CD4+V beta 8+ T cells mediate herpes stromal keratitis.
T lymphocytes are critical in mediating herpes simplex stromal keratitis (HSK). Using immunohistologic methods, we studied the T cell subsets and the T cell receptor variable region (TCR V beta) repertoire of T cells in the eye after corneal infection with HSV (KOS strain). We investigated the possibility that there might be differential V beta preferential usage in HSK resistant and susceptible BALB/c congenic mice that differ only in a small region associated with the Igh-1 gene locus. The inflamed corneas of HSK susceptible C.AL-20 mice were mainly infiltrated by CD4+ cells and by V beta 8 expressing cells. Such T cells were not seen in the corneas of resistant C.B-17 mice. Our results indicate that CD4+V beta 8+ cells are involved in mediating HSV-1 stromal keratitis.
Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114.
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Heiligenhaus
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Berra
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Foster
D000818:Animals; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D003319:Corneal Stroma / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D016849:Keratitis, Herpetic / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000276:immunology*
D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta