New Discoveries in the Mechanisms of Interferon-Dependent Control of Latent Alpha-Herpesvirus in Sensory Ganglia. Review

Abstract

Relevance. The study of the mechanisms of immune surveillance over latent alpha herpesvirus in the sensory nerve ganglia is an important task of clinical immunology, since the data obtained during such studies may help to develop effective approaches to immunotherapy of recurrent and/or severe forms of herpes infections by restoring lost immune control over latent pathogens. Objective: to conduct a systematic review of the results of studies devoted to the study of mechanisms of intraganglionar and intraneuronal protection over latent alpha herpesvirus in sensory nerve ganglia, to develop a modern concept of immune surveillance in human alpha herpesvirus infections. Methods. Review of scientific publications in the international electronic science databases PubMed, Embase and Scopus was conducted on the keywords «alpha herpesviruses», «Toll-like receptor type 3», «natural killers», «natural killer T-cells», «intraganglionar immunity», «intraneuronal immunity» for the full time available (1972-2014). Results. The article presents modern data on interferon-dependent mechanisms of control of latent alpha herpesvirus in sensory nerve ganglia. The system of the intraganglionar control presented by resident natural killers, natural killer T-lymphocytes and cytotoxic CD8+ T-cells that are part of the satellite cells of the nerve node, and the system of intraneuronal defense contained in the centripetal fibers and presented by cascade system TLR-3 , the activation of which promote the production of interferons type I. Genetic or acquired abnormalities in intraganglionar and intraneuronal immunity systems are the cause of the development of recurrent and/or severe forms of infections caused by alpha herpesviruses in humans. Preparations of natural and recombinant alpha interferons and interferonogens are potentially useful agents in the target immunotherapy of disorders in intraganglionar and intraneuronal immunity in immunocompromised patients with severe forms of alpha herpesvirus infections. Conclusions. In the human body there are highly organized intraganglionar and intraneirononal immune control systems for latent alpha herpesviruses. The activity of these systems ensures the long stay of the virus in a latent state in the sensory nerve ganglia, and the disturbanses of the implementation of such mechanisms is responsible for reactivation of the virus from the latent state with subsequent damage to the skin, mucous membranes and/or the central nervous system.