A functional type I interferon pathway drives resistance to cornea herpes simplex virus type 1 infection by recruitment of leukocytes

Type I interferons are critical antiviral cytokines produced following herpes simplex virus type-1 （HSV-1） infection that act to inhibit viral spread. In the present study, we identify HSV-infected and adjacent uninfected corneal epithelial cells as the source of interferon-a. We also report mice deficient in the A1 chain of the type I IFN receptor （CDl18-/） are extremely sensitive to ocular infection with low doses （100 PFU） of HSV-1 as seen by significantly elevated viral titers in the cornea Compared to wild type （WT） controls. The enhanced susceptibil- ity correlated with a loss of CD4＋ and CD8＋ T cell recruitment and aberrant chemokine production in the cornea despite mounting an adaptive immune response in the draining mandibular lymph node of CDll8/ mice. Taken together, these results highlight the importance of IFN production in both the innate immune response as well as eliciting chemokine production required to facilitate adaptive immune cell trafficking.

Preliminary study on Herpes simplex virus type 1 infection of human oral epithelial cell in vitro

Objective： To explore the functions and mechanisms of herpes simplex virus type I（HSV-1） while infecting human oral epithelial cells in vitro（being similar to the infection in vivo）. Methods：An abundance of HSV-1 strains amplified in Vero cells were used to infect human oral epithelial cells. The culture supernatant was collected to infect Vero cells again. Morphology of HSV-1 was identified by inverted microscope and transmission electron microscope. Nucleic acid of the virus was detected by PCR. Results：The infected human oral epithelial cells didn＇ t display an obvious cytopathic effect（CPE） under inverted microscope（while Vero cells which were infected by the culture supernatant showed typical（CPE）. The virus particles were not observed in the cytoplasm nor in nucleus of human oral epithelial cells, however under transmission electron microscope in the cytoplasm of Vero cells, the nucleic acid of HSV-1 could be detected in infected human oral epithelial cells, by PCR. Conclusion-HSV-1 can successfully infect human oral epithelial cells. This model may provide a useful approach for studying the pathogenesis of herpes virus-associated periodontal disease.

Interleukin 1βreceptor and synaptic dysfunction in recurrent brain infection with Herpes simplex virus type-1

Several experimental evidence suggests a link between brain Herpes simplex virus type-1 infection and the occurrence of Alzheimer’s disease.However,the molecular mechanisms underlying this association are not completely understood.Among the molecular mediators of synaptic and cognitive dysfunction occurring after Herpes simplex virus type-1 infection and reactivation in the brain neuroinflammatory cytokines seem to occupy a central role.Here,we specifically reviewed literature reports dealing with the impact of neuroinflammation on synaptic dysfunction observed after recurrent Herpes simplex virus type-1 reactivation in the brain,highlighting the role of interleukins and,in particular,interleukin 1βas a possible target against Herpes simplex virus type-1-induced neuronal dysfunctions.

Streptococcus pneumoniae and Herpes Simplex Virus-1 Central Nervous System Co-Infection

Co-infections of the central nervous system (CNS) caused by bacterial and viral pathogens are considered to be rare. Herpes simplex virus type-1 (HSV-1) reactivation following Streptococcus pneumoniae infection is well described but most cases are related to oral or cutaneous lesions or in respiratory samples. HSV-1 CNS reactivation after Streptococcus pneumoniae meningitis is a very rare event and may have significant morbidity and mortality. In this case report, we describe a 71-year-old female patient that presented with a history of abdominal pain and confusion/disorientation that had tonic-clonic seizures while in the Emergency Department. The diagnostic work-up confirmed CNS co-infection caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae and HSV-1. Of note, beyond age, the patient had no known risk factors for both entities and recovered fully after antibiotic and antiviral therapy. This case underlines that clinicians must be aware of CNS co-infection despite being a rare diagnosis. This should be suspected particularly in patients who present an unusual clinical course of CNS infection.

Detection of herpes simplex virus type 1 in rheumatic valvular tissue

Background Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is the most important sequela of rheumatic fever (RF): evidence that streptococcal infection is aetiological is prominent, but sometimes contradictory. Acute HSV-1 infection in mouse leads to carditis and valvulitis whereas recurrent infection results in inflammatory granulomatous lesions that resemble Aschoff bodies. Cells containing HSV-1 inclusions or virus infected giant cells appear similar to Anitschkow cells or Aschoff cells respectively. We hypothesized that HSV-1 infection also may be involved in RHD. Methods Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded valvular tissue samples from 32 patients with RHD were investigated for evidence of HSV-1 infection. HSV-1 antigen was detected by immunohistochemistry, using HSV-1-specific monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies. HSV-1 glycoprotein D gene sequences were amplified by nPCR, using β-globin gene amplification in the same samples as internal control. Valvular tissue from 5 cases of sudden death and 3 cases died of neisseria meningitis without a history of valvular disease was used for comparison. HSV-1-infected lung tissue was used as positive control. Results HSV-1 antigens were detected in valvular tissues from 21 of 32 (65.6%) patients. Fifteen of these 21 (46.9% of cases), but no antigen-negative sample, were positive also for HSV DNA. Nucleotide sequence of PCR products was homologous to the targeted region of the HSV-1 glycoprotein D gene. HSV-1 antigen was present also in one case of sudden death but viral DNA was not found in any tissue sample from the comparison group. Results from reagent and positive controls were as anticipated.Conclusions This is the first study to show the presence of HSV-1 antigen and genomic DNA in valvular tissues from patients with RHD and provides evidence for an association of HSV-1 infection with some cases of rheumatic valvular disease.

