J Korean Ophthalmol Soc.  2002 Aug;43(8):1516-1521.

Ultrastructure of the Optic Neuritis Induced by Herpes Simplex Virus-1 Injection in Rabbits

• Kim JW
• Shin WJ
• Ko MK

Abstract

PURPOSE: This study was performed to investigate the ultrastructural changes of the optic nerve after intravitreal injection of herpes simplex virus-1.
METHODS
Herpes simplex virus was separated from the culture media after observing the cytopathic effect on cultured vero cells. Viruses were then injected on the optic nerve head of 21 rabbit eyes. Eyes were enucleated at 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 10, and 14 days after injection of herpes simplex virus and examined under the electron microscope.
RESULTS
The intranuclear inclusion body was noted in eyes examined at 2 days after injection. The histopathological changes were perivascular infiltration of inflammatory cells, cytoskeletal degeneration of large diameter of myelinated nerve, demyelination of axonal nerve fiber, and the accumulation of mitochondria within axonal nerve fiber.
CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that optic neuritis may be induced by herpes simplex virus. The accumulation of mitochondria may be related to the interruption of the axonal transport through the axonal nerve fibers of optic nerve.

Keyword

Axonal nerve fiber; Herpes simplex virus; Optic neuritis; Ultrastructure

MeSH Terms

Axonal Transport
Axons
Culture Media
Demyelinating Diseases
Herpes Simplex*
Intranuclear Inclusion Bodies
Intravitreal Injections
Mitochondria
Myelin Sheath
Nerve Fibers
Optic Disk
Optic Nerve
Optic Neuritis*
Rabbits*
Simplexvirus
Vero Cells
Culture Media