Immunopathogenic Role of Herpes Simplex Virus in Behçet’s Disease

Abstract

The role of viral infections, such as herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection, in the pathogenesis of Behçet's disease (BD) has been investigated for many years. HSV has been detected in peripheral blood leukocytes, saliva, and genital ulcers of patients with BD. Various cell adhesion molecules on cultured endothelial cells have been induced by HSV in a TNF-α dependent manner. In addition, a BD-like animal model was developed by inoculating ICR mouse earlobes with HSV, and antiviral treatment was effective in improving BD-like symptoms in this model. Still, there are several incompletely characterized proteins that possess antiviral properties and are being investigated as mediators of viral infection-related chronic inflammatory reactions. Although the role of HSV in the pathogenesis of BD remains to be fully established, recent research findings regarding HSV in BD have expanded our understanding of the disease and will hopefully lead to the development of more effective therapeutic agents in the near future.

Circulating NK cells and their subsets in Behçet's disease

“…As mentioned previously, viral infectious agents such as herpes simplex virus (HSV) and Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) have been suggested as possible environmental triggers of BD . Therefore, it follows that the protective response from anti‐viral immune cells such as NK cells may play a key role in regulating BD activity.…”

“…The disease is increased approximately sixfold in patients with human leucocyte antigen (HLA)‐B51/B5 genetic polymorphisms and is regarded widely as an autoinflammatory condition, although autoimmune responses to certain specific antigens have been described in the disease . Viral infection with Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) and herpes simplex virus (HSV) were also thought to be important in both the initiation and in triggering acute exacerbations of affected systems in BD and natural killer (NK) cells are important in controlling viral infections.…”

Variability of peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets in ocular Behcet’s disease

“…Как известно, цитотоксические Т-клетки являются ключевой эффекторной субпопуляцией в адаптивном противовирусном иммунном ответе. Полученные нами данные находят косвенное подтверждение в работах Sun A.,1998, Kim D.Y., 2013 и др., посвященных важной роли герпесвирусной инфекции, и, в частности, вирусов Эпштейн-Барр и простого герпеса в инициации ББ, многочисленных проявлений заболевания и запуске рецидивов [14,15].…”

Etiology, Immunopathogenesis and Biomarkers in Behçet’s disease

“…Microbial heat shock proteins (HSPs) show significant homology with human mitochondrial HSP and molecular mimicry is suggested as the mechanism of pathology exacerbating BD when patients were exposed to these foreign antigens. While both streptococci and herpes simplex virus have garnered the most particular interest among researchers [209][210][211][212][213][214], evidence of exposure to other microbes such as staphylococci and mycobacteria has also been reported [215,216]. Nonetheless, conflicting reports have been published and a specific pathogen has yet to be identified.…”