The herpes simplex virus type 1 immediate-early protein ICP0 is necessary for the efficient establishment of latent infection

Wilcox, C.L., Smith, R.L., Everett, R.D. and Mysofski, D. (1997) The herpes simplex virus type 1 immediate-early protein ICP0 is necessary for the efficient establishment of latent infection. Journal of Virology, 71(9), pp. 6777-6785.

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Publisher's URL: http://jvi.asm.org/content/71/9/6777.abstract

Abstract

The immediate-early protein ICP0 of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) is not essential for viral replication. However, ICP0 is important for efficient viral replication during the productive infection and for reactivation of latent HSV-1 in vivo. The in vitro model of HSV-1 latency in dorsal root ganglia neurons was used to examine the role of ICP0 in the individual steps that could lead to the appearance of a decreased reactivation phenotype of ICP0 mutant viruses. After establishment of latent infections in the neuronal cultures, induction of reactivation by nerve growth factor (NGF) deprivation resulted in the production of infectious virus with delayed kinetics and a burst size that was significantly decreased for the ICP0 mutants compared with wild-type HSV-1. The efficiency of establishment of latency with the ICP0 mutants was similarly decreased at least 10-fold, as measured by three criteria: (i) the percentage of neurons expressing the major latency-associated transcript during the latent infection, (ii) the amount of viral DNA detected in the neuronal cultures, and (iii) the percentage of neurons expressing ICP4 immunoreactivity after the induction of reactivation. The most striking finding was that ICP0 supplied by an adenovirus vector significantly restored the ability of an ICP0 mutant to establish latency and reactivation. These results strongly indicate a critical role for ICP0 in the establishment of the latent HSV-1 infection in the in vitro neuronal model.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Everett, Professor Roger
Authors: Wilcox, C.L., Smith, R.L., Everett, R.D., and Mysofski, D.
College/School:College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Infection & Immunity
Journal Name:Journal of Virology
ISSN:0022-538X

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