Abstract
We investigated the protective role of antibodies in vaginal secretions of mice that were immune to vaginal challenge with herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2). Unfractionated vaginal immunoglobulins from immune and nonimmune mice and affinity-purified immunoglobulin G (IgG) and secretory IgA (S-IgA) from immune secretions were adjusted to their concentrations in vivo. Wild-type HSV-2 was incubated in the immunoglobulin preparations for 15 min in vitro, followed by inoculation into vaginae of nonimmune mice. HSV-2 was neutralized by unfractionated antibody and purified IgG from immune secretions but not by unfractionated nonimmune antibody or by purified immune S-IgA. The protective effect of IgG in vivo was investigated by passively transferring purified serum IgG from immune and nonimmune donors to nonimmune recipients before vaginal challenge infection. Immune IgG significantly reduced the percentage of vaginal epithelium infected, concentrations of shed virus protein in the vaginal lumen, and illness scores, even though the viral antibody titers in serum and vaginal secretions of recipient mice at the time of challenge were only 29 and 8%, respectively, of those in actively immunized mice. Additionally, removal of vaginal secretions from immune mice 10 min before vaginal challenge with HSV-2 significantly increased the concentration of shed virus protein in the vaginal lumen after challenge. Collectively, the data indicate that IgG antibody in vaginal secretions of immune mice provides early protection against vaginal challenge infection, probably by neutralizing virus in the vaginal lumen. In contrast, S-IgA antibody contributed relatively little to immune protection of the vagina.