Perplexity A.I. on HHV-8
What have been the biggest surprises about the virus HHV-8? Some of the biggest surprises about HHV-8 (human herpesvirus 8) have emerged in recent years, especially as research uncovers its mechanisms of cancer causation, immune evasion, and genomic integration. The virus—primarily known for its role in Kaposi's sarcoma—continues to reveal unexpected features and risks. Surprising Mechanisms of Cancer Induction Researchers only recently discovered that HHV-8 manipulates key human enzymes, CDK6 and CAD, to reprogram how infected cells make new nucleotides and metabolize glucose—directly transforming normal cells into cancer cells. This metabolic rewiring by HHV-8 was not anticipated and has become a new focus for antiviral cancer therapy, using drugs that block these pathways and have radically improved outcomes in preclinical models. Genomic Integration and Host-Genome Hijacking Studies in 2023–2024 revealed the first hard evidence that HHV-8 can integrate its genome at specific ...


