Herpes Simplex ; immunology ; Humans ; Immune System Diseases ; etiology ; Immunosuppression ; Infant, Newborn ; Male

BACKGROUNDTo search for the serological findings and early clinical manifestations as evidences for prevention and treatment TORCH infections in pregnant women and newborns as early as possible.

METHODSELASA was performed to screen specific anti-TORCH (Toxoplasma gondii, Cytomegalovirus, Rubella virus, Herpes simplex virus) Ig-M antibodies.

RESULTSTotally 1,554 in-patients who were treated in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of our hospital from January 2000 to January 2003 were retrospectively studied, 48 of them had TORCH infections. Cytomegalovirus (CMV), rubella and herpes simplex virus infections accounted for 52.1%, 33.3% and 14.6%, respectively. None of them had toxoplasma infection.

CONCLUSIONTORCH infections can cause multiorgan lesions, such as hearing impairment, hyperbilirubinemias and liver dysfunction, impairment of neurologic system, myocardial impairment, thrombocytopenia, and congenital heart disease.Rubella vaccine inoculation, serological screening during pregnancy and early period of newborn, intervention and treatment in the early period are most important.

Antibodies, Viral ; blood ; immunology ; Cytomegalovirus Infections ; immunology ; Female ; Herpes Simplex ; immunology ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Newborn, Diseases ; immunology ; virology ; Male ; Neonatal Screening ; Retrospective Studies ; Rubella ; immunology ; Toxoplasmosis ; immunology

ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters ; immunology ; metabolism ; Animals ; Herpes Simplex ; immunology ; virology ; Herpesvirus 1, Human ; immunology ; metabolism ; Humans ; Immediate-Early Proteins ; immunology ; metabolism ; Viral Proteins ; immunology ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo construct eukaryotic expression plasmid IRES-gD-IL-2 which contains both HSV-1 glycoprotein D (gD) gene and IL-2 gene and to induce it to express in antigen presenting cell (APC) -- dendritic cells (DCs).

METHODSThe whole sequence of gD and IL-2 were amplified by PCR assay. After confirmation by PCR, double-enzyme digestion and sequencing, these genes were directly cloned into eukaryotic expression vector IRES, then were transfected into DCs. Western blotting was employed to identify the transcription and expression of gD gene.

RESULTSThe results of PCR and enzyme digestion showed that the recombinant expression plasmid contained correct fragments, and the transcription and expression of gD were confirmed by Western blotting.

CONCLUSIONThe recombinant expression vector IRES-gD-IL-2 was constructed, the results of the Western blotting showed that the recombinant protein could be identified by gD- specific antibody, therefore the protein has immunologic competence.

Blotting, Western ; Dendritic Cells ; metabolism ; Herpes Simplex Virus Vaccines ; immunology ; Humans ; Interleukin-2 ; genetics ; Plasmids ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; genetics ; immunology ; Vaccines, DNA ; immunology ; Viral Envelope Proteins ; genetics

Cholera toxin, which has been frequently used as mucosal adjuvant, leads to an irreversible activation of adenylyl cyclase, thereby accumulating cAMP in target cells. Here, it was assumed that beta2-adrenergic agonist salbutamol may have modulatory functions of immunity induced by DNA vaccine, since beta2-adrenergic agonists induce a temporary cAMP accumulation. To test this assumption, the present study evaluated the modulatory functions of salbutamol co-administered with DNA vaccine expressing gB of herpes simplex virus (HSV) via intranasal (i.n.) route. We found that the i.n. co-administration of salbutamol enhanced gB-specific IgG and IgA responses in both systemic and mucosal tissues, but optimal dosages of co-administered salbutamol were required to induce maximal immune responses. Moreover, the mucosal co-delivery of salbutamol with HSV DNA vaccine induced Th2-biased immunity against HSV antigen, as evidenced by IgG isotypes and Th1/Th2-type cytokine production. The enhanced immune responses caused by co-administration of salbutamol provided effective and rapid responses to HSV mucosal challenge, thereby conferring prolonged survival and reduced inflammation against viral infection. Therefore, these results suggest that salbutamol may be an attractive adjuvant for mucosal genetic transfer of DNA vaccine.
Adjuvants, Immunologic/*pharmacology ; Adrenergic beta-Agonists/immunology/*pharmacology ; Albuterol/immunology/*pharmacology ; Animals ; Antibodies, Viral/immunology ; Cercopithecus aethiops ; Cytokines/immunology ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic ; Herpes Simplex/immunology/*prevention & control ; Herpes Simplex Virus Vaccines ; Immunity, Mucosal/*drug effects/immunology ; Immunoglobulin A/immunology ; Immunoglobulin G/immunology ; Mice ; Simplexvirus/*immunology ; Th1 Cells/immunology ; Th2 Cells/immunology ; Vaccines, DNA/*immunology/pharmacology ; Vero Cells ; Viral Envelope Proteins/immunology

OBJECTIVETo establish a specific and sensitive serological ELISA, diagnostic method, for herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) infection using yeast expressed glycoprotein D (gD) of HSV-1 as coating antigen.

METHODSThe yeast expressed products were collected at the most appropriate time and sonicated. After the optimum dilution titers of the coating antigens and sera were determined, 57 clinical sera were assayed using the recombinant gD and HSV-1-infected culture media as coating antigens respectively. The same sera were also assayed by homemade and Euroimmun ELISA kit, Germany. The results of German kit as a golden standard were compared with those of the other three methods in specificity, sensitivity and accordance rate.

RESULTSCompared to the imported kit, the specificities of recombinant protein, HSV-I culture media and homemade kit were 57.1%, 57.1% and 100.0%, respectively, the sensitivities were 82.0%, 78.0%, 48.0% and the accordance rates were 78.9%, 75.4%, 54.4%, respectively. The results of repeated experiments of recombinant protein showed that there was no statistically significant difference between the two experiments (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe ELISA with recombinant gD protein of HSV-1 as coating antigen is a specific, sensitive, quick and convenient method for diagnosis of HSV-1 infection.

Animals ; Antibodies, Viral ; blood ; immunology ; Antigens, Viral ; immunology ; Cell Line ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; instrumentation ; methods ; Herpes Simplex ; blood ; diagnosis ; virology ; Herpesvirus 1, Human ; genetics ; immunology ; Humans ; Recombinant Proteins ; immunology ; Reproducibility of Results ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Viral Envelope Proteins ; genetics ; immunology

OBJECTIVEThis study examined the expression of Toll-like receptors (TLR) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and serum levels of IL-6, IL-10 and TNF-alpha in children with recurrent herpes simplex, in order to investigate the role of TLR2 and TLR9 in recurrent herpes simplex.

METHODSThe expression of TLR2 and TLR9 in PBMC was examined by flow cytometer, and serum levels of IL-6, IL-10 and TNF-alpha were detected using ELISA in 22 children with recurrent herpes simplex and in 13 age-matched healthy volunteers.

RESULTSThe expression of both TLR2 and TLR9 obviously increased in children with recurrent herpes simplex compared with that in healthy controls (p<0.01). Serum levels of IL-6 and IL-10 increased, while serum TNF-alpha levels decreased significantly in children with recurrent herpes simplex compared with those in healthy controls (p<0.01). There were positive correlations between TLR2 and TLR9 expression and serum IL-6 and IL-10 levels in children with recurrent herpes simplex (p<0.01).

CONCLUSIONSTLR2 and TLR9 in PBMC may participate in the recognition of herpes simplex virus and activate the signal pathway of TLR in children with recurrent herpes simplex. The production and release of IL-6 and IL-10 might be mediated by TLR2 and TLR9.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cytokines ; blood ; Female ; Herpes Simplex ; immunology ; Humans ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; chemistry ; Male ; Recurrence ; Toll-Like Receptor 2 ; blood ; Toll-Like Receptor 9 ; blood

OBJECTIVETo study the infection of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) and herpes simplex virus type II (HSV-I) and the morphological characteristics of the infected spermatogenic cells in the semen of infertile men.

METHODSWe washed and concentrated the spermatogenic cells obtained from 83 semen samples of infertile men, extracted DNA and then screened HCMV and HSV-II by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Immunocytochemistry (ICC) was used to detect the expression of correlative virus antigens of the positive semen cells, and the cytology smear was employed to observe the morphological changes of the spermatogenic cells under the microscope after cytology staining.

RESULTSOf all the semen samples, 8 were HCMV positive, 4 HSV-II positive, but none were both HCMV and HSV-II positive. HCMV late antigens were positively and HCMV early antigens negatively expressed in the spermatogenic cells of the 8 HCMV positive cases. In the 4 HSV-II positive cases, 3 were positively and 1 weakly positively expressed. In the semen of the 12 positive cases were found large numbers of immature spermatogenic cells, with different manifestations of apoptosis, such as chromatin pycnosis, vacuoles, damaged nuclear membrane, and apoptotic bodies, but without virus infection-induced specific morphological alteration. Sperm concentration of the positive group was significantly lower than that of the negative (P < 0. 05).

CONCLUSIONSpermatogenic cells infected by HCMV and HSV-II may cause pathologic lesions and affect spermatogenesis. Morphologically, the infected spermatogenic cells may undergo some pathologic alteration, such as apoptosis. The rate of HCMV infection is higher among infertile males with pathologic cells in the semen.

Adult ; Antigens, Viral ; analysis ; Cytomegalovirus ; genetics ; immunology ; Cytomegalovirus Infections ; pathology ; virology ; DNA, Viral ; genetics ; Herpes Simplex ; pathology ; virology ; Herpesvirus 2, Human ; genetics ; immunology ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Infertility, Male ; pathology ; virology ; Male ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Semen ; cytology ; virology ; Spermatozoa ; cytology ; virology

OBJECTIVEThis study was designed to investigate the value of serologic examination in the diagnosis of childhood herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection.

METHODSSerum samples were collected from 2 436 outpatients and inpatients. The samples were divided into two groups. Group 1 consisted of 321 samples which were assayed for HSV-1 IgG, HSV-1 IgM, HSV-2 IgG or HSV-2 IgM antibody using herpes simplex virus antibody kits between January 2003 and November 2005. Group 2 consisted of 2115 samples which were assayed for HSV-2 IgG and IgM antibodies by TORCH testing between October 2004 and November 2005.

RESULTSIn Group 1, the total seroprevalence of HSV infection was 44.6%, with 38.9% being HSV-1 positive and 15.9% HSV-2 positive; HSV-IgM positivity was found in 41.1% and 25.5% were HSV-IgG positive; HSV-1 seroprevalence significantly increased with age (P < 0.05). In Group 2 the seroprevalence of HSV-2 infection was 1.9%; all of the samples were HSV-2 IgG positive.

CONCLUSIONSHSV serologic examination is useful in the diagnosis of HSV infection in children.

Adolescent ; Antibodies, Viral ; blood ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Herpes Simplex ; diagnosis ; immunology ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; blood ; Immunoglobulin M ; blood ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Serologic Tests ; Simplexvirus ; immunology

Initial skirmishes between the host and pathogen result in spillage of the contents of the bacterial cell. Amongst the spillage, the secondary messenger molecule, cyclic dimeric guanosine monophosphate (c di-GMP), was recently shown to be bound by stimulator of interferon genes (STING). Binding of c di-GMP by STING activates the Tank Binding Kinase (TBK1) mediated signaling cascades that galvanize the body's defenses for elimination of the pathogen. In addition to c di-GMP, STING has also been shown to function in innate immune responses against pathogen associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) originating from the DNA or RNA of pathogens. The pivotal role of STING in host defense is exemplified by the fact that STING(-/-) mice die upon infection by HSV-1. Thus, STING plays an essential role in innate immune responses against pathogens. This opens up an exciting possibility of targeting STING for development of adjuvant therapies to boost the immune defenses against invading microbes. Similarly, STING could be targeted for mitigating the inflammatory responses augmented by the innate immune system. This review summarizes and updates our current understanding of the role of STING in innate immune responses and discusses the future challenges in delineating the mechanism of STING-mediated responses.
Animals ; Cyclic GMP ; physiology ; Dimerization ; Herpes Simplex ; immunology ; pathology ; Humans ; Immunity, Innate ; Membrane Proteins ; chemistry ; genetics ; metabolism ; Protein Binding ; RNA, Viral ; metabolism ; STAT6 Transcription Factor ; metabolism ; Second Messenger Systems