The mouse model and understanding immunity to herpes simplex virus

Investigation of the immune response to herpes simplex virus (HSV) has progressed rapidly, mainly through the use of various animal models of human disease. Murine models of HSV infection have been explored extensively and have yielded a wide array of insights into the mechanisms of antiviral immunity. Current research has focused on defining the role of individual viral envelope glycoproteins in stimulating a protective B and T cell response, with the ultimate goal of identifying the minimum effective immunization unit. This ongoing dissection of the glycoprotein-specific immune response in the mouse has revealed both the values of an animal model that mimics human infection and the limitations inherent in defining the immunopotential of specific viral proteins and peptides in an unnatural host. This article reviews the results of murine studies evaluating the mechanisms of protection against HSV infection and the protective potential of immunization with the viral envelope glycoproteins.