Conference proceeding
Nonthermal Plasma as a Antiviral Treatment and Immunotherapy for HSV-1 Infection
01 Jan 2022
Abstract
Herpes simplex virus type 1 is a human pathogen known to cause cold sores around the mouth, eyes, and genitalia as clinical manifestations of acute infection. Infection with HSV-1 is lifelong, primarily due to its ability to travel into the nervous system and establish latency, which provides a reservoir for recurrent reactivation of acute infection in epithelial cells. While current antiviral therapies can alleviate the symptoms of acute infection, they are ineffective in preventing the establishment of latent infection and eliminating the virus. We investigated the use of nonthermal plasma (NTP), a partially ionized gas with demonstrated antiviral activity against many viruses, as a potential therapeutic against HSV-1 infection. Exposure of HSV-1 infected cells or cell-free virus to NTP resulted in reductions in infection (as measured 24 hours after infection). Additionally, an antiviral effect was observed in experiments in which uninfected cells exposed to NTP were less susceptible to HSV-1 infection. The antiviral activity of NTP is likely attributable to its ability to generate reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) that are known to react with macromolecular structures in viruses and are associated with immune responses in NTP-exposed cells. To establish a relationship between NTP-generated RONS and the antiviral effect of NTP, we measured markers of oxidative stress and immunogenicity in cells exposed to NTP. Overall, these initial studies are critical in developing NTP as an alternative therapy for HSV-1 infection that can target latent infection through the reduction of reactivation of virus replication in the periphery, minimizing the amount of virus that reaches the ganglia during primary infection. Over time, this control of HSV-1 infection can further be mediated by the anti-HSV-1 immune responses stimulated by NTP exposure.
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Details
- Title
- Nonthermal Plasma as a Antiviral Treatment and Immunotherapy for HSV-1 Infection
- Creators
- Julia SutterJascha BrettschneiderBrian WigdahlVandana MillerFred C. Krebs
- Publisher
- figshare
- Resource Type
- Conference proceeding
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Microbiology and Immunology; Microbiology Department Internal Research
- Other Identifier
- 991021811739704721