# Viral and Host Factors in Herpetic Reactivation

> **NIH NIH R01** · DARTMOUTH COLLEGE · 2020 · $506,000

## Abstract

Herpes simplex virus type-1 (HSV-1) is the prototypic member of the Herpesviridae, with ~90%
seroprevalence in adults. HSV causes cold sores, genital sores, and is the leading cause of viral encephalitis.
HSV also causes ocular diseases ranging from self-limiting dendritic epithelial keratitis, conjunctivitis, and
blepharitis to necrotizing stromal keratitis. The ability of HSV to establish latency renders it resistant to cure
and represents a major hurdle in the prevention of herpetic diseases, the majority of which result from
recrudescence of the virus from this latent state. In accordance with this significant clinical problem and this
proposal, the NEI's August 2012 Strategic Plan seeks to elucidate innate and adaptive immune responses in
the cornea, and to develop vaccines and treatments for HSV-induced keratitis.
 The over-arching goal of this project, now in its 24th year, is to study innate and adaptive immunity to
HSV during all stages of pathogenesis. Our central hypothesis is that innate immunity, and the autophagy
pathway (which acts in both innate and adaptive immunity) act in a compartment-specific fashion to
control HSV replication and disease. We further hypothesize that pharmacological modulation of
innate immunity and autophagy will result in significant clinical benefit and improved resolution of
infection and disease. In this competing continuation we will continue to study the interplay of host immunity
and viral immunomodulatory genes in the determination of the outcome of HSV acute and latent infections. Our
overall approach will be to examine acute infection, establishment, and reactivation of latency of HSV in a
murine corneal model. We will use mouse strains deficient in selected pathways of host immunity in
combination with HSV recombinants lacking selected immunomodulatory genes. On the virus side we will
focus on HSV γ34.5 and ICP0 which are critical and versatile virulence determinants that counter many
aspects of the innate response. On the host side we will focus on the tissue-specific IFN responses that serve
to control virus infection. Using mouse and HSV genetics simultaneously provides a synergistic approach to
address our hypotheses, advance our understanding of HSV pathogenesis and develop novel therapies. If
successful, this project will elucidate the molecular and cellular basis of a complex and clinically significant
host-pathogen interface, and also test 2 new candidate therapeutic approaches that were identified during the
previous funding cycle.
 The impact of this project will therefore stem from identification of novel therapeutic paths for treatment
of HSV, and from performance of proof-of-principle experiments for novel therapies against HSV ocular
disease. More generally, this work will impact our overall understanding of fundamental mechanisms that
promote the lifelong persistence of this ubiquitous and significant ocular pathogen.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9836851
- **Project number:** 5R01EY009083-27
- **Recipient organization:** DARTMOUTH COLLEGE
- **Principal Investigator:** David A Leib
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $506,000
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1992-01-09 → 2021-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9836851

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9836851, Viral and Host Factors in Herpetic Reactivation (5R01EY009083-27). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9836851. Licensed CC0.

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