Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) infection is required for the development of several AIDS-related malignancies, including Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) and primary effusion lymphoma (PEL). The high incidence of AIDS-KS has been ascribed to the interaction of KSHV and HIV-1. We have previously shown that HIV-1-secreted proteins Tat and Nef regulate the KSHV life cycle and synergize with KSHV oncogenes to promote angiogenesis and tumorigenesis. Here, we examined the regulation of KSHV latency by HIV-1 viral protein R (Vpr). We found that soluble Vpr inhibits the expression of KSHV lytic transcripts and proteins, as well as viral particle production by activating NF-B signaling following internalization into PEL cells. By analyzing the expression profiles of microRNAs combined with target search by bioinformatics and luciferase reporter analyses, we identi-
Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), also known as human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8), is the causative agent of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS). AIDS-associated Kaposi's sarcoma (AIDS-KS) remains a clinical challenge in sub-Saharan Africa and the United States, including a subset of AIDS patients receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) (1-4). KSHV infection is also linked to two B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders associated with AIDS, including primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) and a subset of multicentric Castleman's disease (MCD) (5, 6).KSHV displays two distinct replication phases: a latent phase and a productive lytic phase. Following acute infection, KSHV in general establishes lifetime persistence in the infected individuals. During the latent phase, only a limited number of viral genes are expressed, which serve to maintain the persistence of the viral genome, restrict host immune responses, and enhance cell survival. KSHV latently infected cells can be reactivated into lytic replication by several intracellular or extracellular stimuli, such as hypoxia, oxidative stress, and certain cytokines (7-10). Activation of viral lytic replication results in the expression of viral lytic genes and the production of infectious virions (11). Both latent and lytic replication phases are crucial for the long-term persistence of KSHV in the host, and their gene products play critical roles in the pathogenesis of KSHV-associated disease.As is true of infection with other human oncogenic viruses, KSHV infection alone is not sufficient to cause KSHV-associated malignancy (1, 12). Previously, we and others demonstrated that other cofactors, such as human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6), herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1), human immunodeficiency virus type 1