title: The role of T(H)1 and T(H)2 cytokines in HSV-1-induced corneal scarring.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the relative impact of T(H)1 and T(H)2 cytokines on the induction of corneal scarring.
  
  
  METHODS
  BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice were infected ocularly with herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1)-recombinant viruses expressing either IL-2, IL-4, IFN-gamma, IL-12p35, or IL-12p40. Parental virus and recombinant viruses in one group (dLAT2903, HSV-IL-2, HSV-IL-4, and HSV-IFN-gamma) contained an intact neurovirulence gene, gamma34.5, while the second set of recombinant viruses (DM33, dbl-IL2, dbl-IL4, dbl-IFNgamma, dbl-IL12p35, and dbl-IL12p40) lacked the gamma34.5 gene.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the presence of gamma34.5, viruses that expressed either IL-2 or IL-4 reduced the severity of corneal scarring in both BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice compared with the parental virus. In contrast, the recombinant virus expressing IFN-gamma was not protective in BALB/c mice, while it exacerbated corneal scarring in C57BL/6 mice compared with the parental or wt McKrae virus. In the absence of the gamma34.5 gene, recombinant viruses expressing IL-2, IL-4, IFN-gamma, IL-12p35, or IL-12p40 did not induce any corneal scarring.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest the following: (1). IL-2 and IL-4 are both involved in protection against HSV-1-induced corneal scarring; (2). IFN-gamma is not involved in protection against HSV-1-induced corneal scarring; and (3). the degree of neurovirulence plays a major role in the protection against or induction of corneal scarring.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, CSMC Burns & Allen Research Institute, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA.
authors.forename: Yanira
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Osorio
authors.forename: Behrooz G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Sharifi
authors.forename: Guey
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Perng
authors.forename: Neema S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Ghiasi
authors.forename: Homayon
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ghiasi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003315:Cornea / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000502:physiology*; D003673:Defective Viruses; D005260:Female; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D016849:Keratitis, Herpetic / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines