The current epidemics of Kaposi sarcoma and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS/KS) is alarming. The increasing incidence of the epidemic and its route of transmission by sexual contact, drug appearance, and blood products support the viral etiology. It further suggests that the virus involved is endowed with oncogenic potential which expresses to produce Kaposi sarcoma. The hypothesis we would explore here is based on the preliminary observations made in the analysis of tumour biopsies of Kaposi sarcoma. We found that HBV-related DNA forms existed in an episomal state in Kaposi tumours. The proposed research therefore would involve detailed and thorough investigation of molecular and biochemical characterizations and particularly the role of the hepatitis B-related DNA forms in Kaposi, sarcoma. Furthermore, we would explore the genetic basis of Kaposi sarcoma genesis, and attempt to identify cellular oncogenes whose activation by whatever mechanism involved, induces the tumour.
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