Indomethacin enhancement of human natural killer cytotoxicity to herpes simplex virus infected cells in vitro and in vivo.

Indomethacin, a prostaglandin synthetase inhibitor, increased human mononuclear cell (MC) natural killer cytotoxicity (NKC) to herpes simplex virus (HSV) infected cells in vitro at concentrations of 2 X 10(-10)M (p less than .025). Infant mice were significantly (p less than 0.025) protected from a lethal HSV infection by prior injection with a combination of MC and indomethacin (60.7% survival) although neither alone was protective. These results further support the probable in vivo role of NKC in protection against HSV infection, and the critical regulation of NKC by prostaglandins.