Antibody mediated destruction of keratocytes infected with herpes simplex virus.

The ability of complement-dependent antibody to mediate destruction of rabbit corneal cells infected with the RE and KOS strains of HSV-1 was examined. Three sources of target cells were used: BHK-21, a monitor of surface antigen expression and cell lysis; SIRC, a continuous cell line of rabbit corneal origin; stromal keratocytes, grown from the middle layer of excised rabbit corneas. Rabbits were infected intrastromally with the RE strain, which causes a high incidence of stromal keratitis, and sacrificed at designated times. Results showed that all three cell types, infected with either HSV strain, expressed surface antigens and were susceptible to lysis by antibody produced during the course of stromal disease. 51Cr-release assays showed that cytolytic antibody appeared as early as 5 days postinfection and reached maximum by day 14-20. Findings suggest a direct relationship between the in vitro demonstration of complement dependent cytolysis of infected stromal cells and the disease process in experimental animals.