Interleukin 2 induced non MHC-restricted killing of herpes simplex type-1 (HSV-1) infected allogeneic and autologous...

Peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) from herpes simplex type-1 (HSV-1) seropositive (sero+) and seronegative (sero-) individuals were assessed before and after in vitro culture with IL-2 for their ability to kill different tumor cells and to kill HSV-1 infected PHA lymphoblasts using a 4 hr 51Cr release assay. Fresh PBL from either sero+ or sero- individuals had little cytotoxic activity against HSV-1 infected autologous PHA lymphoblasts or against different NK-insensitive tumor targets. When PBL from either sero+ or sero- individuals were incubated 3-4 days in vitro with IL-2, significant levels of cytotoxic activity was observed against both allogeneic and autologous HSV-1 infected targets and against different NK-insensitive tumor cells. When comparing PBL from sero+ versus sero- individuals for IL-2 induced cytotoxic activity against HSV-1 infected autologous targets, PBL from sero+ individuals always had significantly higher levels of cytotoxic activity. Allogeneic HSV-1 infected targets were also killed by IL-2 activated PBL obtained from either sero+ or sero- individuals, but IL-2 activated PBL from sero+ individuals showed higher cytotoxic activity on HSV-1 infected autologous targets when compared to HSV-1 infected allogeneic targets. When IL-2 induced cytotoxic effector cells were treated with HSV-1 for 1 hr and recultured with IL-2, significant inhibition of cytotoxic activity against all target cells was observed. Greater than 50% inhibition of cytotoxic activity was observed when IL-2 induced cytotoxic effector cells were treated with HSV-1 and cultured for 6 hr.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)