title: Immunization with HSV-1 antigen rapidly protects against HSV-1-induced encephalitis and is IFN-gamma independent.
abstract: Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infection of mice frequently culminates in fatal encephalitis. Intraperitoneal administration of heat-inactivated HSV-1 0-5 days before infection (active immunization) protected mice from encephalitis. In addition, active immunization 2-5 days before ocular infection with HSV-1 reduced the frequency of establishment of latent HSV-1 infection in the trigeminal ganglion (TG). However, intraperitoneal administration of heat-inactivated HSV-1 did not induce interferon (IFN) production in the peritoneum or serum, as determined by bioassay and ELISA. Intraperitoneal administration of heat-attenuated HSV-1 elicited IFN-gamma but not type I IFN production in the peritoneum. The production of IFN-gamma correlated with the infiltration of CD4 and CD8 cells in the peritoneum as determined by RT-PCR. In addition, there was a significant increase in interleukin (IL)-12 p40, IL-12p35, IL-6, IL-10, and IFN-gamma mRNA in peritoneal cells, as determined by RT-PCR following immunization with heat-attenuated HSV-1, which was not observed using heat-inactivated HSV-1. The results suggest that resistance to HSV-1 is induced rapidly following immunization with viral antigen but that protection against encephalitis is independent of the cytokines that are generated in the peritoneum.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Louisiana State University Medical Center, New Orleans, USA.
authors.forename: W P
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Halford
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Veress
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Gebhardt
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Carr
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D002460:Cell Line; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D018792:Encephalitis, Viral / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D007114:Immunization; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D013997:Time Factors; D012668:Trigeminal Ganglion / Q000821:virology; D014709:Vero Cells
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D007371:Interferon-gamma