title: Synergistic control of herpes simplex virus pathogenesis by IRF-3, and IRF-7 revealed through non-invasive bioluminescence imaging.
abstract: Interferon regulatory factors IRF-3 and IRF-7 are central to the establishment of the innate antiviral response. This study examines HSV-1 pathogenesis in IRF-3(-/-), IRF-7(-/-) and double-deleted IRF3/7(-/-) (DKO) mice. Bioluminescence imaging of infection revealed that DKO mice developed visceral infection following corneal inoculation, along with increased viral burdens in all tissues relative to single knockout mice. While all DKO mice synchronously reached endpoint criteria 5 days post infection, the IRF-7(-/-) mice survived longer, indicating that although IRF-7 is dominant, IRF-3 also plays a role in controlling disease. Higher levels of systemic pro-inflammatory cytokines were found in IRF7(-/-) and DKO mice relative to wild-type and IRF-3(-/-) mice, and IL-6 and G-CSF, indicative of sepsis, were increased in the DKO mice relative to wild-type or single-knockout mice. In addition to controlling viral replication, IRF-3 and -7 therefore play coordinating roles in modulation of inflammation during HSV infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, One Medical Center Drive, HB 7556, Lebanon, NH 03756, USA.
authors.forename: Aisling A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: Pamela C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Rosato
authors.forename: Zachary M
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Parker
authors.forename: Alexey
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khalenkov
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Leib
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology*; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000276:immunology* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D050838:Interferon Regulatory Factor-3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D050839:Interferon Regulatory Factor-7 / Q000378:metabolism*; D049449:Luminescence; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D018805:Sepsis / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D051598:Whole Body Imaging
chemical_list: D050838:Interferon Regulatory Factor-3; D050839:Interferon Regulatory Factor-7
keywords: Herpes simplex virus; IRF-3; IRF-7; Innate immunity