Viral inhibition of lymphocyte proliferative responsiveness in patients suffering from recurrent lesions caused by herpes simplex virus.

Herpes simplex viruses (HSV) are able to prevent the lectin-driven mitogenesis of coincubated human peripheral blood lymphocytes. This abrogation of responsiveness is independent of infection and can be obtained by using ultraviolet-inactivated as well as live virus particles. Lymphocytes from patients prone to frequent recurrences of HSV-induced lesions were more susceptible to inhibition of proliferative responsiveness than were cells from either individuals seronegative for HSV type 1 and HSV type 2 or individuals subject only to infrequent recurrences of HSV-induced disease. Lymphocytes from all patients tested were more susceptible to viral abrogation of mitogen responsiveness during preepisodic and acute as opposed to convalescent and postepisodic periods. When exogenous T cell growth factor was added to lymphoid cell cultures that had been coincubated with HSV, the cells were generally able to overcome the inhibition of responsiveness that would otherwise occur. However, this restoration of responsiveness occurred less efficiently in cells from patients with acute HSV-induced lesions and in cells from patients with frequent recurrences of lesions.