Sequential changes in T and B lymphocyte responses to Herpes simplex virus in man

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Virology

Background:

• Lymphocyte responses are crucial for managing viral infections like herpes simplex virus (HSV).
• T cells play a significant role in cellular immunity against pathogens.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the role of T cells in immune responses to HSV during primary and recurrent infections.
• To understand why T cell responses to HSV appear diminished during active herpetic infections.

Main Methods:

• Separation of lymphocytes into T and B enriched cells using nylon wool columns.
• Assessing lymphocyte proliferation (thymidine incorporation) and macrophage migration inhibition in response to HSV, Candida albicans, PPD, and PHA.
• Investigating T cell responses after removing cells forming rosettes with zymosan-complement.

Main Results:

• In healthy individuals, T cells mediated responses to HSV, Candida albicans, PPD, and PHA.
• During active herpetic infections, unfractionated lymphocyte responses to HSV increased, but T cell responses remained unchanged.
• T cells showed enhanced HSV response when specific subsets were isolated, suggesting nylon wool columns retained them during infection.

Conclusions:

• T cell-mediated immunity is involved in human responses to HSV.
• Nylon wool columns may retain T cells during active herpetic infections, potentially due to Fc receptor acquisition.
• This retention mechanism could explain the apparent decrease in T cell responsiveness during infection.