The ability of an HSV strain to initiate zosteriform spread correlates with its neuroinvasive disease potential.

The requirements for disease development in the mouse epidermal scarification-zosteriform model of HSV infection are likely to parallel those required for primary HSV disease of humans. HSV-1 strains, which are neuroinvasive in the mouse footpad model of HSV encephalitis, caused local site lesions within 3 days and secondary zosteriform lesions along the dermatome within approximately 5 days. HSV-1 strains, which are not neuroinvasive, failed to progress to zosteriform lesion development and local site lesions were mild or absent. Relative differences in the rate and extent of zosteriform lesion development paralleled the behavior of the viruses in the mouse footpad model of neuroinvasion. In conclusion, the viral properties which are important for neuroinvasiveness appear to also determine the ability of an HSV strain to cause zosteriform disease.

Resveratrol inhibition of herpes simplex virus replication.

Resveratrol, a phytoalexin, was found to inhibit herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 (HSV-1 and HSV-2) replication in a dose-dependent, reversible manner. The observed reduction in virus yield was not caused by the direct inactivation of HSV by resveratrol nor inhibition of virus attachment to the cell. The chemical did, however, target an early event in the virus replication cycle since it was most effective when added within 1 h of cell infection, less effective if addition was delayed until 6 h post-infection and not effective if added 9 h post-infection. Resveratrol was also found to delay the cell cycle at S-G2-M interphase, inhibit reactivation of virus from latently-infected neurons and reduce the amount of ICP-4, a major immediate early viral regulatory protein, that is produced when compared to controls. These results suggest that a critical early event in the viral replication cycle, that has a compensatory cellular counterpart, is being adversely affected.

Mice transgenic for simian immunodeficiency virus nef are immunologically compromised.

An intact nef gene is essential for rapid development of immunodeficiency in human immunodeficiency virus and simian immunodeficiency virus infections. To assess the role of nef in the immune response, mice transgenic for SIV nef were constructed and the humoral and cellular immune response to herpes simplex virus type-1 (HSV-1), measured. Mice transgenic for SIVmac239 nef exhibited a significantly increased mortality rate when challenged with HSV-1 and also showed unusual antibody kinetics in response to viral challenge. During a 32-week period following exposure to HSV, it was noted that IgG subclass titers continued to rise in the nef+ animals, while titers of nef- animals decreased. Additionally, following secondary challenge with HSV, nef- mice had a significantly greater rise in HSV-neutralizing antibody titers than nef+ mice. A decreased proliferative response to the T cell mitogen, PHA, was noted in the nef+ animals. These results suggest that the presence of nef+ is sufficient to induce immune dysfunction.

Cancer cell necrosis by autoschizis: synergism of antitumor activity of vitamin C: vitamin K3 on human bladder carcinoma T24 cells.

Scanning and transmission electron microscopy and fluorescence light microscopy were employed to characterize the cytotoxic effects of vitamin C (VitC), vitamin K3 (VitK3) or a VitC:VK3 combination on a human bladder carcinoma cell line (T24) following 1-h and 2-h vitamin treatment. T24 cells exposed to VitC alone exhibited membranous damage (blebs and endoplasmic extrusions, elongated microvilli). VitK3-treated cells displayed greater membrane damage and enucleation than those treated with VitC as well as cytoplasmic defects characteristic of cytoskeletal damage. VitC:VitK3-treated cells showed exaggerated membrane damage and an enucleation process in which the perikarya separate from the main cytoplasmic cell body by self-excision. Self-excisions continued for perikarya which contained an intact nucleus surrounded by damaged organelles. After further excisions of cytoplasm, the nuclei exhibited nucleolar segregation and chromatin decondensation followed by nuclear karryorhexis and karyolysis. This process of cell death induced by oxidative stress was named autoschizis because it showed both apoptotic and necrotic morphologic characteristics.

Analysis of the thymidine kinase of a herpes simplex virus type 1 isolate that exhibits resistance to (E)-5-(2-bromovinyl)-2'-deoxyuridine.

