In search of gene targets for productive and latent HSV-2 infection of cells of neural origin

Abstract

Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 (HSV-2) causes genital herpes and induces latency in nerve cells. Acyclovir is a guanosine analogue widely used for HSV-2 treatment. By investigating the effect of acyclovir and HSV-2 infection on gene expression, a number of genes that may be candidates for therapeutic targets of HSV-2 were identified. HSV-2 was used to infect IMR-32 human neuroblastoma cells for 4 hours in the presence of acyclovir. RNA was extracted, and used as a template for both reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)s using either 32P for filter microarray or fluorescent labels for glass slide microarray. Filter microarrays were spotted with 375 immune genes; glass slides were spotted with 19 000 human genes and expression sequence tags. IMR-32 cells were exposed to acyclovir for 4 hours, RT-PCR was performed with 32P, and the labeled product was hybridized with microarray filters spotted with 375 immune genes. IMR-32 cells were infected with HSV-2 and incubated for 4 hours at either 37°C for productive infection or 40°C for latent infection. Two methods of analysis were performed on filter microarrays. The effects of acyclovir were investigated as a control for the HSV-2 experiments. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)