <p>The thesis presented herein will focus on the study of early infection events and the persistence of infection within the oral cavity. We have identified and characterized virion-associated factors critical for the earliest stages of KSHV infection; in three specific aims:</p> <ol> <li> <p>Examining Host-Specific Differences and Viral Tropism in KSHV Infection of Tonsil-Derived B Lymphocytes</p> </li> <li> <p>Validating the Proteomic Composition of KSHV Virions</p> </li> <li> <p>Establishing the Contribution of KSHV-ORF11 Tegument Protein in de novo</p> <p>Infection of B Lymphocytes.</p> </li> </ol> <p>We have demonstrated that gamma-herpesvirus conserved tegument factors play critical but uncharacterized roles in the establishment of infection in B lymphocytes, and that utilizing our study model provides us with the unique chance to observe this infection process at an early stage. Thus, in short, we have attempted to provide an answer to the long-forgotten questions within the field of KSHV virology about the proteins the virion packages and introduces in early stages of infection and what that could mean in the bigger picture for the host -pathogen interactions.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Pharmaceutical Sciences

Year dc:date.available

2021

Author dc:creator

• Nabiee, Ramina

Contributors dc:contributor

• Dr. Jennifer E. Totonchy
• Dr. Innokentiy Maslennikov
• Dr. Ajay Sharma
• Dr. Moom Roosan

• HHV8
• Viral immunology
• BioPharmaceutics
• B cells
• Immunology and Infectious Disease
• Immunology of Infectious Disease
• Investigative Techniques
• Other Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.chapman.edu/pharmaceutical_sciences_dissertations/7

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.chapman.edu:pharmaceutical_sciences_dissertations-1007