Persistence of human herpesvirus 7 in normal tissues detected by expression of a structural antigen.
Human herpesvirus 7 (HHV-7) infection in histologically normal human tissues was investigated by immunohistochemical detection of the 85-kDa tegument phosphoprotein (pp85) encoded by the U14 gene. So far, two cell types were recognized as sites of HHV-7 infection in vivo: CD4+ T lymphocytes, believed to be the site of latent infection, and epithelial cells of salivary glands, the site of productive infection and viral shedding. Unexpectedly, cells expressing the HHV-7 structural antigen were detectable in lungs, skin, and mammary glands. Morphologically and phenotypically, they were distinct from lymphocytes. Liver, kidney, and tonsils were positive, although the number of HHV-7-positive cells was low. Large intestine, spleen, and brain were negative. Different from the current notion of the state of HHV-7 in humans, the results show that a variety of tissues harbor cells at a late stage of infection and suggest that HHV-7 causes a persistent rather than a true latent infection.
Kempf
W
W
Department of Dermatology, University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland.
Adams
V
V
Mirandola
P
P
Menotti
L
L
Di Luca
D
D
Wey
N
N
Müller
B
B
Campadelli-Fiume
G
G
D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D016199:Herpesvirus 7, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D017735:Virus Latency
D000956:Antigens, Viral; D010750:Phosphoproteins