Protective T-cell-based immunity induced in neonatal mice by a single replicative cycle of herpes simplex virus.
Newborns are very susceptible to infections because their immune systems are not fully developed and react to antigen exposure preferentially with unresponsiveness. UV-inactivated herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) represents such an antigen and does not induce an immune response in neonates. In contrast, protective T cells were primed in newborn mice by a single replicative cycle of DISC HSV-1 given once within 24 h of birth. Each of the HSV-1-primed CD4(+) or CD8(+) T cells induced in wild-type or interferon-deficient mice conferred resistance to naive animals exposed to a lethal virus challenge. Inactivated HSV-1, injected at variable doses up to 10(4) times that of DISC HSV-1, was ineffective in inducing any detectable immune responses in neonates. Thus, the capacity of HSV-1 to replicate once, but not the number of virus particles per se, was decisive in inducing protective T-cell-associated immunity in newborn mice.
Franchini
M
M
Institute of Virology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Abril
C
C
Schwerdel
C
C
Ruedl
C
C
Ackermann
M
M
Suter
M
M
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000276:immunology*; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005260:Female; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D022283:Herpesvirus Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D007114:Immunization; D007372:Interferons / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D014779:Virus Replication
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D022283:Herpesvirus Vaccines; D007372:Interferons