The mechanism responsible for the decreased sensitivity of a clinical herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) isolate, HSV-145, to (E)-5-(2-bromovinyl)-2'-deoxyuridine (BVDU) was examined. Measurements of 50% inhibitory doses of several drugs demonstrated that although HSV-145 was sensitive to phosphonoacetic acid, adenine arabinoside and acyclovir, its sensitivity to BVDU and 5-(2-chloroethyl)-2'-deoxyuridine was significantly less than that normally observed for HSV-1. Analysis of the thymidylate kinase (TMP-K) activity of HSV-145 thymidine kinase (TK) demonstrated a decreased level of TMP-K activity when compared to HSV-1 TK. The TMP-K activity of HSV-145 resembled that observed for HSV-2 and the TK-deficient strain HSV-1 TK-7. When the nucleotide sequence of the HSV-145 TK gene was compared to that of the HSV-1 strains C1(101) and SC16 a single nucleotide substitution (G changed to A at base position 502) was detected which would result in the substitution of threonine at amino acid position 168 for alanine. The substitution is the same as that for the laboratory-derived BVDU-resistant virus HSV-1 SC16B3. Collectively, these studies highlight the importance of amino acid conservation at position 168 of the HSV-1 TK in conferring efficient TMP-K activity and BVDU sensitivity.

Herpes simplex virus: a possible etiologic agent in some gastroduodenal ulcer disease.

There is increasing evidence that the herpes simplex virus may account for some gastric ulcer disease. To examine this possibility, 62 tissue biopsies from 21 patients were obtained during esophagogastroduodenoscopy for gastroduodenal ulcer disease and from one operative specimen during the procedure for perforation of a gastric ulcer. The samples were collected from the base and rim of the ulcer, as well as from apparently healthy tissue adjacent to the lesion. When the DNA was extracted from these tissues and hybridized to a herpes simplex virus-specific DNA probe, positive results were obtained with 9.5 per cent (2 out of 21) of the patients with benign ulcers. Positive signals were obtained only with ulcer-associated tissues and never with healthy tissue. Hybridization also occurred with DNA from one ulcerative carcinoma in the study. These data suggest that a subset of ulcer disease may be caused by herpes simplex virus or that this virus may be secondarily associating with these lesions.

Herpes simplex virus type 1 that exhibits herpes simplex virus type 2 sensitivity to (E)-5-(2-bromovinyl)-2'-deoxyuridine.

A clinical isolate, designated 145, of herpes simplex virus (HSV) had type 1 characteristics as determined by monoclonal antibody immunofluorescence, heat stability of viral thymidine kinase (TK), BamHI restriction endonuclease pattern, and absence of the HSV-2-specific 38-kD protein. However, instead of being sensitive to E-5-(2-bromovinyl)-2'-deoxyuridine (BVDU) like HSV-1, isolate 145 displayed a resistance pattern like HSV-2 to the drug as determined by viral replication and viral DNA synthesis. Because BVDU is activated by viral TK phosphorylation, we cloned the TK-containing DNA region from isolate 145 and compared it by restriction mapping using several endonucleases to similar regions of HSV-1 and HSV-2. In each instance, the patterns for HSV-1 and isolate 145 were identical to each other, but distinct from the patterns for the corresponding region of HSV-2, suggesting that the genome TK region of isolate 145 was HSV-1-like.

Nucleocapsid, nuclear association, and genome location of the herpes simplex virus type 2 38-kD DNA-binding protein.

A previously-described herpes simplex virus type 2 DNA-binding protein with a molecular size of 38 kD has been further characterized. Using purified nucleocapsids, a DNase release assay, and intertypic recombinants, this protein was found to be a component of the nucleocapsid, intimately associated with the nuclear matrix, and encoded between 0.605 and 0.720 on the herpes simplex virus type 2 genome.

Flow cytometric detection of herpes simplex virus type 2 infected and transformed cells by immunoenzymatic and by indirect immunofluorescence staining.

The glucose oxidase antiglucose oxidase (GAG) immunoenzymatic staining procedure has been used to detect herpes simplex virus (HSV) antigens microscopically. In this study, the GAG procedure was adapted to cells in suspension, and its potential usefulness in flow cytometry was examined. HSV-2 infected monkey kidney and HSV-2 transformed mouse cells were stained using antisera to HSV-2 or to an HSV-2 specific protein with a molecular weight of 38 Kd, respectively, with the GAG procedure. Flow cytometric analysis of the GAG stained cells was then performed by the measurement of scattered light intensity in the angular intervals 1 degree-2 degrees, 2.5 degrees-19 degrees, and 3 degrees-6 degrees. The greatest scattered light intensity decrement caused by staining occurred in the 3 degrees-6 degrees angular interval, as predicted by previous work. In infected cells, which stain intensely by immunofluorescence, the difference between positively and negatively stained cells was adequate for detecting infected cells using the GAG method; however, this was not the case for the lightly staining transformed cells. The indirect immunofluorescence method of analysis of the same populations was superior to the scattered light method of analysis of the GAG stained infected and transformed cells.

