Scientists Find Stronger Immune Reaction Against Herpes Simplex Virus 2 in Obese Mice

Scientists Find Stronger Immune Reaction Against Herpes Simplex Virus 2 in Obese Mice

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A group of scientists at Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, collaborating with an associate from Myunggok Medical Research Center, has found that test mice deliberately overfed to make them obese put up a more robust immune reaction against the herpes simplex virus two than did mice fed usually.

In their paper released the journal Cell Reports, the group explains their collaboration with testing immune reactions in lab mice and what they discovered.

Prior study has revealed that obesity in people can result in cardiovascular disease and, sometimes, a greater danger of developing some types of cancers. Studies have likewise discovered proof that, in some circumstances, obesity can lead to an impaired body immune system. On the other hand, obesity has never been connected to an increased risk of establishing or dying from cervical cancer, which has been discovered to be caused primarily by human papillomavirus (HPV) infections.

Prior study has likewise shown that if lab mice end up being infected with herpes simplex virus two, they are overcome rapidly and die within an issue of weeks. In this current effort, the researchers wondered if overweight women laboratory mice would pass away faster from such an infection, possibly due to a weakened immune system. To discover, they fed one team of laboratory mice a high-fat diet plan and one more a lean diet. They maintained this up until the high-fat diet mice came to be overweight. Subsequently, they intravaginally swabbed each of the test mice with herpes simplex infection 2.

In monitoring the mice, the researchers discovered, to their shock, that half of the obese mice endured the infection, while each of the lean mice died. They also found that degrees of the virus in the overweight mice began clearing quicker than in the lean mice.

Taking a closer look, the researchers discovered higher levels of cytotoxic gamma-delta (γδ) T-cells in the vaginal mucosa of the women mice. When they inhibited such cells, the mice lost their capability to combat off the infection showing that it was γδ T-cells that were giving the mice the ability to fight off the infection. They also found that intravaginally injecting the mice with antibiotics reduced their capability to fight off the infection.


Read the original article on Medical Xpress.

More information:

Jang Hyun Park et al, Obesity enhances antiviral immunity in the genital mucosa through a microbiota-mediated effect on γδ T cells, Cell Reports (2022). DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111594

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