Transformed cells producing the glycoprotein D of HSV-1 are resistant to infection with clinical strains of HSV.

The generality of the resistance exhibited by gD producing cells to HSV-1 infection was tested. We tested three different cell lines producing various amounts of gD for resistance against three HSV-1 strains. The strains used were the prototype laboratory F strain and two recently isolated low passage local clinical strains, VG and VD. The results indicate that: (i) the resistance of the cell lines is directly related to the amount of gD they produce, (ii) the cell lines showed greater resistance against the two local clinical HSV-1 strains than against the laboratory strain, and (iii) the resistance is not mediated at the level of virus adsorption to the cell membranes.