CD80 Plays a Critical Role in Increased Inflammatory Responses in Herpes Simplex Virus 1-Infected Mouse Corneas

Abstract

HSV-1 ocular infections are the leading cause of corneal blindness. Eye disease is the result of a prolonged immune response to the replicating virus. HSV-1, on the other hand, has evolved several mechanisms to evade clearance by the host immune system. We describe a novel mechanism of HSV-1 immune evasion via ICP22-dependent downregulation of the host T cell costimulatory molecule CD80. However, the exact role of CD80 in HSV-1 immune pathology is not clear. In this study, we show that eye disease is independent of the level of HSV-1 replication and that viral expression of CD80 has a detrimental role in corneal scarring, likely by increasing CD8 + T cell recruitment and activation.