Interleukin-15 and Natural Killer and NKT Cells Play a Critical Role in Innate Protection against Genital Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 Infection Journal Articles uri icon

  •  
  • Overview
  •  
  • Research
  •  
  • Identity
  •  
  • Additional Document Info
  •  
  • View All
  •  

abstract

  • ABSTRACTInterleukin-15 (IL-15), natural killer (NK) cells, and NK T (NKT) cells, components of the innate immune system, are known to contribute to defense against pathogens, including viruses. Here we report that IL-15−/−(NK−and NKT−/+) mice and RAG-2−/−/γc−/−(NK−and NKT−) mice that lack all lymphoid cells were very susceptible to vaginal infection with a low dose of herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2). IL-15−/−and RAG-2−/−/γc−/−mice were 100-fold more susceptible and RAG-2−/−, CD-1−/−(NKT−), and gamma interferon (IFN-γ)−/−mice were 10-fold more susceptible to vaginal HSV-2 infection than control C57BL/6 mice. NK and/or NKT cells were the early source of IFN-γ in vaginal secretions following genital HSV-2 infection. This study demonstrates that IL-15 and NK-NKT cells are critical for innate protection against genital HSV-2.

publication date

  • September 15, 2003