Gender influences herpes simplex virus type 1 infection in normal and gamma interferon-mutant mice.
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| Abstract |
Gender influences the incidence and severity of some bacterial and viral infections and autoimmune diseases in animal models and humans. To determine a gender-based difference, comparisons were made between male and female mice inoculated with herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) by the corneal route. Mortality was higher in the male mice of the three strains tested: 129/Sv//Ev wild type, gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) knockout (GKO), and IFN-gamma receptor knockout (RGKO). Similarly, in vivo HSV-1 reactivation occurred more commonly in male mice, but the male-female difference in reactivation was restricted to the two knockout strains and was not seen in the 129/Sv//Ev control. Comparison among male mice of the three strains showed a higher mortality of the RGKO mice and a higher reactivation rate of the GKO and RGKO mice than of the 129/Sv//Ev males. In contrast, female RGKO and GKO mice did not differ from female 129/Sv//Ev controls in either mortality or reactivation. HSV-1 periocular and eyelid disease was also more severe in male and dihydrotestosterone (DHT)-treated female mice than in control female mice. These results show a consistent gender difference in HSV-1 infection, with a worse outcome in male mice. In addition, the results comparing GKO and RGKO mice to controls show differences only in male mice, suggesting that some effects of IFN-gamma, a key immunoregulatory molecule, are gender specific.
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| Authors | X Han, P Lundberg, B Tanamachi, H Openshaw, J Longmate, E Cantin |
| Journal | Journal of virology (J Virol) Vol. 75 Issue 6 Pg. 3048-52 (Mar 2001) ISSN: 0022-538X [Print] United States |
| PMID | 11222734 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.) |
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