ROLE OF INTERFERON-GAMMA IN IMMUNITY TO HERPES-SIMPLEX VIRUS

Removal of herpes simplex virus (HSV) -infected cells from peripheral sites such as the skin is mainly an activity of T cells, particularly the CD4(+) T subset, Such cells orchestrate an inflammatory response w ith interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) appearing to play the essential role in viral clearance, In accordance with this hypothesis, we show that i nfection of BALB/c background mice expressing the knockout phenotype f or IFN-gamma (GKO mice) are significantly more susceptible to the deve lopment of cutaneous zosteriform lesions than are wild-type, However, following HSV immunization, GKO mice become solidly immune to the deve lopment of zosteriform lesions, in addition, the transfer of T cells f rom immune GKO mice to nude mice recipients renders them resistant to zosteriform lesions. Our results are discussed in terms of the major a nd compensatory mechanisms available to the body to effect immunity to viral infections.