title: Th1/Th2-like immunity and resistance to herpes simplex labialis.
abstract: To investigate potential immunologic mechanisms of resistance to recurrent herpes simplex labialis, we assayed serum antibody titers and cultured peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) cytokine production among patients with a history of frequent episodes (H+S+), herpes simplex virus (HSV)-seropositive individuals without a history of herpes labialis (H-S+) and HSV-seronegative persons (H-S-). In addition, H+S+ patients were exposed to experimental ultraviolet radiation (UVR) on the lips and the immunologic assay results compared among those who developed experimental lesions and those who did not. H+S+ patients were found to have higher median serum titers of HSV antibody and trends to lower levels of HSV-specific PBMC IFN-gamma and IL-2 than H-S+ control patients (123 vs 66, P = 0.04; 424 vs 548 pg/ml, P = 0.08; 14 vs 26 pg/ml, P = 0.14, respectively). Correlation of the results with the occurrence of experimental lesions showed the inverse: the subgroup of H+S+ patients with UVR-induced lesions had lower titers of antibody and trends to higher levels of IFN-gamma and IL-2 than H+S+ patients who could not be induced (93 vs 149, P = 0.02; 501 vs 347 pg/ml, P = NS; 26 vs 11 pg/ml, P = NS, respectively). The size and duration of UVR-induced lesions showed positive correlations with IFN-gamma and IL-2 levels (r = 0.60-0.67, P = 0.02-0.04). Although the small number of patients limited the power of this study, the overall pattern of the findings suggests that a Th1-like cytokine response (IFN-gamma and IL-2 production) may be associated with resistance to naturally occurring episodes of herpes labialis. The development and severity of experimental UVR-induced herpes labialis appears to be regulated differently and may involve an immunopathologic mechanism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City 84132, USA.
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Spruance
authors.forename: T G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: McKeough
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Thai
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Araneo
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Daynes
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Mishkin
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Abramovitz
mesh_terms: D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology*; D006560:Herpes Labialis / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology; D008047:Lip Diseases / Q000821:virology; D012008:Recurrence; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D016207:Cytokines