HSV-induced apoptosis in herpes encephalitis.

HSV triggers and blocks apoptosis in cell type-specific fashion. This review discusses present understanding of the role of apoptosis and signaling cascades in neuronal pathogenesis and survival and summarizes present findings relating to the modulation of these strictly balanced processes by HSV infection. Underscored are the findings that HSV-1, but not HSV-2, triggers apoptosis in CNS neurons and causes encephalitis in adult subjects. Mechanisms responsible for the different outcomes of infection with the two HSV serotypes are described, including the contribution of viral antiapoptotic genes, notably the HSV-2 gene ICP10PK. Implications for the potential use of HSV vectors in future therapeutic developments are discussed.