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Clearance of HSV-2 from recurrent genital lesions correlates with infiltration of HSV-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes.
Title | Clearance of HSV-2 from recurrent genital lesions correlates with infiltration of HSV-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes. |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 1998 |
Authors | Koelle, DM, Posavad, CM, Barnum, GR, Johnson, ML, Frank, JM, Corey, L |
Journal | J Clin Invest |
Volume | 101 |
Issue | 7 |
Pagination | 1500-8 |
Date Published | 1998 Apr 1 |
ISSN | 0021-9738 |
Keywords | Adult, CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes, Female, Herpes Genitalis, Herpesvirus 2, Human, Humans, Immunophenotyping, Lymphocyte Activation, Male, Recurrence, Skin, T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic |
Abstract | The mechanisms involved in host clearance of symptomatic mucocutaneous herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection are unclear. We studied the functional properties of bulk cultures of skin-infiltrating lymphocytes from normal skin and serial biopsies of recurrent genital HSV-2 lesions, and compared HSV-specific and NK responses with viral clearance. HSV-specific CD4+ or CD8+ T cells were rarely detected in lymphocytes cultured from normal skin. The total lymphocyte count and HSV-specific and NK-like effector cell activities were markedly higher in cultures derived from lesional skin. HSV-specific CD4+ proliferative responses and NK-like cytotoxic responses were present at all stages of herpetic lesions, including biopsies early in the disease course. In contrast, cytotoxic T lymphocyte activity was generally low among cells derived from early culture-positive lesions, and increased during lesion evolution. Viral clearance from the lesion site was associated with a high level of local cytolytic activity towards HSV-infected cells. The phenotypes of cells with HSV-specific cytotoxic responses varied between patients, having CD4+ and CD8+ components. Immunotherapeutic approaches to HSV should be directed at improving in vivo cytolytic activity to HSV. |
DOI | 10.1172/JCI1758 |
Alternate Journal | J. Clin. Invest. |
PubMed ID | 9525993 |