Determinants of protection by human immune globulin against experimental herpes neonatorum

Recombinant interleukin-1 alpha, interleukin-2 and M-CSF-1 enhance the survival of newborn C57BL/6 mice inoculated intraperitoneally with a lethal dose of herpes simplex virus-1

Recombinant Interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha), Interleukin-2 (IL-2) and recombinant macrophage colony-stimulating factor-1 (M-CSF-1) as well as combinations of IL-2 and M-CSF-1 were studied for their ability to protect seven-day-old C57BL/6 mice against HSV-1 infection. Treatment of the mice with IL-2, M-CSF-1 or combinations of IL-2 and M-CSF-1 significantly increased survival rates. Treatment with IL-1 alpha (10 U and 100 U/mouse) was most effective in protection against HSV-1, resulting in significantly increased survival rates more than four times greater than the survival rate of the infected control group.

Analysis of the role of antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxic antibody activity in murine neonatal herpes simplex virus infection with antibodies to synthetic peptides of glycoprotein D and monoclonal antibodies to glycoprotein B

The role of antibody in neonatal herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection remains controversial. A battery of well-characterized monoclonal antibodies to HSV glycoprotein B (gB), and polyclonal antibodies against synthetic peptides of predicted epitopes of HSV glycoprotein D (gD) were used to determine in vitro functional activity and association with protection against lethal infection in a murine model of neonatal HSV disease. Antiviral neutralization activity of HSV was not associated with antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) activity to HSV-infected cells in vitro. In a model of high dose challenge (10(4) PFU), protection was not afforded by any antibody alone, but was by antibody plus human mononuclear cells, and highly associated with ADCC functional activity (P less than 0.001). In a low dose challenge model, neutralizing activity of antibody alone was associated with protection in vivo (P less than 0.001). Of the nine neutralizing epitopes of gD in vitro, eight were predicted surface regions. Four of the five epitopic sites of gD (2-21, 267-276, 288-297, and 303-312) that were determined to be important targets of ADCC and in vivo protection were also predicted to be surface regions. The only exception was the antiserum to region 52-61 which was predicted to be buried and also showed these activities. ADCC as well as neutralizing antibody activity are important in protection against neonatal HSV infection.

Prevention and treatment of experimental herpes simplex virus encephalitis with human immune serum globulin

Pooled human immunoglobulin suitable for intravenous administration (IGIV) was evaluated in the prophylaxis and treatment of herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1 encephalitis in a murine model. Four-week-old BALB/c mice received a single intraperitoneal injection of IGIV or saline 24 h before or up to 24 h after intranasal infection with 10(4.6) PFU of HSV type 1. Treatment with IGIV was protective against death, and the protective effects were dose and time dependent. Treatment with IGIV blocked the production of HSV antibody by infected mice and reduced the number of trigeminal ganglia containing latent virus. Removal of neutralizing antibody from the IGIV pool did not eliminate the protective effect, whereas F(ab)2 fragments of IGIV, which had virus-neutralizing activity that was identical to that of native IGIV, conferred no protection against death. Pooled human IGIV was effective for the prevention and treatment of HSV encephalitis in mice. Antibody-mediated protection required the Fc portion of the immunoglobulin molecule but did not require the direct neutralization of virus.