Purpose: To assess gene expression in herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) latent mouse trigeminal ganglia (TG) at 6 and 24 hours after hyperthermic stress.
Methods: Uninfected and HSV-1 latently infected mice were heat stressed (43 degrees C, 10 min). TG from six groups of mice were studied: 1) uninfected, not stressed, 2) uninfected, heat-stressed, sacrificed at 6 hours after hyperthermia, 3) uninfected, heat-stressed, sacrificed at 24 hours after hyperthermia, 4) latently infected, not stressed, 5) latently infected, heat-stressed, sacrificed at 6 hours after hyperthermia, 6) latently infected, heat-stressed, sacrificed at 24 hours after hyperthermia. Poly A(+) mRNA from the TG of each group of mice was reverse transcribed, labeled with (32)P, and incubated on a nylon gene array membrane. The genes showing the largest signal-to-control changes (varying by a factor of at least 1.27-fold) were considered to have undergone significant change in expression.
Results: Six hours after heat stress the genes whose expression was altered included the FK506-binding protein gene (decreased), the T-complex protein 1 alpha subunit gene (increased), and the 94-kDa glucose-regulated protein gene (increased in uninfected TG, decreased in infected TG). Heat stress increased expression of the DNA excision repair protein ERCC5 gene 24 hours after the treatment. Genes previously reported to exhibit increased transcription 1 hour after stress did not continue to show significant transcriptional activation at 6 or 24 hours.
Conclusion: Altered gene expression at 6 and 24 hours after heat stress was different from previously reported changes in gene expression 1 hour after hyperthermia in HSV-1 latently infected mice.