SPECIFIC DEPOSITION OF PASSIVELY TRANSFERRED MONOCLONAL-ANTIBODIES AGAINST HERPES-SIMPLEX VIRUS TYPE-1 IN RAT-BRAIN INFECTED WITH THE VIRUS

The kinetics of human monoclonal antibody (anti-gB) to herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) were investigated after intravenous injection of anti-gB into an HSV-1 encephalitis animal model. Immunohistochemical s tudy revealed specific deposition of passively tansferred anti-gB in t he hippocampus and thalamus of the infected rat brain, and it bound to the same neurons in which HSV-1 antigen was positively stained. To ex amine the macroscopic distribution of anti-gB in the infected brain, w e undertook an I-125-labeled anti-gB injection study, and the same dis tribution of I-125-labeled anti-gB deposition was observed by brain se mimicroautoradiography as in the immunohistochemical study. These resu lts suggest that anti-gB easily permeates the capillary wall and is de posited in the inflammatory site where HSV-l-specific antigen is detec table, The use of radioisotope-labeled anti-gB injection and external brain imaging could lead to a noninvasive diagnostic tool for the earl y detection of HSV-1 antigen in cases of suspected HSV-1 encephalitis.