Gene expression profiling of KSHV-infected periodontal ligament cells

We reported the potential and mechnism of oral mesenchymal stem cell to become Kaposi Sarcoma progenitor cell. Human periodontal ligament cells were infected for 48 hours and 96 hours, then subjected to RNA extraction and sequencing. We found that KSHV-infected PDLSC shared a better similarity with KS biosies in cytokine production, including chemotaxis, angiogenesis, inflammation and differentiation. Furthermore, infection of PDLSC upregulated a spectum of genes involving mesenchymal-to-endothelial differentiation, a process which has been revealed in KS spindle cells. This study reveals the potential and mechnism in which oral mesenchymal stem cell is transformed by KSHV to KS progenitor cell.