Mucosal and systemic antiviral antibodies in mice inoculated intravaginally with herpes simplex virus type 2

• Published in: Journal of general virology 1990-07, Vol.71 (7), p.1497-1504
• Main Authors: McDermott, Mark R, Brais, Leslie J, Evelegh, Michael J
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Antibodies, Monoclonal - administration & dosage; Antibodies, Monoclonal - immunology; Antibodies, Viral - analysis; Antibody Specificity; Antigens, Viral - immunology; Biological and medical sciences; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Herpes Simplex - immunology; Herpes Simplex - prevention & control; Immunization, Passive; Immunoglobulins - immunology; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Microbiology; Mucous Membrane - immunology; Replicative cycle, interference, host-virus relations, pathogenicity, miscellaneous strains; Simplexvirus - immunology; Vagina - immunology; Vagina - microbiology; Virology
• ISSN: 0022-1317; 1465-2099
• DOI: 10.1099/0022-1317-71-7-1497

Molecular Virology and Immunology Program, Department of Pathology, Health Sciences Centre, Room 3N7, McMaster University, 1200 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8N 3Z5 Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) causes lethal illness after intravaginal (IVAG) inoculation into BALB/cJ mice. In the present studies, we demonstrated in mice that primary IVAG vaccination with an attenuated strain of HSV-2 induced humoral immunity in sera and in vaginal secretions. Secondary genital exposure to HSV-2 enhanced this response. However, intraperitoneal exposure to attenuated HSV-2 elicited an antiviral antibody response in sera but not in vaginal secretions. In both sera and vaginal secretions, antiviral IgG antibodies were the major isotype. Systemic exposure to HSV-2 elicited antibodies only in sera that were specific for the major viral antigens whereas IVAG inoculation with HSV-2 stimulated both serum and vaginal antibody responses. Intravenous transfer of antiviral monoclonal antibodies protected against systemic HSV-2 infection but were ineffective against vaginal infection due to a lack of transudation into vaginal secretions. These results suggested that local humoral immunity in the genital tract is important in resistance to HSV-2. Received 24 November 1989; accepted 6 March 1990.