Abstract
Herpetic stromal keratitis (HSK) is a corneal disease initiated by a herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection with a postulated T cell-mediated immunopathology. To study the antigen specificity of cornea-infiltrating T cells in HSK patients, T cells were isolated and expanded by mitogenic stimulation from corneas of 2 patients with HSV-1-mediated HSK. A substantial number of the T cell clones (TCCs) obtained from these T cell lines were HSV-specific. All HSV-specific TCCs were of the CD3+CD4+CD8- phenotype. These TCCs responded to autologous HSV-infected corneal keratocytes, which expressed HLA class II molecules following incubation with interferon-gamma. Upon HSV-specific stimulation, all TCCs secreted interleukin-4, interleukin-5, and interferon-gamma. The data presented suggest that HSV-specific CD4+ T cells play a role in the immunopathogenesis of HSK in humans and that corneal keratocytes may act as antigen-presenting cells in this local T cell response.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
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Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
MeSH terms
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Antigen Presentation
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CD3 Complex / immunology
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CD4 Antigens / immunology
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CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / cytology
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CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
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CD8 Antigens / immunology
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Cell Division
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Cells, Cultured
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Clone Cells / immunology
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Cornea / cytology
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Cornea / immunology*
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Cornea / metabolism
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Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic
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Herpesvirus 1, Human / immunology*
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Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / immunology
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Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / metabolism
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Humans
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Interferon-gamma / metabolism
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Interferon-gamma / pharmacology
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Interleukin-2 / metabolism
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Interleukin-4 / metabolism
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Interleukin-5 / metabolism
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Keratitis, Herpetic / immunology*
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Male
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Middle Aged
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Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / immunology
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Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / metabolism
Substances
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CD3 Complex
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CD4 Antigens
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CD8 Antigens
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Histocompatibility Antigens Class II
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Interleukin-2
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Interleukin-5
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Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta
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Interleukin-4
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Interferon-gamma