title: Inhibition of varicella-zoster virus in vitro by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells.
abstract: A functional in vitro assay of cell-mediated immunity to varicella-zoster virus (VZV) is described. This procedure uses an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to measure the inhibitory effect of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells on VZV antigen production by VZV-infected cell monolayers. When mononuclear cells from VZV-immune, tetanus-immune donors were stimulated with either VZV antigen or tetanus toxoid they reduced VZV antigen production. In contrast, mononuclear cells from VZV-nonimmune, tetanus-immune donors reduced VZV antigen only when stimulated with tetanus toxoid, but not when stimulated with VZV antigen. Cell-free supernatants recovered from the VZV inhibition assays contained the anti-VZV activity. The magnitude of the anti-VZV activity of the supernatants equalled the inhibition observed when the stimulated mononuclear cells were added to the VZV-infected monolayers. Treatment of either mononuclear cells or supernatants with anti-interferon gamma antibody indicated that their VZV inhibitory capability was largely due to the production of interferon gamma by stimulated mononuclear cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver.
authors.forename: G P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Rabalais
authors.forename: F E
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: Berkowitz
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Hayward
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Levin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000276:immunology*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D007371:Interferon-gamma