Both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells are involved in protection against HSV-1 induced corneal scarring.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the relative impact of CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells in protecting mice against ocular HSV-1 challenge.


METHODS
CD4+ T cell knockout mice (CD4-/- mice), CD8+ T cell knockout mice (CD8-/- mice), and mice depleted for CD4+ or CD8+ T cells by antibody (CD4+ depleted and CD8+ depleted mice), were examined for their ability to withstand HSV-1 ocular challenge. The parental mice for both knockout mice were C57BL/6J.


RESULTS
These results suggest that: (1) both CD4+ deficient mice (CD4-/- and CD4+ depleted mice) and CD8+ deficient mice (CD8-/-, and CD8+ depleted mice) developed significantly more corneal scarring than their C57BL/6J parental strain; (2) the duration of virus clearance from the eyes of the CD4+ deficient mice was 4 days longer than that of the CD8+ deficient mice; and (3) the severity of corneal scarring in the CD4+ deficient mice was approximately twice that of the CD8+ deficient mice.


CONCLUSIONS
It was reported here that: (1) CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were both involved in protection against lethal ocular HSV-1 infection; and (2) CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were both involved in protection against HSV-1 induced corneal scarring.
Ghiasi
H
H
Ophthalmology Research, Cedars-Sinai Burns and Allen Research Institute, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA.
Cai
S
S
Perng
G C
GC
Nesburn
A B
AB
Wechsler
S L
SL
D000818:Animals; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000276:immunology; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D016849:Keratitis, Herpetic / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology; D015996:Survival Rate; D013666:Tears / Q000821:virology