Down-RANKing the Threat of HSV-1: RANKL Upregulates MHC-Class-I-Restricted Anti-Viral Immunity in Herpes Simplex Virus Infection.

Herpes simplex virus (HSV-1) is a major cause of viral skin infection in humans. Klenner and colleagues now show that the epidermal receptor activator of NFκB ligand (RANKL) is critical for the induction of anti-viral CD8(+) effector T cells (CTL) during cutaneous HSV-1 infection. Activation via RANKL prevents Langerhans cell apoptosis, thus leading to enhanced antigen transport to regional lymph nodes, increasing the CTL-priming capacity of lymph node dendritic cells.