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J. Virol., 08 1995, 4898-4905, Vol 69, No. 8
EM Cantin, DR Hinton, J Chen and H Openshaw
This study was initiated to evaluate a role for gamma interferon (IFN-
gamma) in herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infection. At the acute stage
of infection in mice, HSV-1 replication in trigeminal ganglia and brain
stem tissue was modestly but consistently enhanced in mice from which
IFN-gamma was by ablated monoclonal antibody treatment and in mice
genetically lacking the IFN-gamma receptor (Rgko mice). As determined by
reverse transcriptase PCR, IFN-gamma and tumor necrosis factor alpha
transcripts were present in trigeminal ganglia during both acute and latent
HSV-1 infection. CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were detected initially in
trigeminal ganglia at day 5 after HSV-1 inoculation, and these cells
persisted for 6 months into latency. The T cells were focused around
morphologically normal neurons that showed no signs of active infection,
but many of which expressed HSV-1 latency-associated transcripts. Secreted
IFN-gamma was present up to 6 months into latency in areas of the T-cell
infiltration. By 9 months into latency, both the T-cell infiltrate and
IFN-gamma expression had cleared, although there remained a slight increase
in macrophage levels in trigeminal ganglia. In HSV-1-infected brain stem
tissue, T cells and IFN-gamma expression were present at 1 month but were
gone by 6 months after infection. Our hypothesis is that the persistence of
T cells and the sustained IFN- gamma expression occur in response to an
HSV-1 antigen(s) in the nervous system. This hypothesis is consistent with
a new model of HSV-1 latency which suggests that limited HSV-1 antigen
expression occurs during latency (M. Kosz-Vnenchak, J. Jacobson, D.M. Coen,
and D.M. Knipe, J. Virol. 67:5383-5393, 1993). We speculate that prolonged
secretion of IFN-gamma during latency may modulate a reactivated HSV-1
infection.
Copyright © 1995, American Society for Microbiology
Gamma interferon expression during acute and latent nervous system infection by herpes simplex virus type 1
Department of Neurology, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California 91010, USA.
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