Human CD8 super(+) herpes simplex virus-specific cytotoxic T-lymphocyte clones recognize diverse virion protein antigens

The role of the HLA class I- restricted, CD8 super(+), herpes simplex virus (HSV)-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) in the control of human HSV infections infections is controversial because previous reports suggest that a substantial portion of the antigen-specific lytic response is mediated by CD4 super(+) cells. To address this question directly, we isolated HSV-specific CD8 super(+) CTL clones from a patient with recurrent genital herpes. These CTL were cloned by coculturing responder peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) with phytohemagglutinin-stimulated PBMC that had been infected with live HSV-2 and then irradiated prior to the addition of responder cells. The diversity of the CD8 super(+) response from a single individual indicated that several different antigens are recognized when presented in the context of a variety of class II HLA alleles, a pattern that markedly differs from that described for another human herpesvirus, cytomegalovirus.