Binding and internalization of herpes simplex virus-antibody complexes by polymorphonuclear leukocytes.

We studied the interactions between rabbit polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) and the RE strain of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) to determine better the role of inflammatory cells in herpetic stromal keratitis. PMN were found to be nonpermissive for HSV replication and were unable to bind virus in the absence of antibody. However, PMN did bind and internalize HSV-antibody complexes in vitro as was demonstrated visually by electron microscopic studies and quantitatively by measurement of activity associated with radiolabeled HSV-antibody complexes. Virus used for immune complex formation was labeled with either 125Iodine or 35S-methionine. In some experiments, anti-HSV IgG used for immune complex formation was labeled with 125Iodine before incubation with virus. Use of all three radiolabeling approaches resulted in the same general pattern of binding, indicating a requirement for both antibody and virus for interaction with PMN. The activity associated with PMN was increased by preincubation with complement. The results suggest an active role for PMN in controlling HSV infection through their ability to bind and ingest virus-antibody complexes.