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HVEM-LIGHT signaling promotes antibody-dependent neutrophil FcγR-mediated trogocytosis against herpes simplex virus infection
Matthew S. Gromisch, Masayuki Kuraoka, Carl F. Ware, Steven C. Almo, Betsy C. Herold
Matthew S. Gromisch, Masayuki Kuraoka, Carl F. Ware, Steven C. Almo, Betsy C. Herold
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Research Article Immunology Infectious disease Virology

HVEM-LIGHT signaling promotes antibody-dependent neutrophil FcγR-mediated trogocytosis against herpes simplex virus infection

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Abstract

Studies with a candidate vaccine deleted in glycoprotein D (ΔgD-2) for herpes simplex virus (HSV) prevention uncovered a role for herpes virus entry mediator (HVEM) in mediating antibody-dependent cell-mediated killing (ADCK) of virally infected cells. Antibodies elicited by ΔgD-2 passively protect WT but not Fc γ receptor (FcγR) or HVEM knockout (KO) mice. The goals of this study were to identify which cells mediate ADCK and the role of HVEM signaling. Using HVEM ligand and conditional cell-type–specific HVEM-KO mice combined with in vitro mouse and human cytolytic assays, we demonstrate that ADCK of HSV-infected cells is mediated primarily by neutrophils and requires their expression of HVEM and its ligand, LIGHT. Cytolysis is not associated with granzyme and perforin production but occurs by a trogocytosis-like pathway. Pharmacological inhibition of myosin light-chain kinase (MLCK), which mediates trogocytosis, inhibits cytolysis. Similar results were obtained when human neutrophils were cocultured with HSV-infected cells opsonized with ADCK-containing human immune serum or with breast cancer cells treated with an anti-HER2 trogocytosis mediating antibody. Killing was significantly reduced when an MLCK inhibitor or blocking antibodies to CD16a, HVEM, or LIGHT were added. Together, these results define a mechanism of HVEM-enhanced FcγR-mediated neutrophil-dependent ADCK of targets cells.

Authors

Matthew S. Gromisch, Masayuki Kuraoka, Carl F. Ware, Steven C. Almo, Betsy C. Herold

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Figure 5

Killing of HSV-infected cells is mediated by trogocytosis and promoted by HVEM and LIGHT.

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Killing of HSV-infected cells is mediated by trogocytosis and promoted b...
WT mouse neutrophils were preincubated with (A) DPI, (B) ML-7, or DMSO buffer as a control and cocultured with ΔgD-2 or control immune serum pretreated HSV-infected, calcein-labeled Vero target cells. The percent cytotoxicity was quantified by measuring cell-free calcein in ΔgD-2 minus control serum treated targets (n = 6–8). (C) HSV-infected Vero cells were labeled with Vybrant DiI dye, incubated with ΔgD-2 or control immune serum, and neutrophils isolated from WT, Hvem–/–, or Light–/– mice. The percentage of DiI uptake was measured by flow cytometry on live neutrophils incubated with ΔgD-2 versus control immune serum (n = 6). (D) DiI-labeled (green) and calcein-AM–labeled (red) HSV-infected Vero cells were incubated with ΔgD-2 immune serum with neutrophils isolated from WT, Hvem–/–, or FcγRIV–/– neutrophils. Cytotoxicity was imaged over a 2.5-hour incubation with the Operetta CLS imaging system with images collected at 20 × magnification over 3 fields (n = 3). Representative images are shown at 3 timepoints: 22.5, 28.5, and 120 minutes after the start of imaging. (E) Fluorescent intensity of DiI+ neutrophils was measured with the Spot Intensity Analysis plugin using ImageJ across 3 fields (n = 3; orange, blue, and green) for WT, Hvem–/–, and FcγRIV–/–. Fluorescent intensity is reported for individual DiI+ neutrophils and the mean intensity in each field. Cytotoxicity and %DiI+ neutrophil were compared by repeated measures or 1-way ANOVA, respectively with Holm-Šidák’s multiple comparisons test; Fluorescent Intensity was compared by 1-way ANOVA with Holm-Šidák’s multiple comparisons test against the means of each field (**P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001, ****P < 0.0001).

Copyright © 2026 American Society for Clinical Investigation
ISSN: 0021-9738 (print), 1558-8238 (online)

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