title: Natural cytotoxic cell activity linked to time of recurrence of herpes labialis.
abstract: Peripheral blood mononuclear leucocytes from patients with recurrent oral herpes labialis showed an enhanced spontaneous cytotoxic activity against HSV-1 infected target cells during the acute episode. A heightened cytotoxicity persisted for several weeks during prospective follow-up study of the donors, but fell to low levels during the last week before the next episode of herpes labialis. A correlation between natural cytotoxicity against HSV infected targets and pre-recurrence intervals was noted (r = 0.715, P less than 0.05). In parallel, recurrence of herpes labialis was accompanied by a marked increase in the percentage of T cells with Fc IgG receptors and in the percentage of natural cytotoxic lymphocytes, as defined by a newly described monoclonal antibody, HNC-1A3. Both these populations were significantly decreased during the last week before the next herpes labialis episode, suggesting a role for these cells in defence mechanisms involved in anti-HSV immunity.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D006560:Herpes Labialis / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D009000:Monocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D012008:Recurrence; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000276:immunology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral