title: Effects of selective depletion of L3T4+ T-lymphocytes on herpes simplex virus encephalitis.
abstract: The L3T4 surface molecule defines a subset of murine lymphocytes which are homologous to CD4+ lymphocytes in humans, and are functionally characterized as "helper/inducer" cells. To determine the role of helper/inducer lymphocytes in the host defense against herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) encephalitis, we utilized a monoclonal antibody to selectively deplete L3T4+ lymphocytes from BALB/c mice prior to experimental HSV infection. Susceptibility to HSV was only minimally increased by the depletion of L3T4+ cells, although mice receiving anti-L3T4 were profoundly immunosuppressed; splenic lymphocytes did not respond to stimulation by virus antigen in vitro, and L3T4+ lymphocyte-depleted mice failed to produce antibodies to HSV-1. However, mice receiving anti-L3T4 had a prolonged increase in natural killer cell activity following HSV infection as compared to controls. These data demonstrate that L3T4+ lymphocytes contribute minimally to host resistance to acute neural HSV infection, even though elimination of these lymphocytes markedly inhibits the genesis of immune responses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco 94143.
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Erlich
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wofsy
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Dix
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mills
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology*; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000276:immunology*; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000276:immunology*; D007109:Immunity; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte