Abstract
Purpose::
To assess: (A) the relative impact of antibodies to HSV-1 glycoproteins on eye disease due to HSV-1 infection; (B) the composition of antibodies to 10 of the viral glycoproteins; and (C) the role of anti-gD and -gK antibodies to antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE).
Methods::
In a prospective case-control study, sera from individuals with history of HSK were compared with sera from non-ocular HSV-1-seropositive and HSV-seronegative control subjects. HSV-1 neutralizing antibody titer, and type-specific IgG and IgM were measured. In addition, the presence of anti-HSV-1 gD and gK antibodies in the sera of all individuals also was determined by ELISA using gD and gK antigens. Finally, the role of anti-gD and gK-specific antibodies to ADE was investigated.
Results::
The average neutralizing antibody titers and levels of HSV-1 IgG were similar between HSK and non-HSK seropositive individuals. However, the contribution of gD to the neutralizing antibody titer in HSK sera was significantly lower than that of non-HSK seropositive individuals, despite having higher anti-gD ELISA titers. Overall, sera from HSK individuals had higher anti-gK antibody titers and induced ADE in vitro compared with non-HSK or seronegative sera. The ADE response in HSK sera was due to anti-gK antibody.
Conclusions::
Our results suggest that: (1) sera from HSK individuals had higher anti-gD and -gK antibody titers than sera from seropositive individuals with no history of HSK despite having similar levels of neutralizing antibody titers and HSV-1 IgG; (2) HSK sera induced ADE, while sera from non-HSK individual did not induce ADE; and (3) anti-gD antibody in sera of HSK individuals contributed less to the HSV-1 neutralization antibody titer than sera from non-HSK individuals.
Keywords: herpes simplex virus • keratitis • clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: risk factor assessment