IMMUNOPATHOGENESIS OF CORNEAL INFLAMMATION IN HERPES-SIMPLEX VIRUS STROMAL KERATITIS - ROLE OF THE POLYMORPHONUCLEAR LEUKOCYTE

  • 1 January 1981
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 20  (6) , 784-798
Abstract
Polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) may play an essential role in the development of corneal infiltrates in stromal herpes simplex virus (HSV) keratitis. Corneal infiltration was seen rarely in herpes-infected animals treated with anti-PMN serum or with chemotherapy to reduce the numbers of circulating PMN. At least 2/3 of the control animals with intact PMN and infected with HSV developed stromal infiltrates. Host complement was localized with HSV antigen and rabbit .gamma. globulin along with inflammatory cells in the corneas of animals with stromal infiltrates. In the absence of PMN infiltrates, neither complement nor a significant amount of .gamma. globulin was localized in the corneal stroma. In the PMN-depleted animals, only viral antigen was detected in the stromal keratocytes.