KSHV promotes leukocyte adhesion and transendothelial migration via induction of VCAM1.

KSHV-infected endothelial cells induce VCAM1 expression, promoting leukocyte adhesion and transendothelial migration in a VCAM1-dependent manner.

• Why it matters: Understanding how KSHV manipulates endothelial cells to facilitate immune cell infiltration can reveal mechanisms underlying Kaposi's sarcoma development and tumor microenvironment modulation.
• What they did: The study used siRNA knockdown, antibody blockade, and viral mutants to show that KSHV infection and the viral protein vFLIP induce VCAM1 expression via the non-canonical NF-κB pathway, leading to increased leukocyte adhesion and TEM.
• The result: These findings suggest that KSHV promotes immune cell infiltration through VCAM1 induction, which may contribute to KS tumor progression and offers potential targets for therapeutic intervention.