Unmasking the roles of KSHV glycoproteins in virus entry and vaccine development

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Worldwide, 15% of all cancer cases and nearly 25% of cancer cases in developing countries are attributable to viruses. Human cancers associated with virus infection include human papillomavirus, human T-cell leukemia virus type 1, Epstein-Barr virus, hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, and Kaposi's sarcoma-associated human herpesvirus (KSHV). Of these, KSHV is the leading cause of death in HIV-infected individuals. Infection of KSHV is estimated to account for 34,000 new cancer cases globally. Efforts to develop a KSHV vaccine are limited, due to lack of animal model to test the potential vaccine candidates. Through collaborations, we now have access to common marmosets, a non-human primate model that support KSHV infection and develop skin lesions typical in infected individuals. We have also developed a virus-like particle platform to display KSHV envelope glycoprotein antigens as candidate vaccines that has potential to prevent or treat KSHV infection and its associated malignancies.