Anti-CD8 treatment alters interleukin-4 but not interferon-γ mRNA levels in murine sensory ganglia during herpes simplex virus infection

Clearance of herpes simplex virus (HSV) from sensory ganglia of infected mice is dependent on CD8⁺ cells but not on the death of infected neurons. The mechanism of action of CD8⁺ cells in HSV infected ganglia is therefore unknown. The determine which cytokines might be involved in the CD8⁺ cell dependent response to ganglionic HSV infection, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, and IFN-γ mRNA levels were measured in infected ganglia from immunocompetent and anti-CD8 treated mice. Anti-CD8 treatment increased the abundance of mRNA encoding IL-4, and, to a lesser extent, IL-2, and IL-6. Significantly, IFN-γ, mRNA was not affected.