title: Role and potential therapeutic use of antibodies against herpetic infections.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The cellular adaptive response directed against herpesviruses is widely described in the scientific literature as a pivotal component of the immune system able to control virus replication. The role of humoral immunity remains unclear and controversial.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Discussing the role of adaptive immunity in herpesvirus infection control, highlighting the potential role of the humoral branch of immunity through the description of human monoclonal antibodies directed against herpesviruses.
  
  
  METHODS
  PubMed search for relevant publications related to protective immunity against Herpesviridae.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  This review describes the role of adaptive immunity directed against Herpesviridae, focusing on the human humoral response naturally elicited during their infections. Given the ever-increasing interest in monoclonal antibodies as novel therapeutics, the contribution of humoral immunity in controlling productive infection, during both primary infection and reactivations, is discussed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Human monoclonal antibodies directed against the different Herpesviridae species may represent novel molecular probes to further characterize the molecular machinery involved in herpesvirus infection; and allow the development of novel therapeutics and effective vaccine strategies.
authors.affiliation: Microbiology and Virology Unit, "Vita-Salute San Raffaele" University, Milan, Italy. Electronic address: clementi.nicola@hsr.it.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Clementi
authors.affiliation: Microbiology and Virology Unit, "Vita-Salute San Raffaele" University, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cappelletti
authors.affiliation: Microbiology and Virology Unit, "Vita-Salute San Raffaele" University, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Criscuolo
authors.affiliation: Microbiology and Virology Unit, "Vita-Salute San Raffaele" University, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Castelli
authors.affiliation: Microbiology and Virology Unit, "Vita-Salute San Raffaele" University, Milan, Italy; Laboratory of Microbiology and Virology, San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mancini
authors.affiliation: Microbiology and Virology Unit, "Vita-Salute San Raffaele" University, Milan, Italy; Laboratory of Microbiology and Virology, San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Burioni
authors.affiliation: Microbiology and Virology Unit, "Vita-Salute San Raffaele" University, Milan, Italy; Laboratory of Microbiology and Virology, San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Clementi
mesh_terms: D056704:Adaptive Immunity; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006564:Herpesviridae / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D056724:Immunity, Humoral; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal
keywords: Epitope-based vaccine; Herpesviridae; Human monoclonal antibodies; Humoral immune response; Virus immuno-escape mechanisms