Dendritic cells, CD8 + T cells and Herpes simplex virus type I latency

Herpes simplex virus type I (HSV-1) belongs to human α-herpesviruses, and is a ubiquitous human pathogen. HSV-1 is capable of establishing a long-term latent infection in host neural system, and can reactivate from latency, which may lead to clinic symptoms and viral shedding in body fluids. HSV-1 specific CD8 + T cells are found to suppress reactivation and maintain latent status of HSV-1 in neural cells. This review focuses on virus antigen presentation by dendritic cells, and origin, category, antigen specificity and function of HSV-1 specific CD8 + T cells.