title: Gamma interferon can prevent herpes simplex virus type 1 reactivation from latency in sensory neurons.
abstract: We recently demonstrated that CD8(+) T cells could block herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) reactivation from latency in ex vivo trigeminal ganglion (TG) cultures without destroying the infected neurons. Here we establish that CD8(+) T-cell prevention of HSV-1 reactivation from latency is mediated at least in part by gamma interferon (IFN-gamma). We demonstrate that IFN-gamma was produced in ex vivo cultures of dissociated latently infected TG by CD8(+) T cells that were present in the TG at the time of excision. Depletion of CD8(+) T cells or neutralization of IFN-gamma significantly enhanced the rate of HSV-1 reactivation from latency in TG cultures. When TG cultures were treated with acyclovir for 4 days to insure uniform latency, supplementation with recombinant IFN-gamma blocked HSV-1 reactivation in 80% of cultures when endogenous CD8(+) T cells were present and significantly reduced and delayed HSV-1 reactivation when CD8(+) T cells or CD45(+) cells were depleted from the TG cultures. The effectiveness of recombinant IFN-gamma in blocking HSV-1 reactivation was lost when its addition to TG cultures was delayed by more than 24 h after acyclovir removal. We propose that when the intrinsic ability of neurons to inhibit HSV-1 gene expression is compromised, HSV-specific CD8(+) T cells are rapidly mobilized to produce IFN-gamma and perhaps other antiviral cytokines that block the viral replication cycle and maintain the viral genome in a latent state.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213-2588, USA.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Khanna
authors.forename: B N
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Carriere
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Hendricks
mesh_terms: D000212:Acyclovir / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D012668:Trigeminal Ganglion / Q000821:virology*; D014775:Virus Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D017735:Virus Latency
chemical_list: D007371:Interferon-gamma; D000212:Acyclovir