Intraocular T cells of patients with herpes simplex virus (HSV)-induced acute retinal necrosis recognize HSV tegument proteins VP11/12 and VP13/14

It has previously been shown that T cells specific for the triggering virus infiltrate the eye of patients with herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1)-in duced acute retinal necrosis (ARN). The T cells were mainly directed agains t 0.67-0.73 HSV-1 map region encoded antigens. The fine specificities of ge netically different T cell clones (TCC), obtained from affected eyes of 3 p atients with HSV-induced ARN and reactive toward this genomic region of HSV -1, were analyzed with recombinant HSV viruses and synthetic peptides. For 1 patient, the HSV-1 UL46 gene encoded tegument protein VP11/12 was identif ied as the target antigen. Two separate CD4(+) T cell epitopes were defined in VP11/12, TCC from the other 2 patients recognized the HSV-1 UL47 gene e ncoded tegument protein VP13/14. Two separate CD4(+) VP13/14 T cell epitope s were identified in these patients. Analysis of the data indicates that HS V-1 VP11/12 and VP13/14 are major target antigens for T cells obtained from vitreous fluid samples of the HSV-induced ARN patients studied.