Inactivation of herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 by synthetic histidine peptides.

Synthetic homologous histidine peptides were found to directly and irreversibly inactivate herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 (HSV-1 and HSV-2). The inactivation, which occurred within 1 min of virus exposure to the drug, was independent of temperature but dependent upon the pH and molecular size of the polypeptide. Poly-L-histidine consisting of 24 residues (His-24), with a molecular weight (m.w.) of 3,310, inactivated greater than 99% of the virus present at pH 6.0 and 62% at pH 5.0. Poly-L-histidine consisting of 64 (His-64; average m.w., 8,800) or 75 residues (His-75; average m.w., 10,300) inactivated greater than 99% of virus present at pH 5.0 and 6.0. However, His-24, -64, and -75 were not active against these viruses at pH 7.0 or 8.0. At the concentrations tested, poly-L-histidine of 12 (His-12; m.w., 1,665) or 18 (His-18; m.w., 2,487) residues had no effect on HSV-1 or HSV-2 at any of the pHs tested. When these studies were repeated with other basic homologous polypeptides, poly-L-arginine and poly-L-lysine, various degrees of inactivation were observed that were most pronounced in the neutral-to-alkaline pH range. Once virus was inactivated by poly-L-histidine, the effect could not be reversed in vitro by raising the pH to 7.2 or in vivo by injecting the virus into the neutral environment of an animal. These data suggest that the presence of histidine residues in a peptide of suitable structure may endow that peptide with potent antiviral capabilities.

DNA binding of a 38,000-dalton herpes-simplex-virus-2-specific protein.

Western transfer and immunoenzymatic staining with affinity-purified monospecific antiserum was used to detect a 38-Kd protein that bound to native and denatured DNA cellulose. This protein has previously been shown to be a delayed early herpes simplex virus type-2 specific protein.

The isolation of anti-gum arabic antibodies by affinity chromatography.

Antibodies directed at gum arabic have been induced in rabbits immunized with gum arabic in Freund's complete adjuvant. These antibodies have been isolated in pure form by affinity chromatography on AH-Sepharose 4B containing gum arabic ligands. Oxidation of the susceptable carbohydrate residues of gum arabic with periodate or reduction of the glucuronic acid moieties with carbodiimide and borohydride converted the polysaccharide to products which no longer yielded precipitin reactions with the antibodies. The antibodies are therefore anti-carbohydrate antibodies with specificity for certain carbohydrate units of the gum arabic. Results of chemical modification and inhibition experiments indicate that 4-alpha-L-arabinofuranosyl-D-glucuronic acid units of the polysaccharide are the major immunodeterminant groups.

Characterization of the tumor-associated 38-kd protein of herpes simplex virus type 2.

The BglII N DNA fragment of herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV 2), which is capable of oncogenically transforming cells in vitro, encodes a 37,800-dalton (38-kd) protein that has been seroepidemiologically associated with uterine cervical carcinoma. Polyclonal monospecific antiserum was produced against electrophoretically purified 38 kd from HSV 2-infected cells and used to identify antigenic and biochemical characteristics of the protein as well as to probe transformed cells for the expression of viral 38 kd. The HSV 2 type specificity of the 38-kd protein, previously shown using anti-HSV 2 serum and monoclonal antibodies, was confirmed using anti-38-kd serum. The 38-kd protein of HSV 2 produced in vivo and in vitro displayed type specificity and showed no evidence of posttranslational processing. The 38-kd protein has a relative isoelectric point of 9.1, is synthesized at a maximum level four hours after infection and appears to be a component of the virion. When 35S-methionine radiolabeled 38 kd was immunoprecipitated by anti-38-kd serum, high-molecular-weight proteins (118-140 kd) were also present. However, if prior to reacting with the anti-38-kd serum the high-molecular-weight proteins were separated from 38 kd with sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, the only reaction observed with immunoblot was with 38 kd. Therefore, the observed coprecipitation appears to result from the formation of a complex between the proteins and is not the result of shared antigenic determinants. Cells transformed by inactivated HSV 2 were examined for the expression of the 38-kd protein using immunoenzymatic staining. The viral 38-kd protein was not consistently found, but since the protein is reported to be a component of the viral enzyme complex ribonucleotide reductase, it cannot be excluded from possible HSV 2 transformation.

Lack of oral HSV-2 in a college student population.

