Localization of a passively transferred human recombinant monoclonal antibody to herpes simplex virus glycoprotein D to infected nerve fibers and sensory neurons in vivo

A human recombinant monoclonal antibody to herpes simplex virus (HSV) glyco protein D labeled with the fluorescent dye Cy5 was administered to mice inf ected in the cornea with HSV type 1 (HSV-1). The distribution of such antib ody in the corneas and trigeminal ganglia of the mice was then investigated by confocal microscopy. The antibody was detected on HSV-infected nerve fi bers in the cornea-identified by colocalization with HSV antigens and the n euritic markers neurofilament, GAP-43, synapsin-l, and CNPase-and on the pe rikarya of sensory neurons in the HSV-1-infected neurons in ipsilateral tri geminal ganglia. Antibodies have been shown to be effective against many ne urotropic viruses, often in the absence of obvious cell damage. Observation s from experimental HSV infections suggest that antibodies could act in par t by interfering with virus expression in the ganglia and/or with axonal sp read. The present results provide morphological evidence of the localizatio n of antiviral antibodies at anatomical sites relevant to such putative ant ibody-mediated protective actions and suggest that viral glycoproteins are accessible to antibodies on infected nerve fibers and sensory neurons.