@article{mbs:/content/journal/jgv/10.1099/0022-1317-80-1-51, author = "Asano, S and Honda, Takashi and Goshima, Fusi and Watanabe, Daisuke and Miyake, Yozo and Sugiura, Yasuo and Nishiyama, Yukihiro", title = "US3 protein kinase of herpes simplex virus type 2 plays a role in protecting corneal epithelial cells from apoptosis in infected mice.", journal= "Journal of General Virology", year = "1999", volume = "80", number = "1", pages = "51-56", doi = "https://doi.org/10.1099/0022-1317-80-1-51", url = "https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/jgv/10.1099/0022-1317-80-1-51", publisher = "Microbiology Society", issn = "1465-2099", type = "Journal Article", abstract = "To clarify the biological role of US3 protein kinase of herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) in vivo, the expression of the viral antigen, the appearance of apoptotic bodies and DNA fragmentation were examined immunohistologically after corneal infection of mice with three different kinds of HSV-2 strain 186: the wild-type virus, a US3-deficient mutant (L1BR1) and its revertant (L1B-11). In both wild-type 186- and L1B-11-infected mice, viral antigen was diffusely found in the corneal epithelium; no apoptotic changes were detected in the epithelial cells. Whereas, in L1BR1-infected mice, HSV-immunoreactivity was localized around the virus-inoculated sites, and a large number of apoptotic bodies were observed in the corneal epithelium with dual-positive reactions for both HSV-immunostaining and TUNEL staining. These results suggest that the US3 protein kinase plays an important role in protecting HSV-2-infected cells from apoptotic death in vivo.", }