title: T lymphocytes are required for protection of the vaginal mucosae and sensory ganglia of immune mice against reinfection with herpes simplex virus type 2.
abstract: Intravaginal inoculation of mice with an attenuated strain of herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) resulted in vigorous HSV-specific immune responses that protected against subsequent challenge with fully virulent HSV-2 strains. Even in the presence of high titers of HSV-specific Ab, T cell-dependent mechanisms were required for protection of the vaginal mucosae of HSV-immune mice and could be detected by 24 h after intravaginal reinoculation. Depletion of specific T cell subsets from HSV-immune mice before HSV-2 reinoculation demonstrated that CD4+ T cells were primarily responsible for this protection. Similarly, optimal protection of the sensory ganglia against reinfection with HSV-2 was dependent on the presence of T cells. Infectious HSV-2 was not detected in the sensory ganglia or spinal cord of HSV-immune mice depleted of only CD4+ or CD8+ T cells, suggesting that the T cell-mediated protection could be provided by either subset. Similarly, neutralization of IFN-gamma during challenge of HSV-immune mice resulted in diminished protection of the vaginal mucosa, but not of the sensory ganglia. These results suggest that the ability to induce vigorous HSV-specific T cell responses is an important consideration in the design of vaccines to protect both the vaginal mucosa and sensory ganglia against HSV-2.
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, OH 45229, USA.
authors.forename: G N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Milligan
authors.forename: D I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Bernstein
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bourne
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D017950:Ganglia, Sensory / Q000276:immunology*; D006558:Herpes Genitalis / Q000276:immunology*; D018258:Herpesvirus 2, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D018928:Immunity, Mucosal; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D014621:Vagina / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D007371:Interferon-gamma