Prediction and analysis of human-herpes simplex virus type 1 protein-protein interactions by integrating multiple methods

Background:Herpes simplex virus type 1(HSV-1)is a ubiquitous infectious pathogen that widely affects human health.To decipher the complicated human-HSV-1 interactions,a comprehensive protein-protein interaction(PPI)network between human and HSV-1 is highly demanded.Methods:To complement the experimental identification of human-HSV-1 PPIs,an integrative strategy to predict proteome-wide PPIs between human and HSV-1 was developed.For each human-HSV-1 protein pair,four popular PPI inference methods,including interolog mapping,the domain-domain interaction-based method,the domain-motif interaction-based method,and the machine learning-based method,were optimally implemented to generate four interaction probability scores,which were further integrated into a final probability score.Results:As a result,a comprehensive high-confidence PPI network between human and HSV-1 was established,covering 10,432 interactions between 4,546 human proteins and 72 HSV-1 proteins.Functional and network analyses of the HSV-1 targeting proteins in the context of human interactome can recapitulate the known knowledge regarding the HSV-1 replication cycle,supporting the overall reliability of the predicted PPI network.Considering that HSV-1 infections are implicated in encephalitis and neurodegenerative diseases,we focused on exploring the biological significance of the brain-specific human-HSV-1 PPIs.In particular,the predicted interactions between HSV-1 proteins and Alzheimer's-disease-related proteins were intensively investigated.Conclusion:The current work can provide testable hypotheses to assist in the mechanistic understanding of the human-HSV-1 relationship and the anti-HSV-1 pharmaceutical target discovery.To make the predicted PPI network and the datasets freely accessible to the scientific community,a user-friendly database browser was released at http://www.zzdlab.com/HintHSV/index.php.

Oral and perioral herpes simplex virus infection type I in a fivemonth- old infant: A case report

BACKGROUND Herpes simplex virus(HSV)is a highly infectious pathogen that is easily transmitted via the bodily fluids of an infected individual.This virus usually affects individuals older than six months of age,and rarely causes lesions or symptoms in younger patients.CASE SUMMARY We present the case of a five-month-old healthy girl who presented with painful herpetic gingivostomatitis and perioral vesicles.We discuss the pathophysiology of primary HSV infection and the effect of maternal antibodies on the infant’s immune system.In addition,we explain the diagnosis,management,and prognosis of HSV infection in young infants.CONCLUSION This case highlights the importance of early diagnosis and management of HSV infections to decrease the risk of developing severe complications and death.

Construction and characterization of a synthesized herpes simplex virus H129-Syn-G2

Herpes simplex virus type 1(HSV-1)causes lifelong infections worldwide,and currently there is no efficient cure or vaccine.HSV-1-derived tools,such as neuronal circuit tracers and oncolytic viruses,have been used exten-sively;however,further genetic engineering of HSV-1 is hindered by its complex genome structure.In the present study,we designed and constructed a synthetic platform for HSV-1 based on H129-G4.The complete genome was constructed from 10 fragments through 3 rounds of synthesis using transformation-associated recombination(TAR)in yeast,and was named H129-Syn-G2.The H129-Syn-G2 genome contained two copies of the gfp gene and was transfected into cells to rescue the virus.According to growth curve assay and electron microscopy results,the synthetic viruses exhibited more optimized growth properties and similar morphogenesis compared to the parental virus.This synthetic platform will facilitate further manipulation of the HSV-1 genome for the devel-opment of neuronal circuit tracers,oncolytic viruses,and vaccines.

The potential link between PML NBs and ICP0 in regulating lytic and latent infection of HSV-1

Herpes simplex virus type 1(HSV-1)is a common hu-man pathogen causing cold sores and even more se-rious diseases.It can establish a latent stage in sensory ganglia after primary epithelial infections,and reacti-vate in response to stress or sunlight.Previous studies have demonstrated that viral immediate-early protein ICP0 plays a key role in regulating the balance between lytic and latent infection.Recently,It has been deter-mined that promyelocytic leukemia(PML)nuclear bod-ies(NBs),small nuclear sub-structures,contribute to the repression of HSV-1 infection in the absence of functional ICP0.In this review,we discuss the funda-mentals of the interaction between ICP0 and PML NBs,suggesting a potential link between PML NBs and ICP0 in regulating lytic and latent infection of HSV-1.

Protein interactions in the murine cytomegalovirus capsid revealed by cryoEM

Cytomegalovirus(CMV)is distinct among members of the Herpesviridae family for having the largest dsDNA genome(230 kb).Packaging of large dsDNA genome is known to give rise to a highly pressurized viral capsid,but molecular interactions conducive to the formation of CMV capsid resistant to pressurization have not been described.Here,we report a cryo electron microscopy(cryoEM)structure of the murine cytomegalovirus(MCMV)capsid at a 9.1Åresolution and describe the molecular interactions among the~3000 protein molecules in the MCMV capsid at the secondary structure level.Secondary structural elements are resolved to provide landmarks for correlating with results from sequence-based prediction and for structure-based homology modeling.The major capsid protein(MCP)upper domain(MCPud)containsα-helices andβ-sheets conserved with those in MCPud of herpes simplex virus type 1(HSV-1),with the largest differences identifi ed as a“saddle loop”region,located at the tip of MCPud and involved in interaction with the smallest capsid protein(SCP).Interactions among the bacteriophage HK97-like fl oor domain of MCP,the middle domain of MCP,the hook and clamp domains of the triplex proteins(hoop and clamp domains of TRI-1 and clamp domain of TRI-2)contribute to the formation of a mature capsid.These results offer a framework for understanding how cytomegalovirus uses various secondary structural elements of its capsid proteins to build a robust capsid for packaging its large dsDNA genome inside and for attach-ing unique functional tegument proteins outside.