title: Herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 infect the mouse pituitary gland and induce apoptotic cell death.
abstract: Herpes simplex virus (HSV) infected the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland resulting in cytopathic changes following intravenous (i.v.) inoculation of male mice. Both HSV type 1 (HSV-1) and type 2 (HSV-2) were isolated from pituitary gland following i.v. infection, but not after intraperitoneal inoculation. HSV-infected pituitary cells were microscopically visible beginning at 24 h or 48 h following i.v. inoculation and were localized in the anterior pituitary. In both HSV-1 and -2 infections the pituitary lesions were apoptotic, as determined by light and electron microscopy, TUNEL, and DNA gel electrophoresis. However, the pituitary infection does not appear to be life-threatening since pituitary lesions were also observed following i.v. infection with HSV-1 strain -GC which possesses low virulence. These results suggest that the pituitary gland is one of the target organs of HSV infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Teikyo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan. aitajoe@mac.com
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Aita
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shiga
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D018258:Herpesvirus 2, Human / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000821:virology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics