gamma delta T cell response induced by vaginal Herpes simplex 2 infection

The purpose of the present studies was to determine whether acute vaginal i nfection with Herpes virus 2 altered the vaginal population of gamma delta T cells, and whether gamma delta T cells influenced the vaginal clearance o f HSV-2. BALB/c mice were infected intravaginally with the progressively le thal wild type 333 strain, or the non-lethal thymidine kinase deficient (De lta TK--HSV-2) mutant strain of HSV-2 virus. Changes in vaginal T cell comp osition were examined by FACS analysis 4 days after infection. Clearance of vaginal Delta TK--HSV-2 infection was compared between mice with normal ga mma delta T cell populations (BALB/c) and transgenic mice in which all the gamma delta T cells express a receptor that is specific for the b allotype of MHC class Ib T10 antigen (G8/BALB/c). In HSV-2 infected BALB/c mice, but not G8/BALB/c, a subset of gamma delta T cells that express a V gamma 2 TC R accumulated in the Vaginal mucosa by the fourth day after infection. Unex pectedly, we found that gamma delta TCR transgenic mice exhibited a more ra pid clearance of the virus than control mice (P < 0.05). These findings arg ue against the hypothesis that the normal populations of vaginal intraepith elial gamma delta T cells play a direct role in the elimination of virally infected epithelial cells. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserv ed.