Immunohistochemical proof of intraneural localization of herpes simplex virus in experimental retinitis.
A unilateral intravitreal inoculation of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) induced bilateral retinitis and encephalitis in the rat. Immunohistochemistry was employed to clarify the pathway of transmission of HSV-1 from the inoculated eye to the contralateral eye, and to identify localization of the viral antigen in the retina, optic nerve and brain. At an early stage of the post-inoculation period, HSV-1 immunoreactivity was first seen in the cytoplasm of Müller cells and then in various cells of the inner nuclear layer in the inoculated eye. At a later stage, HSV-1 immunoreactivity was seen in some retinal ganglion cells and optic nerve fibers in the inoculated eye. In the brain, HSV-1 was found in the optic chiasm, bilateral primary visual centers (bilateral suprachiasmatic nuclei, bilateral lateral geniculate nuclei, bilateral superior colliculus and bilateral pretectum) and bilateral visual cortex. HSV-1 was also demonstrated in the retinal ganglion cells, neural cells in the inner nuclear layer, and Müller cells in the contralateral eye. We found that HSV-1 antigen in the retina of the contralateral eye was transmitted through the optic nerve, visual pathway and nuclei, but not through the blood stream.
Department of Ophthalmology, Kansai Medical University, Osaka, Japan.
M
M
Matsushima
M
M
Uyama
A
A
Ohyama
T
T
Ueyama
T
T
Sugimoto
D000818:Animals; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D018792:Encephalitis, Viral / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D015828:Eye Infections, Viral / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000502:physiology*; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D009900:Optic Nerve / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012160:Retina / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D012173:Retinitis / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D014795:Visual Pathways / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*
D000956:Antigens, Viral