Direct Recovery of Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV)-Specific T Lymphocyte Clones from Recurrent Genital HSV-2 Lesions

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Abstract
T lymphocytes were recovered from recurrent vesicular and ulcerative herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) lesions from 4 patients and cloned without exogenous secondary antigenic stimulation. Resultant cultures were screened for antigen-specific proliferative and cytotoxic responses. Of the 39 HSV-specific clones recovered, all were CD3-positive; 38 were CD4-positive and 1 was CD8-positive. Of the T cell clones recovered directly from lesions, 6%–10% had HSV-specific proliferative responses, in contrast to a peripheral blood precursor frequency of HSV-specific CD4 cells of ∼1/103 to 1/104 as measured by limiting dilution assays. CD4+ clones studied restricted by HLA-DR, -DP, and -DQ were detected and both type-common and typespecific CD4+ T cell clones were recovered. HSV-specific T cells localize to recurrent human genital HSV-2 lesions and can be obtained directly from early lesions. The ability to isolate HSV-specific T cell clones from lesions allows the study of antigenic specificities and functional properties of tissue-resident antigen-specific T lymphocytes.

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