The region 0.7615–0.796 m.u. of the HSV-1 genome determines suppression of humoral antibody formation against herpes simplex virus

Summary The influence of genetic properties of parts of the HSV-1 genome on suppression of humoral antibody formation was investigated by using intratypic recombinants. The deleted strain HFEM (HSV-1) induces suppression. The MluI DNA fragment (coordinates 0.7615–0.796 m.u.) derived from the antibody inducing strain F1 (HSV-1) was transfected into the deleted strain HFEM to produce the recombinant virus R-MlCI and shown to restore antibody formation, as demonstrated by neutralization- and ELISA-tests. The intratypic recombinant viruses R-15, R-19 and R-26, produced by transfection of the Bam HI DNA-fragment B (0.738–0.809 m.u.) of strain Fl into the deleted strain HFEM, resulted in antibody formation only in the recombinant virus R-26. The reason for these different properties might be associated with the presence of small deletions in the Sma I A-fragment (0.763–0.765 m.u.) or elsewhere in the Bam HI DNA-fragment B. Our results were finally correlated to replication of the recombinant viruses in macrophages and to spread into spleen and adrenal glands. There is evidence that antibody formation may be correlated to the ability of HSV to replicate in macrophages.