A Study on HSV-1 Corneal Potential Infection by in Situ Nucleic Acid Hybridization

摘要

Purpose:To evaluate the possibility of HSV-1 corneal latency by in situ nucleic acid hybridization in animal models. Methods: 20 normal New Zealand White (NEW) rabbits were used, 14 of them were inoculated bilaterally with 3X10 PFU/ml of McKrae strain HSV-1 by in-trastromal injection. 22/28 eyes developed typical herpes simplex keratitis (HSK) diseases. At 60 day postoperation(PI) , 4 latent corneas were transplanted to one eye of 4 noninfected NZW rabbits and removed 2 weeks PI. Corneas at all time intervals of infection and two weeks after PKP were detected for presence of HSV-1 antigen and nucleic acid sequences by using clonal IgG HSV-1 antibody and biotinylated HSV-1 DNA probe individually. Results: The results showed that the HSV-1 DNA sequences were retained within the corneal epithelium and anterior stromal keratocytes during acute diseases, while the corneas during latent infection and postoperation, the HSV-1 DNA sequences were retained only within the stromal layer with negative HSV-1 antigne staining. Conclusions: These results strongly suggest that the cornea may be capable of harburing latent HSV-1.