Transcriptional Analysis of the Guinea Pig Mucosal Immune Response to Intravaginal Infection with Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2

Ronald L Veselenak; Gregg N Milligan; Aaron L Miller; Richard B Pyles; Nigel Bourne

doi:10.1016/j.virol.2018.03.019

Transcriptional Analysis of the Guinea Pig Mucosal Immune Response to Intravaginal Infection with Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2

Virology. 2018 May:518:349-357. doi: 10.1016/j.virol.2018.03.019. Epub 2018 Mar 28.

Authors

Ronald L Veselenak¹, Gregg N Milligan², Aaron L Miller³, Richard B Pyles⁴, Nigel Bourne⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd, Galveston, Texas, USA 77555; Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd, Galveston, Texas, USA 77555. Electronic address: rlvesele@utmb.edu.
² Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd, Galveston, Texas, USA 77555; Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd, Galveston, Texas, USA 77555; Sealy Center for Vaccine Development, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd, Galveston, Texas, USA 77555. Electronic address: gnmillig@utmb.edu.
³ Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd, Galveston, Texas, USA 77555. Electronic address: aamiller@utmb.edu.
⁴ Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd, Galveston, Texas, USA 77555; Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd, Galveston, Texas, USA 77555; Sealy Center for Vaccine Development, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd, Galveston, Texas, USA 77555. Electronic address: rbpyles@utmb.edu.
⁵ Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd, Galveston, Texas, USA 77555; Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd, Galveston, Texas, USA 77555; Sealy Center for Vaccine Development, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd, Galveston, Texas, USA 77555. Electronic address: nibourne@utmb.edu.

Abstract

Genital herpes infection in guinea pigs closely models human infection but tools for immune characterization are limited. Immunity to HSV infection at the vaginal epithelial surface was characterized in guinea pigs using PCR-based array analysis of vaginal swab samples. IFNγ was one of the most significantly upregulated genes throughout the infection and over 40% of genes with significantly altered expression were linked to IFNγ based on INTERFEROME analysis. IFNγ transcripts and biologically active IFNγ at the genital mucosa were confirmed by RTPCR and IFNγ reporter cells. Gene ontology analysis revealed activation of many biological processes related to genital immunity shared by humans and mice demonstrating the similarities of the local immune response to primary genital HSV-2 infection in guinea pigs and other established models. This transcription-based array will be useful for dissection of immunity during reactivation from latency, an infection outcome that is not well recapitulated by other animal models.

Keywords: HSV-2; IFNγ; gene expression; guinea pig; immune response; microarray; vaginal mucosa.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Animals
Disease Models, Animal
Gene Expression Profiling
Guinea Pigs
Herpes Genitalis / pathology*
Herpesvirus 2, Human / pathogenicity*
Host-Pathogen Interactions*
Immunity, Mucosal*
Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding