Responses of herpes simplex virus type 1-infected cells to the presence of extracellular antibodies: gE-dependent glycoprotein capping and enhancement in cell-to-cell spread.

Binding of anti-herpes simplex virus (HSV) immunoglobulin G (IgG) to HSV type 1 (HSV-1)-infected HEL and HEp-2 cells causes changes in surface viral glycoprotein distribution, resulting in a capping of all viral glycoproteins towards one pole of the cell. This occurs in a gE-dependent manner. In HEL cells, low concentrations of anti-HSV IgG also enhance cell-to-cell spread of wild-type HSV-1 but not of gE deletion mutant HSV-1. These observations raised the possibility that gE-dependent mechanisms exist that allow some HSV-1-infected cells to respond to the presence of extracellular antibodies by enhancing the antibody-resistant mode of virus transmission.