Chemotaxis of polymorphonuclear leukocytes to varicella-zoster virus antigens

Piracy on the molecular level: human herpesviruses manipulate cellular chemotaxis

Cellular chemotaxis is important to tissue homeostasis and proper development. Human herpesvirus species influence cellular chemotaxis by regulating cellular chemokines and chemokine receptors. Herpesviruses also express various viral chemokines and chemokine receptors during infection. These changes to chemokine concentrations and receptor availability assist in the pathogenesis of herpesviruses and contribute to a variety of diseases and malignancies. By interfering with the positioning of host cells during herpesvirus infection, viral spread is assisted, latency can be established and the immune system is prevented from eradicating viral infection.

Generation of hydrogen peroxide by varicella-zoster virus-stimulated polymorphonuclear leukocytes

BACKGROUND

In varicella-zoster virus (VZV) infections, the initial response in cutaneous lesions is predominantly polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN). However, interaction of VZV and PMN has not yet been fully defined.

OBJECTIVES

To explore the potential role of PMN in VZV infections, we investigated the ability of PMN to generate hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) after stimulation with VZV antigen.

STUDY DESIGN

H(2)O(2), one of the reactive oxygen species, was measured by cytofluorography after PMN were incubated with varicella-zoster virus (VZV) antigen in the presence of seropositive or seronegative serum.

RESULTS

H(2)O(2) was detectable in unseparated PMN obtained from seropositive children and adults, while unseparated PMN of seronegative donors were not capable of generating H(2)O(2). Separated PMN obtained from either seropositive or seronegative donors were capable of generating H(2)O(2) in the presence of seropositive serum. However, H(2)O(2) was not detectable in separated PMN of seropositive donors in the presence of seronegative serum. The of H(2)O(2) generation did not correlate with concentrations of serum antibodies to VZV.

CONCLUSIONS

VZV antigen-antibody complexes might induce H(2)O(2) generation by PMN.

Effect of varicella zoster virus antigen-antibody complexes on hydrogen peroxide generation by human polymorphonuclear leukocytes

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) generation by human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) incubated with varicella zoster virus (VZV) antigen was studied by cytofluorography. Hydrogen peroxide generation was detected in the presence of VZV-seropositive sera. When seropositive sera were heat-inactivated, H2O2 generation was reduced. When PMN were pre-incubated with Leu-11b, a monoclonal antibody to the Fc receptor on PMN, H2O2 generation was also reduced. These results suggest that VZV antigen-antibody-complement complexes induce H2O2 generation by PMN after these complexes attach to Fc receptors on PMN.