Gamma interferon impedes the establishment of herpes simplex virus type 1 latent infection but has no impact on its maintenance or reactivation in mice.
Murine models of gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) deficiency demonstrate the role of this cytokine in attenuating acute herpes simplex virus (HSV) disease; however, the effect of IFN-gamma on the establishment and maintenance of neuronal latency and viral reactivation is not known. Using the IFN-gamma knockout (GKO) model of IFN-gamma deficiency and sensitive quantitative PCR methods, we show that IFN-gamma significantly reduces the ganglion content of latent HSV-1 in BALB/c mice, which in turn delays viral time to reactivation following UV irradiation. Similar effects were not seen in the C57BL/6 strain. These results indicate that IFN-gamma significantly attenuates latent HSV infection in the mouse model of ocular infection but has no impact on the maintenance of latency or virus reactivation.
Lekstrom-Himes
J A
JA
Medical Virology Section, Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
LeBlanc
R A
RA
Pesnicak
L
L
Godleski
M
M
Straus
S E
SE
D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D015828:Eye Infections, Viral / Q000276:immunology / Q000401:mortality / Q000821:virology*; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013045:Species Specificity; D012668:Trigeminal Ganglion / Q000821:virology; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D014709:Vero Cells; D014775:Virus Activation / Q000502:physiology*; D017735:Virus Latency / Q000502:physiology*
D004279:DNA, Viral; D007371:Interferon-gamma