Latency of herpes simplex virus 1 in the ciliary body of normal human eyes / 第三军医大学学报

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate whether there is latency of herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) in the ciliary body of normal human eyes. Methods Parts (1/3) of the 15 fresh eyeballs from normal healthy donors were used for immunohistochemical staining to exclude from acute infection of HSV-1. After the residual ciliary bodies were taken out, 1/3 was centrifugated for co-culture with Vero cells, and DNA was extracted from the other 2/3 for PCR and gel electrophoresis for the detection of HSV-1 DNA and latency associated transcript (LAT). Results All the 15 samples were negative of immunohistochemical staining and the results of co-culture of Vero cells with the supernatant containing the ciliary body tissues were also negative. No pathological changes in the cells were observed. In the 15 samples, no. 4, 5, 7 samples were positive of HSV-1 DNA but negative of HSV-1 LAT, whereas the other 12 samples were negative of HSV-1 DNA and HSV-1 LAT. Conclusion HSV-1 DNA exists in the normal human cilicary body.