The Role of Donor CD4 super(+) T Cells in the Reconstitution of Oral Immunity by Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 in Severe Combined Immunodeficiency Mice

• Published in: The Journal of infectious diseases Vol. 185; no. 4; pp. 409 - 416
• Main Authors: Irie, Hiroshi, Aita, Kiyoshi, Koyama, AHajime, Fukuda, Akio, Yoshida, Takeshi, Shiga, Junji
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.02.2002
• Subjects: CD4 antigen; Herpes simplex virus 1
• ISSN: 0022-1899

Severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mice with ill-developed Peyer's patches develop neither antibodies nor protection against lethal herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infection by oral immunization. However, SCID mice carrying spleen cells from immunocompetent BALB/c mice had serum anti-HSV-1 antibody; anti-HSV-1 IgA antibody was detected in eye wash samples, and the mice were protected against lethal HSV-1 infection (88% survival rate). Western blotting showed that antibodies in SCID mice carrying spleen cells from BALB/c mice recognized 60-kDa HSV-1. The effector cells in transferred spleen cells were CD4 super(+), not CD8 super(+), T cells. Donor T cells were detected in the submucosal layer of the gut in SCID mice 1 day after transfer. Rapid movement of donor T cells to the gut may have a role in mucosal immunity to HSV-1. Thus, the normal environment for mucosal immunity develops in SCID mice without prior presence of CD4 super(+) T cells.