Disease relevance of ORF68

• A mutant of herpes simplex virus type 1 lacking both glycoprotein M and glycoprotein E was marginally compromised in terms of its in vitro growth characteristics [1].
• The requirement for gE in axonal targeting and retrograde spread highlights intriguing similarities and differences between HSV-1 and pseudorabies virus gE [2].
• Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) glycoprotein E (gE) promotes cell-to-cell spread at basolateral surfaces of epithelial cells, but its activity in neurons is less clear [2].
• Neurons infected with gE-null mutants produce wild-type levels of viral structural proteins and infectious virions in the cell body [3].
• Wild-type (WT) and gE-null (NS-gEnull) viruses both infected retina ganglion cell neurons; however, NS-gEnull viral antigens failed to reach the optic nerve, which indicates a defect in axonal localization [2].

High impact information on ORF68

• Herpes simplex virus type 1 glycoprotein e is required for axonal localization of capsid, tegument, and membrane glycoproteins [2].
• We used the mouse retina infection model and neuronal cell cultures to define the spread phenotype of gE mutant viruses [2].
• The site of the defect in retrograde spread remains to be determined; however, infection of rat superior cervical ganglia neurons in vitro indicates that gE is required to target virion components to the axon initial segment [2].
• Expression of the simian varicella virus glycoprotein E [4].
• Both VZV-specific antibody and T cell proliferative responses were induced by immunization with DNA sequences for the immediate early 62 (IE62) and glycoprotein E (gE) [5].

Analytical, diagnostic and therapeutic context of ORF68

• The blocking ELISA detected pigs as seropositive an average of 8.8 DPC, and the indirect ELISA first detected gE antibodies by 9.3 DPC [6].
• Two enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) and a particle concentration fluorescence immunoassay (PCFIA) were compared for their ability to detect antibodies against pseudorabies virus (Aujeszky's disease virus) glycoprotein E (gE) in the early stages of infection in pigs previously vaccinated with gE-deleted pseudorabies vaccines [6].
• To be successful, other measures besides the vaccination in itself are important, such as the proper use and administration of the vaccine, repeated boosters, prevention of introduction of gE-positive animals and restriction in the movement of animals from gE-positive herds [7].

References