Detection of an immediate early herpes simplex virus type 1 polypeptide in trigeminal ganglia from latently infected animals.
In this study, trigeminal sensory ganglia from animals with acute herpes simplex virus, type 1 (HSV-1) infection were compared to those with a latent infection for the expression of HSV-specific antigens. By the indirect immunofluorescence assay, antisera to an immediate early polypeptide of molecular weight 175,000, designated VP175 or ICP4, and a hyperimmune antiserum to HSV-1 were used to determine whether early viral polypeptides were being expressed in neurons during the latent stage of infection. All 17 ganglia from animals with acute infection (sacrificed 3 to 12 days postinfection) exhibited positive staining when treated either with anti-HSV-1 or with anti-VP175. Forty of 42 ganglia from animals sacrificed during the latent stage of infection (22 to 200 days postinfection) exhibited immunofluorescent staining when treated with anti-VP175. The staining appeared to be similar to that observed in ganglia from acutely infected animals stained with anti-VP175, except that the number and distribution of stained cells were markedly reduced. No immunofluorescence was observed in ganglia from noninfected control animals when stained with anti-VP175 or anti-HSV-1, or when ganglia from latently infected animals were stained with anti-HSV-1 or preimmune serum.
D000818:Animals; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000382:microbiology*; D011817:Rabbits; D012668:Trigeminal Ganglion / Q000382:microbiology*; D014276:Trigeminal Nerve / Q000382:microbiology*; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D014779:Virus Replication
D000956:Antigens, Viral; D014764:Viral Proteins