title: Interferon in the replication of herpes simplex virus in normal and pathological nerve cells.
abstract: Previous results obtained in experimental and clinical trials have demonstrated that topical combined thrapy with human interferon (HI) and human colostral secretory immunoglobulin A (S-IgA) is effective against herpetic corneal infection. This therapy prevented encephalitis in rabbits but could not completely prevent recurrences either in rabbits or in patients. A number of in vitro studies were designed to elucidate the role of these factors in herpes simplex virus replication in the nervous system, with the following results: (1) HSV latency in trigeminal ganglia (TG) explanted from rabbits with experimental herpetic keratitis, topically treated with HI or HI/S-IgA: HSV was recovered in 30% TG after 15-19 days co-cultivation on RK-13 cells. (2) HSV replication in nervous ganglia and nerve of newborn rabbits in organ culture; influence of HI or HI plus IgG: a restrictive HSV productive infection was demonstrated in this system, although yields were always higher in nerve cultures. We were unable to demonstrate a direct effect of HI on HSV-1 replication. When explants were treated with HI and IgG before and after infection for 48 hours a delay in the expression of HSV-1 was detected by co-cultivation. (3) Replication of HSV-1 and HSV-2 in a C1300 murine neuroblastoma clone (NB41A3): both HSV types replicated with titres of 10(3.4) for HSV-1 AND 10(4.8) for HSV-2 at 48 hours p.i.; CPE was more marked for HSV-2 at 24 hours. HSV-specific antigens were demonstrated by the immunoperoxidase technique.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000517:prevention & control; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007372:Interferons / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007635:Keratitis, Dendritic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D051379:Mice; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000382:microbiology; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000382:microbiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000382:microbiology*; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D011817:Rabbits; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000187:drug effects*; D012668:Trigeminal Ganglion / Q000382:microbiology; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007372:Interferons