Human cytokine response to herpes simplex virus type 2 infection in keratinocytes: the antiherpetic contribution

Abstract

Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) is a common genital ulcer disease with no cure. While therapeutics are available, the immune response to therapeutics and HSV-2 infection are not fully understood. In this study, cytokine expression with and without HSV-2 infection and anti-HSV-2 drugs was measured in primary keratinocytes. At the protein level, there was a marked increase in sICAM-1, IFN-y, and Serpin E1 12 hours after HSV-2 infection; an increase in SerpinE1 and sICAM-1 was seen 6 hours post-infection with HSV-2 and acyclovir treatment; and a slight decrease in Serpin E1 was seen 6 hours post-infection with cidofovir treatment. Serpin E1 mRNA was decreased in all aforementioned groups. These results confirm that keratinocytes play a role in the initial immune response to HSV-2, that some HSV-2-induced cytokine induction occurs by 12 hours post-infection, and that some cellular or HSV-2 regulation of Serpin E1 mRNA may occur in the presence of ACV.