Type-specific delayed hypersensitivity and protective immunity induced by isolated herpes simplex virus glycoprotein

Immunization of mice with herpes simplex type 1 rapidly induces a strong delayed hypersensitivity (DH) response. To examine the fine specificity of DH to HSV, HSV-1 glycoproteins (glycoprotein D (gD) and glycoprotein C (gC)) were isolated and tested for their ability to induce and elicit DH to HSV. In addition, one of these glycoproteins (gC) was evaluated for its ability to induce protective immunity against a lethal dose of HSV. These findings indicate that both type-common and type-specific DH responses to HSV are induced and elicited by isolated HSV-1 glycoproteins. They further indicate that with glycoprotein gC, protective, type-specific immunity is induced within 5 days of immunization in the absence of detectable antibody.