CD4-BETA-8+ T CELLS MEDIATE HERPES STROMAL KERATITIS(V)

T lymphocytes are critical in mediating herpes simplex stromal keratit is (HSK). Using immunohistologic methods, we studied the T cell subset s and the T cell receptor variable region (TCR V beta) repertoire of T cells in the eye after corneal infection with HSV (KOS strain). We in vestigated the possibility that there might be differential V beta pre ferential usage in HSK resistant and susceptible BALB/c congenic mice that differ only in a small region associated with the Igh-1 gene locu s. The inflamed corneas of HSK susceptible C.AL-20 mice were mainly in filtrated by CD4+ cells and by V beta 8 expressing cells. Such T cells were not seen in the corneas of resistant C.B-17 mice. Our results in dicate that CD4+V beta 8+ cells are involved in mediating HSV-1 stroma l keratitis.