EVIDENCE FOR DEFICIENCIES IN INTRACEREBRAL CYTOKINE PRODUCTION, ADHESION MOLECULE INDUCTION AND T-CELL RECRUITMENT IN HERPES-SIMPLEX VIRUS TYPE-2 INFECTED MICE

We examined the intracerebral T cell response in mice infected with ne urovirulent HSV-2 strains and an avirulent HSV-1. In HSV-2-infected br ains, (i) IL-1 beta, TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma mRNA expression was low, (ii) ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 were not induced, (iii) few CD4(+) or CD8(+) ce lls were detected. By contrast, in HSV-1-infected brain, (i) cytokine mRNA expression was high, (ii) adhesion molecules were strongly expres sed. (iii) many T cells were detected. We suggest that deficient T cel l extravasation into HSV-2-infected brain regions is caused by negligi ble ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 expression, which is due to low expression of cr itical cytokines. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.