VIRUS INFECTIONS IN THE EYE

我们对各种病毒学和免疫病理过程的研究 当病毒在眼部微环境中复制时发生 三个方面：(1)冠状病毒在眼和视神经细胞中的感染； (2)病毒在人类疾病中的可能作用；及(3)抗病毒药物 细胞因子和药物的治疗作用。第四个研究领域 在过去的一年里开始的是分子诊断的评估 以及人类巨细胞病毒感染的发病机制。 我们已经证实，小鼠冠状病毒可以诱导眼球 疾病，可作为研究视网膜的模型系统 退行性疾病。这款车有很多独特的特点。这个 病毒能够在存在的情况下引起急性感染 轻微的视网膜血管炎症。随后是最初的视网膜损伤 通过清除病毒和进行性视网膜退化，甚至 在病毒消失几个月后。体外研究和电子 对原位感染的显微镜评估表明，该病毒 主要在Muller细胞中复制，也可以在 视网膜色素上皮(RPE)和感光细胞。这些 结果表明，该病毒可诱导机体发生生化反应。 视网膜的形态变化，持续并进展很长时间 在病毒被检测到之后。这种病可以被认为是一种典型的 治疗色素上皮退行性疾病和 人类的光感受器。 疱疹病毒的有效药物治疗和预防的必要性 其他病毒性疾病的重要性也与日俱增。我们发现 白细胞调节蛋白，一种自然产生的免疫细胞因子，不是 不仅增加了药物阿昔洛韦的抗病毒作用，而且 直接抑制单纯疱疹病毒复制。这些发现， 这证明了免疫疗法和化疗的结合 可产生实质性的抑制疱疹病毒复制，提供 将这一方法应用于治疗的理由 病毒感染。

Our studies of various virologic and immunopathologic processes that occur when viruses replicate in the ocular microenvironment comprise three areas: (1) coronavirus infection in ocular and optic nerve cells; (2) the possible roles of viruses in human diseases; and (3) antiviral therapeutic actions of cytokines and drugs. A fourth area of study initiated during the past year is the evaluation of molecular diagnosis and pathogenesis of cytomegalovirus infections in man. We have established that murine coronavirus can induce ocular disease and may be used as a model system for studying retinal degenerative diseases. This model has many unique features. The virus is capable of inducing an acute infection in the presence of mild retinal vascular inflammation. Initial retinal damage is followed by clearance of the virus and progressive retinal degeneration, even months after the virus is gone. In vitro studies and electron microscopic evaluation of in situ infection indicate that the virus replicates predominantly in Muller cells and can also be detected in retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and photoreceptor cells. These results demonstrate that the virus can induce biochemical and morphological changes in the retina that persist and progress long after the virus is detectable. This disease may be considered a model for degenerative diseases of the pigment epithelium and photoreceptors in humans. The need for effective drug treatment and prevention of herpes virus and other viral diseases has assumed growing importance. We found that leukoregulin, a naturally occurring immunologic cytokine, not only increases the antiviral actions of the drug acyclovir but also directly inhibits herpes simplex virus replication. These findings, which demonstrate that combination immunotherapy and chemotherapy can produce substantial inhibition of herpes virus replication, provide a rationale for the application of this approach to the treatment of virus infections.