A population of individuals with a high incidence of genital herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), due most likely to oro-genital contact, was examined to determine the incidence of oral herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) infection. Herpes simplex virus was isolated from the oral cavity of 43 college students whose symptoms ranged from singular lesions of the lips with minimal discomfort to severe oral disease with systemic involvement resulting in lymphadenopathy, chills, sweat, myalgia, and fever. The virus isolated from each case was identified by serum neutralization and typed as HSV-1 or HSV-2 using (E)-5-(2-bromovinyl)-2'-deoxyuridine (BVDU) sensitivity, monoclonal antibody immunofluorescence, and restriction endonuclease EcoRI digestion of viral DNA. In every instance the isolate was HSV-1. Additional identification and typing of head and neck isolates as well as oral samples from non-university patients demonstrated that all were also HSV-1. Therefore, while HSV-1 appears to be readily transmitted to the genitalia in this group of individuals, the transmission of HSV-2 to the oral cavity may not be as common, even though clinical histories revealed that several of these patients were engaging in oro-genital contact.

Identification and typing of herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 by monoclonal antibodies, sensitivity to the drug (E)-5-(2-bromovinyl)-2'-deoxyuridine, and restriction endonuclease analysis of viral DNA.

With development of antiviral drugs, the need to identify a virus as to drug sensitivity becomes increasingly of importance. The compound (E)-5-(2-bromovinyl)-2'-deoxyuridine (BVDU) has been shown to be much more inhibitory to the replication of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and varicella-zoster virus as opposed to herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2). We have typed over 170 isolates, using an immunofluorescent technique and sensitivity to the drug BVDU. These results were then compared to the typing of isolates by analysis of viral DNA after restriction endonuclease digestion (EcoRI). Without exception the results were in agreement between the monoclonal antibody results and sensitivity to the drug BVDU. Furthermore, the typing with monoclonal antibodies was also in excellent agreement with the DNA analysis. Only those isolates inhibited with BVDU showed DNA characteristics of HSV-1 and reacted only with the S-200 antibody. On the other hand, those isolates which reacted with the monoclonal antibody S-141 were insensitive to BVDU, and again this was in agreement with the DNA analysis. These results could provide the basis for developing a diagnostic test using the two monoclonal antibodies to type either isolates or direct smears and to use the results as a basis for possible drug therapy.

Detection of herpes simplex virus infection using glucose oxidase-antiglucose oxidase immunoenzymatic stain.

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) infected cells have been detected in tissue culture and human cell specimens by an immunoenzymatic staining method using the fungal enzyme glucose oxidase. Infected cells from culture or human specimens appear as dark blue, brown, or red, depending on the tetrazolium salt used in the disclosing reaction, with virtually no staining of uninfected cells. The specificity and sensitivity of this method and of the more commonly used immunoperoxidase method are comparable, but the immunoglucose oxidase method avoids the problems of nonspecific staining by the endogenous peroxidase present in mucosecretions and inflammatory cells. Staining time can be reduced up to 40% of that necessary for the unlabeled immunoperoxidase procedure without compromising the quality of staining results.

Incidence of herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 in penile lesions of college men.

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) was isolated from penile lesions of 15 college men. Using (E)-5-(2-bromovinyl)-2'-deoxyuridine sensitivity, monoclonal antibody immunofluorescence, and restriction endonuclease EcoRI digestion of viral DNA, 4 of 15 (26%) isolates were found to be HSV-1, and 11 of 15 (74%) isolates were found to be HSV-2. It is likely that some of the genital HSV-1 infections are related to oral genital contact, but this fact could not be established for all cases, since the females in this group had previously been shown to have a high incidence of genital HSV-1.

Inapparent genital herpes simplex virus infection in college women.

During a six-month period, 600 gynecological samples were collected from 585 women with typical herpes lesions, women with non-herpes symptoms (ie, vaginitis, moniliasis, trichomoniasis, etc), and normal women seen at the student health center gynecological clinic and processed for herpes simplex virus (HSV) isolation. From these specimens, 29 samples from 25 of the 585 women (4.3%) were positive for HSV. When these isolates were typed using plaque diameter in chick cells, heat stability of viral thymidine kinase (T.K.), and restriction endonuclease patterns it was found that 18 samples (15 patients or 60%) were HSV-2 and 11 samples (10 patients or 40%) were HSV-1. Inapparent HSV infections constituted 20.0% of the virologically confirmed samples (5 of 25 patients) and represented 0.9% of the total patients studied (5 of 585). The inapparent infections were about equally divided between the two HSV types (2 were HSV-2 and 3 were HSV-1), and 4 of 5 occurred in the presence of clinically diagnosed monilia.